Expressive Therapist - Art Therapist - Children's Behavioral Health Center (Fall 2026)

Position Title:

Expressive Therapist - Art Therapist - Children's Behavioral Health Center (Fall 2026)

Department:

Pediatric Behavioral Health OP

Job Description:

Under the direction of Child Life, Integrative and Creative Care this role provides foundational clinical expressive therapy services for patients and families by using expressive modalities as tools to help them attain and maintain their maximum levels of functioning and coping in the area of physical, cognitive, communication and social/emotional health during hospitalization or residential programs. Program planning will be designed to reduce stress, increase adaptive coping, provide normalization, promote social interaction and support developmental integrity through expressive experiences and interventions in a safe environment.

Essential Responsibilities

Responsibilities listed in this section are core to the position. Inability to perform these responsibilities with or without an accommodation may result in disqualification from the position.

• Will assess and prioritize patient needs through referrals and patient review process.

• Identify interventions based on patient assessment, match techniques to developmental, emotional, physical and social needs of patients and families.

• Provide expressive therapy, through a multitude of modalities, interventions designed to meet patients' physical or psychological needs.

• Inform and educate patients and families on the use of expressive therapy techniques to support health coping and normal growth and development.

• Involve family members in expressive therapy services per assessment including teaching skills and resources for transition to home.

• Implement and document patient care plans; communicate plans and outcomes to others.

• Provide expressive therapy programming to complement work in meeting the psychosocial and developmental needs of patients and families.

• Provide individual and group sessions to fulfill therapeutic objectives, including but not limited to: anxiety reduction, pain management, developmental stimulation, alternative means of expression/communication, positive coping techniques, procedural support, quality of life and family/patient support.

• Identify and educate appropriate expressive therapy resources for each patient and family.

• Participate in interdisciplinary team planning and co-treating.

• Monitor patient progress and remain adaptive in plan of care.

• Incorporate expressive therapy in development of patient's self-awareness and expression, coping skills, sense of well-being and social behavior.

• Provide educational in-services for patients and families as well as staff members.

• Supports the training and supervision of students and volunteers related to expressive therapy.

General Responsibilities

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Education Requirements

• Art: Master’s Degree in Art Therapy, Art Therapy/Counseling, Art Education with concentration in counseling or its equivalent from an CAAHEP-accredited program OR related mental health field and have completed additional graduate-level art therapy coursework per ATCB 

Experience Requirements

• Art: Completion of a supervised art therapy internship of at least 600 hours.

License/Certification/Registration Requirements

• Current Basic Life Support issued by the American Heart Association required with in 30 days of start date. 

• Art: Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) preferred; if have ATR (Registered Art Therapist) then must complete ATR-BC within a year of hire

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities Requirements

• Working knowledge of expressive therapies and impact to patients and families.

• Must have knowledge of the theories of expressive therapy,