Arts classes Southwestern College

Your Experience & Success in the Program Your experience in the Art Therapy at Southwestern College will be a vibrant exploration of the art-filled therapeutic process. Our integrative approach not only honors the spiritual connection between soul and art, but positions our students for professional success after graduation. Agencies around the area tell us that our students bring a maturity and a commitment to social change that is not found in many schools. We also offer a lot of help both in identifying career opportunities and learning how to create a private practice in our Conscious Entrepreneurship Initiative. You will find that the honesty of the art and the healing process of making art is fully embraced here. While exploring the meanings of diagnosis, assessment and treatment, we strive to maintain a holistic consciousness that helps us see art therapy through the grace of a spiritual, life affirming lens. And you will do a lot of art-making… Program Description The Master’s program in Art Therapy / Counseling burns brightly with passion for art making. You will engage in self-reflective creativity throughout the entire program, and from this place of experiencing your own artistic processes, combined with solid clinical training, you will be equipped to enthusiastically engage in therapeutic client work. The Master’s program in Art Therapy / Counseling emphasizes the use of the visual arts as a therapeutic approach in clinical, educational, community and rehabilitation settings. While visual arts is the primary therapeutic modality, the creative process may be supported by classroom instruction and experiences in the use of drama, movement and music therapy. SWC also offers opportunities in Sandplay/Sandtray therapy. Program features:

• American Art Therapy Association Approved Program since 1998
• Curriculum and Degree prepares graduates for licensure as a Professional Art Therapist and as a Counselor
• 91 quarter units (equivalent to approx. 60 semester units)
• Transformational, experiential learning approach shared by faculty and students
• Full-time two year program: part-time program available

The clients who our students work with come from a wide variety of settings including the families who live in communities in northern New Mexico. Besides doing outpatient work with local children, adolescents and adults, our students may choose to work with clients from social service agencies, inpatient settings, schools, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, shelters, detention centers, open studios and outdoor/equine centers. The possibilities for developing clinical and art-based skills are endless. Because of our students’ wide range of interests, we intentionally seek faculty with very diverse work experience and theoretical stances. We don’t teach “one way” of doing art therapy. We encourage you to learn and experience such richness and variety here that you BECOME an art therapist from the inside, out. There is a sense of genuine community within the school that is nourished by faculty, administration and students. You are invited and encouraged to come out to the art therapy studio where the sense of community is particularly strong as we informally make art, talk together and explore our creativity. In addition to the successful completion of coursework, practicum hours and internship, students are required to demonstrate their knowledge and abilities at the end of both the first year of classes and at the end of the program through a written examination (there is also an option for a community service project). Portfolio Review Students also share a review of significant artwork that they created during the first year. This is an opportunity for students to informally share their experiences from first year, with art therapy faculty, through their own imagery.