Course Title: ART 454 ART THERAPY INTERNSHIP
Term: Spring
Course Desciption
Major. Prerequisites: A 3.0 average in the major, ART 355, 357, 380, ART 453, and permission of the instructor. A three-credit internship is required for senior art therapy majors. (A three-credit internship consists of 120 hours of experience in a clinical or educational setting.) The goal is for students to achieve experience in facilitating art-making with a specific population. This internship will also offer opportunities to understand the overall structure and dynamics of a social service agency. Student interns will attend a weekly group supervision class to present participants’ artwork and explore responses and problems related to their overall field experience. Weekly observation handouts and visual research imagery will support future career skills, including but not limited to time management and excellent communication in the field. Internship placements are available in locations throughout the Upstate region. Students are required to provide their transportation−Lab fee.
Required Texts
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Bruce Moon (2009). Existential Art Therapy: The Canvas Mirror (3rd ed.). Charles C. Thomas Publisher.
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Corey, M. & Corey, G. (2016). Becoming a Helper (7th ed.). Cengage Learning.
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Additional reading assignments are located on Canvas.
Course Learning Objectives
By participating in psycho-educational lectures, readings, discussions, and experiential experiences, the student will be able to:
1. learn essential and ethical skills of professional practices as evidenced by
documented120-hours of internship hours, a minimum of satisfactory on the final site
evaluation, and course assignments;
2. enhance skills to facilitate an art-based experiential and meet the needs, abilities
and accessibility of participants;
3. understand and nurture cultural humility within themselves and diverse populations;
4. explore the role of response art-making to enhance understanding of site
populations, community service work, and self-awareness.
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. complete essential and ethical skills of professional practices as evidenced by
documented120-hours of internship hours, a minimum of satisfactory on the final site
evaluation, and course assignments;
2. articulate skills to facilitate an art-based experiential and meet the needs, abilities
and accessibility of participants;
3. connect and nurture cultural humility within themselves and diverse
populations;
4. demonstrate the role of response art-making to enhance understanding of site
populations, community service work, and self-awareness.
AATA Code of Ethics and multicultural Competencies
Undergraduate art therapy students do not provide any therapy, including art therapy, at their internship site. The student’s role is to assist, or observe a licensed therapist, provide psycho-social activities or community-building activities. While you are not providing therapy, your behavior must still align with the American Art Therapy Association’s Code of Ethics and Converse College’s Honor Code. The professional standards were provided in all pre-requisite coursework and can be referenced on the course’s Canvas portal. If you believe you will be unable to uphold any professional standards, you must notify Professor Zeisler immediately.
Assignments:
Assignment 1:
Required, Professional Completion of Internship Hours, and Course Attendance (120 hours− spring semester)​
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Assignment 2:
Assignment 3:
Assignment 4:
Assignment 5:
Case Presentation and Case Note (see handout for requirements)
Assignment 6:
Weekly Response Images
Throughout the semester, you will create response imagery about your internship placement. Create an image using materials of your choice to explore your community setting population and overall experience in the field.
Assignment 7:
Cultural Immigration Narrative Image
Students will complete an art-based cultural narrative regarding their family’s’ immigration story, inspired by a questionnaire defining their culture of origin, organizing principles of pride/shame, and the role of assimilation vs. acculturation. Additional symbolic reflections will provide a foundation for group discussion and an intersectional framework within a culture. (Answer a minimum of 5 questions listed on p. 232 of the Hardy, K. & Laszoffly, T. article.)
