Why & How I Became an Art Therapist

This is a modified version of my interview with an art student who was curious about my experience with art therapy:

Painting for Peachtober 2024 on IG (Day 1: Daisy) — I didn’t post anything then, so I thought I’d post this now.

Who are you?

My name is Katrina, I’m a visual artist, art therapist, mental health counselor associate, and zine maker.

What initially sparked your interest in art?

I’ve been drawing as far back as I can remember, guess I’ve always liked it. Probably a tie between the need to create and the need to process my own anxiety (which I had as a kid, just didn’t know what it was called yet).

What kind of work do you do?

I own a private practice called Pearl Art Therapy & Counseling in Tacoma where I work individually with teens, college students, and women in Tacoma (and online in WA). Usually, I fold art therapy into counseling…I guess you could call it “creative counseling”. While I usually meet 1-1 with clients, I recently signed on as a contractor with Asia Pacific Cultural Center and am SO EXCITED to facilitate art therapy groups in Tacoma schools!

Besides art therapy/counseling, I’m also a Teaching Artist with Urban Artworks (UA). Last fall (October through December 2024), I had the privilege (alongside fellow Teaching Artist Carlos Martinez) of helping 14 students design their own mural and bring it to life. It was SO MUCH FUN. The teens were awesome and it was because of them and their eagerness to learn and create that it was such a good experience. I’ve painted many murals designed by other artists through UA, but this Spring (2025), I was invited to design my first murals with UA — I did a happy dance.

I recently created a public art installation in Tacoma, a little zine library funded by Spaceworks. To get more people to engage with the zine library (or “zine box” as some folks call it), I started an instagram for it @tacomazinelibrary and a challenge that starts February 2025 to make a zine once a month for the year! I have never attempted such a thing. Hope it works out, haha.

What motivated you to pursue a career in Art therapy? 

I remember the idea popping into my head while painting in an art class, “I wonder what art therapy is?” This was likely brought on by seeing business cards for an art therapists in a waiting room while waiting to meet with my therapist at age 21. I had her name up on my wall for a year before I finally called her (stubborn much?). She was a wonderful listener, asked questions that sliced to my core, and was instrumental in changing the trajectory of my life for good!

What kind of training or education did you receive in this field, if any?

BFA in visual communication with a double major in graphic design and illustration from Northwest College of Art & Design; MA in clinical mental health counseling with a concentration in art therapy from Antioch University Seattle.

Do you have any mentors or experiences that heavily affected your desire for this career?

Besides the therapist I met with when I was 21, I received art lessons at Monet Arts (I think it’s called Kitsap Arts now) when I was an angsty kid, around 6 years old. Ruth, my art teacher, was patient with me and saw how stressed I was as I struggled for perfection. She taught me basic art skills while giving me tools to loosen up, tools I later learned were used often in art therapy.

How did you gain practical experience in the Art Therapy field?

Before enrolling in Antioch, I gained practical experience on the Pintar en Bolivia (PEB) team. For three months back in 2018, I volunteered my graphic design and illustration skills for PEB, an art therapy non-profit in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Knowing I wanted to be an art therapist but not having a clue as to what that could look like, PEB opened my mind to many ways art can be used in community. I watched and participated as PEB partnered with local youth and Teaching Artists from abroad to paint murals around the city, hosted cooking classes to empower survivors of domestic violence while showing off their skills, and held engaging booths all over the city that invited people to paint and collaborate, all while providing psychoeducation about how art can help communities heal.

We (the Pintar en Bolivia team) painted this booth/building black with chalk paint. I digitally created a design and then transferred it to the wall to invite locals to fill it in with color (Spring 2018).

Through my MA program at Antioch, I gained experience through my practicum and internship. Before these formal graduation requirements, I additionally sought opportunities to make art with kids, teens, and young adults I worked with. I was able to draw, make origami, create zines, and other arty things while working various roles—as a Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) at Kitsap Mental Health Services, shelter staff and case manager at The Coffee Oasis, paraeducator at West Hills STEM Academy, and BHT at Pearl Youth Residence—all while in school for art therapy.

Can you share a pivotal moment or experience that solidified your commitment to this field?

Oof, so many! One thing that struck me as powerful is making marginalized teens feel seen. While working one night as a shelter staff, I briefly sketched a resident as they sat on the couch opposite of me. I didn’t even finish it, and from old art school Katrina, it wasn’t even “good”. But when I passed this unfinished sketch to the resident, their face lit up. They held the drawing tenderly and said “I love it” while staring at it. I didn’t believe them until months later when, returning to the shelter with only a small handful of things that fit into their backpack, they pulled out the portrait I drew and set it on the pool table — my heart basically exploded with joy. I drew portraits of teens while leading art groups at The Loft in Tacoma for my practicum. They responded similarly, but shouted to their friends to look and took photos. It’s a really cool thing to use art to connect with people and remind them that they matter. Commonly, hope and self-esteem among youth experiencing homelessness is LOW while nightmares and dissociation run high, leading to youth wondering if they’re real and if they are, if anyone notices or if they matter at all. A simple portrait can speak volumes: “This is how I see you, I’m right here with you, and you exist”

What challenges did you face in your education, personal and professional training?

Also so many *sob emoji*

I was experiencing burn out even before starting grad school because working nights at a teen shelter and hearing INCREDIBLY SAD STORIES with basically no therapy training yet. I worked as much as I could (at emotionally difficult jobs) while in school, until hitting a brick wall — an advisor at Antioch named Maria Kim. She told me my speed would be my downfall if I didn’t slow down. There were parts I didn’t agree with, but ultimately, working less led to me being more present and available for my clients. Antioch went through several administrative changes while I was enrolled, which led to (I believe) 5 tuition increases and staff and student protests because instructors in Seattle weren’t getting paid well or respected in their roles by the higher ups.

Is there anything you would have done differently with your approach?

I wish I didn’t avoid so many opportunities to teach art workshops while I was in school (there were many chances, but I was afraid back then). Same with pursuing public art opportunities murals (aka asking small businesses if I could paint their walls).

How do you stay connected and involved in the art therapy community?

Currently, I have a pretty solid community for local art (Tacoma) and therapy, but not as much together. I made a Facebook specifically for the therapy groups. I’m also part of Shelterwood Collective now, which means I have access to trainings and the Slack community. There are some local meet-ups for clinicians and I try to go to those to expand my network. I often reach out to fellow clinicians for coffee or virtual meet ups. I’m in regular communication with a small group of Filipina therapists and being able to bounce ideas off of them has been a major plus.

What advice would you give someone looking to pursue a career in art therapy?

I’d strongly recommend watching some Thirsty for Art YouTube videos and contemplating if you want to work as an art therapist clinically (hospitals, schools, private practice taking insurance, etc.) or more for non-clinical groups or individuals. In the clinical case, you will benefit from a MA in Counseling or Therapy…but you don’t necessarily need to get a double degree (counseling + art therapy). You could get your preferred counseling degree and then get a certificate to be an expressive arts therapist. Different name, but still awesome.

There’s a lot you can do with a Bachelor’s degree if you’re passionate about making art with others and don’t want to pursue a Master’s degree too. Urban Artworks and plenty of other organizations are already doing great things. Shameless plug for Urban Artworks: sign up for their newsletter if you want to paint community murals in the Seattle area!

Students at Highline High School painting the mural they designed through Urban Artworks through the Mural Apprentice Program (Fall 2024).

Whatever you do, lean into what you love. Hope this helps! :)