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One key element of IEATA’s mission is to promote professional excellence and standards of practice for practitioners and consumers. To that end, we have established the title of Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT) and developed a screening and registration process to certify qualified members. All REATs agree to abide by a Code of Ethics.

To become a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist, an IEATA member must meet all of the registration standards and requirements. (You can read the criteria below or download a printer-friendly version.)

Registration Standards and Requirements

I. Education

Must meet one of the standards described in category A, B, C or D below. If education has been obtained from an educational institute that is not state-accredited, applicant must include an official course syllabus for each course taken. Transcripts must be official, sent in a sealed envelope, with the signature of the registrar or other designated official across the seal.

Category A:

1) A Master’s Degree in Expressive Arts Therapy or equivalency in a Creative Arts Therapy Program. This must include a practicum (internship) of at least 500 hours of supervised clinical work plus 50 hours of individual supervisory sessions, or 100 hours of group supervisory sessions, or a combination of the two.

2) Demonstration of arts practice and involvement

Category B:

1) A Master’s Degree in Psychology, Educational Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, or related mental health discipline

2) PLUS completion of training in one or several professional Expressive Arts Therapy Institutes (See definition of “Professional Expressive Arts Therapy Institutes” in Document A of the REAT application.)

Training in the above-mentioned Expressive Arts Institutes must be documented by a letter of completion from the Institute, sent in a sealed envelope with the signature of an Institute trainer across the seal.

The Institute training must include at least 200 hours of supervised clinical practicum (internship) and 25 hours of individual supervisory sessions or 50 hours of group supervisory sessions or a combination of the two.

3) Demonstration of arts practice and involvement

Category C:

1) A Master’s Degree in Fine Arts (music, visual arts, dance, drama, etc.)

2) PLUS completion of training from one or several professional Expressive Arts Therapy Institutes or Programs

Applicants under this category must have completed a practicum (internship) of at least 500 hours of supervised clinical work and 50 hours of individual supervisory sessions, or 100 hours of group supervisory sessions or a combination of the two from the identified Expressive Arts Training Institute. (See definition of “Professional Expressive Arts Therapy Institutes” in Document A of the REAT application.)

3) In addition, three of the four requirements under “General Therapy Competencies” must be met through continuing education, non-degree or degree courses, or other means, but not from audited courses.

Category D:

1) Doctoral Degree in Expressive Arts Therapy or equivalency in a Creative Arts Therapy Program

Program must include a practicum of 1,000 hours of supervised clinical work and 100 hours of individual supervisory sessions, or 200 hours of group supervisory sessions or a combination of both.

2) Demonstration of arts practice and involvement

Category E:

1) To apply under this Exceptional Category, applicant must fulfill one of the four educational categories above.

2) This category has been added for those individuals who began acquiring their post-masters/post-doctoral experience without supervision from an expressive arts or creative arts therapist because there were none available at the time. They have demonstrated high ethical standards of practice and are respected by others in the field. They must, however, meet specific criteria to be considered under this exception. (See guidelines in Document B of the REAT application.)

(See definition of “Professional Expressive Arts Therapy Institutes” in Document A of the REAT application.)

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II. Experience

Experience must have been acquired after completion of categories A, B, C or D (post-graduate), and must include the following:

1) 2,000 hours (equal to approximately 20 hours per week for 24 months), or an equivalent time over a longer period of time, not to exceed 48 months (or four years)

2) 100 hours of individual supervised sessions or 200 hours of group supervisory sessions or a combination of these. (See definition of “Supervision” in Document A of the REAT application.)

3) For Category D only - experience after completion of Category D above must include:

a) 1,500 hours (equal to approximately 25 hours per week for 12 months) or an equivalent time over a longer period of time, not to exceed 48 months (four years)

b) 75 hours of individual supervised sessions or 150 hours of group supervisory sessions, or a combination of the two

4) For Category E (Exceptional Category) only – must have 10+ years experience

III. Competencies

A clear demonstration that all three required competencies (A, B and C below) have been met will be documented in the:

1) Narrative Statements

2) Transcripts

3) Institute Course descriptions

A. Expressive Arts Therapy

A minimum of three of the following four categories below must be satisfied and the applicant must have completed a minimum of 25 hours of instruction for each of the three categories:

1) Individual Expressive Arts Therapy Process – coursework

2) Group Expressive Arts Therapy Process – coursework (Continuation of Required Competencies)

3) Applications of Expressive Arts Therapy, i.e., how the applicant applies diagnostic impressions, personality tendencies, expressive communication styles and previous arts experience of client

4) Approaches to, or styles of Expressive Arts Therapy in practice and study, i.e., various approaches used by the applicant in integrating multi-arts in therapy

B. General Therapy

A minimum of three of the following four categories below must be satisfied and the applicant must have completed a minimum of 25 hours of instruction for each of the four categories:

1) Ethics/Professional Practice

2) Personal Styles (e.g., personality theory)

3) Psychopathology

4) Development (child and adult)

C. The Arts

Addressed the following areas:

1) Arts Practice. Describe your ongoing involvement with an art(s) in your narrative and in any included video, audio or artistic representations included in application.

2) Coursework in chosen arts medium/media. A total of 50 contact hours is required in a chosen art(s). This must be documented in the transcript(s) or Institute description approved by instructor of courses.

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IV. Personal Expressive Arts Therapy

100 hours are required for individual or group expressive arts therapy, not including personal process as required in Master’s or Institute training classes or coursework. Your expressive arts therapist cannot be the same person as your supervisor, teacher or head of training program. (This means your own therapy within a private context outside of the academic program or training institute.)

Applicant’s personal process must be with a REAT or with a certified or registered therapist in any art form (art therapist, dance therapist, etc.) The credentials of the non-REAT therapist must accompany the applicant’s documentation. This personal process may be obtained prior to or following a Master’s degree or Institute training.

V. Autobiographical Statement

The essential background and training elements of a seasoned Expressive Arts Therapist include personal experience and artistic and psychological competencies. To understand and review these elements of applicant’s professional experience, we request a five-page essay (typed and double-spaced), which should include the following:

An autobiographical statement describing applicant’s experience and mastery in the arts, including present work, certifications and credentials from other associations, personal therapy, special awards, publications, and other related information.

VI. Philosophy of Expressive Arts Therapy

Our field is defining itself through our many voices. This category provides an opportunity for you to crystallize your ideas and describe your practice. Please include thoughts about major influences of the arts in your life, images and concepts that inform your work and your approach or style of practice. Include any examples of your work that will help us to understand your philosophy. Your written statement should be at least five pages (typed and double-spaced).

VII. Two Letters of Reference

The letters of reference can be from your supervisor who is a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist, Registered Creative Arts Therapist, or Licensed Mental Health Professional with a background in the arts, including your supervisor from pre-master’s degree and/or post-master’s degree experience.

These are the individuals who are familiar with your work and progress and have witnessed your professional development in the therapeutic environment.

The letters of reference CANNOT be from your personal therapist.

Note: For those applying under the “Exceptional Category,” you may not have had an expressive arts or creative arts supervisor but you will still need to include references from prior supervisors, colleagues and teachers in the Mental Health Profession. Remember that you will need five letters of reference if applying under this category. The individuals must be familiar with your skills and reputation as an Expressive Arts Therapist, with at least two of the references being past supervisors.

VIII. Applications

Completed applications for registration may be submitted at any time. Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant after three months if necessary parts still have not been received. This includes the required triplicate copies requested for the review process. The reviewing process will take a minimum of three months for regular submissions and four months for the Exceptional Category.

Download the Registered Expressive Arts Therapy Application>

Read the REAT Code of Ethics>

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