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SUNY Oswego - Career Services

What can I do with a minor in expressive arts therapy?

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SUNY Oswego - Career Services

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CEO and Executive Director, Touchstone Mental Health

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Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Children's Specialized Hospital

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Licensed Professional Counselor and Play Therapist

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Arts Alive ARTswego

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  • Wellness Coordinator
  • Art Therapist
  • Therapeutic Recreation Coordinator
  • Program Designer

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Explore the numerous career fields related to your major

Art Therapy
Areas
  • Mental Health
  • Rehabilitation
  • Counseling
  • Psychotherapy
Employers
  • Hospitals
  • Nursing homes
  • Mental health facilities
  • Rehabilitation centers=
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Community agencies and centers
  • Schools, colleges, and universities
  • Correctional facilities
  • Domestic violence and homeless shelters
  • Art studios
  • Private practice
Sample occupations
  • Take courses in art, as well as courses in psychology, social work, education, and child and family studies.
  • Volunteer in a rehabilitation setting.
  • Learn to work well with many types of people and develop excellent communication skills.
  • Cultivate a strong sense of empathy, patience, and interpersonal skills.
  • Learn to work in a team environment.
Rehabilitation
Areas
  • Individual and group counseling
  • Vocational counseling
  • Assessment
  • Program development
  • Program evaluation
  • Advocacy/Intervention
  • Administration
  • Grant writing
Employers
  • Hospitals
  • Residential treatment facilities
  • Drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs
  • Group homes
  • Nursing homes
  • Assisted/independent living facilities
  • Senior centers
  • Adult service programs
  • Therapeutic recreation centers
  • College/university disabilities offices
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Department of Social Services
  • Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies
  • Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Correctional facilities
  • Probation services
Sample occupations
  • Gain practical experience working with people who have physical disabilities, the elderly, veterans, adolescents, and families.
  • Become familiar with human development and issues specific to aging and disabilities.
  • Volunteer with agencies providing services to these populations such as Meals on Wheels, Project Live, etc.
  • Seek knowledge of assessment procedures and therapeutic recreational activities.
  • Obtain a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling to increase marketability (not required but preferred).
  • Research government and community resources available for those in need.
  • Expect to work on multidisciplinary teams.
  • Obtain certification as a rehabilitation counselor (CRC) through the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC).
School Counseling
Areas
  • Elementary
  • Middle school
  • High school
  • College/Career planning
  • Student services
  • Administration
Employers
  • Public and private schools, K-12
  • Departments of Education
Sample occupations
  • Earn a master’s degree in school counseling.
  • Gain experience through mentoring, tutoring, or volunteering with a school-based organization.
  • Acquire knowledge of stressors unique to children and families.
  • Plan to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams: teachers, social workers, school administrators, therapists, and others.
  • Become familiar with various assessments and evaluations utilized in educational settings.
  • Obtain certification as a National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) through the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC).
  • Join professional organizations such as American School Counselor Association (ASCA) to learn more about the field.
Mental Health
Areas
  • Individual counseling
  • Group counseling
  • Case management
  • Crisis intervention
  • Program planning
  • Administration
  • Advocacy/Intervention
  • Religious-based/Pastoral counseling
  • Diagnostic specializations (e.g. Eating Disoders, Grief, Trauma)
  • Hypnotherapy/EMDR
  • Animal-assisted Equine Expressive Arts (e.g., Music, Art, Dance, Play, Meditation)
  • See other areas of specialty below
Employers
  • Residential treatment facilities
  • Residential treatment facilities
  • In/Outpatient psychiatric care units
  • Mobile crisis units
  • Hospitals
  • Behavioral health programs
  • Social service agencies
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Religious and pastoral organizations
  • Hospices
  • Child guidance clinics
  • Family planning centers
  • Adult service programs
  • Group homes
  • Public and private schools
  • Private or group practices
  • Armed Forces
  • Department of Child and Family Services
  • Department of Corrections
  • Department of Human Services
  • Department of Mental Health
  • Department of Justice
  • Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Correctional facilities
Sample occupations
  • Obtain a master’s degree in mental health counseling or related area.
  • Gain practical experience with children, families, and individuals with mental health issues.
  • Become familiar with government and community resources available for those in need.
  • Volunteer with a local social service organization to test interest in working with different populations or presenting problems.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow professionals in a variety of fields.
  • Participate in community events to become familiar with local organizations and community members.
  • Develop strong communication, listening, and organizational skills, along with a sense of empathy.
  • Learn to work well with different types of people.
  • Cultivate multicultural and diversity competence.
  • Develop the ability to work well under pressure and manage stress.
  • Research government hiring procedures and state licensure regulations.
Human Services
Areas
  • Counseling
  • Psychotherapy
  • Applied behavior analysis
  • Art therapy
  • Music therapy
  • Case management
  • Mental health services
  • Direct care continued:
    • Physical health and wellness
    • Crisis work
    • Rehabilitation services (e.g., speech, physical, vocational therapies)
    • Performance enhancement
    • Testing/Assessment
    • Law enforcement
    • Advocacy
    • Programming
    • Community relations
    • Management
    • Development/Fund raising
    • Grant writing
Employers
  • Health and Human Services
  • Veterans Affairs
  • State government:
    • Departments of Mental Health
    • Departments of Human Services
    • Departments of Justice
    • Community mental health centers
    • State psychiatric hospitals
    • Facilities for individuals with intellectual impairments
    • Boards of probation and parole
  • Local government
  • Senior citizens’ centers
  • Nursing homes
  • Social service/nonprofit organizations
  • Religiously-affiliated service organizations
  • Hospitals/healthcare providers
  • Private psychiatric facilities
  • Outpatient clinics
  • Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
  • College and university counseling centers and career centers
  • Pain clinics
  • Rehabilitation facilities
  • Testing centers
  • Private practice
Sample occupations
  • Obtain essential practical experience through part-time or summer jobs such as camp counselor, tutor, or resident hall advisor.
  • Complete an internship for academic credit.
  • Gain experience through volunteering with organizations such as crisis hotlines, Big Brother or Sister, Special Olympics, service groups, etc.
  • Learn to work well with different types of people.
  • Develop strong communication skills.
  • Cultivate the desire to help others.
  • Earn a minor in a specialized field of interest (e.g., child & family studies, sociology,
    or political science)
  • Take courses to build valuable counseling-related skills (e.g., techniques of counseling).
  • Become fluent in a second language to serve clients who may not speak English.
  • Be willing to relocate for increased job opportunities.
  • Acquire knowledge of government and community resources available for those in need.
  • Earn graduate degrees in psychology, counseling, or social work for positions involving substantive counseling or psychotherapy or for advancement into administrative/supervisory positions.
  • Maintain an excellent academic record and seek experiences valued by graduate programs.

General information and strategies

  • It is critical to develop desirable skills through internships, part-time or summer jobs, or volunteer experiences.
  • Continue learning about environmental and human needs.
  • Develop good verbal and written communication skills, interpersonal skills, reading comprehension skills, and leadership skills.
  • A bachelor’s degree is valuable for entry-level positions, but an advanced degree is usually necessary to attain competitive, upper-level positions.
  • Take courses in art, as well as courses in psychology, social work, education, and child and family studies.
  • Volunteer in a rehabilitation setting.
  • Gain practical experience working with people who have physical disabilities, the elderly, veterans, adolescents, and families.
  • Become familiar with human development and issues specific to aging and disabilities.
  • Cultivate multicultural and diversity competence.
  • Acquire knowledge of government and community resources available for those in need.