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Art therapy
Art therapy uses the psychotherapeutic relationship between the art therapist, the patient, and the artistic process to improve cognitive and sensorimotor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, and reduce and resolve conflicts and distress.
No experience with art materials is necessary to find success in art therapy. All skill levels welcome!
Art therapists can support patients and families in a number of ways, including:
- Coping with new diagnosis
- Providing opportunities for non-verbal self-expression
- Alleviating stress, anxiety, and depression
- Promoting self-expression and insight related to illness or injury
- Promoting autonomy and control through the creative process
- Assisting in the development of coping skills
- Promoting fine/gross motor movement following injury or illness
- Non-pharmacological symptom management
- Supporting families through end of life
Ages: 2 years to adult
Days offered: Monday through Friday
Units covered: Our Art Therapists support kids and families receiving inpatient care at Children’s Wisconsin’s main campus. Please connect with your treatment team to learn if Art Therapy is available on the unit on which your child is receiving care.
Graduate art therapy internship
Thank you for your interest in an internship at Children’s Wisconsin! We are currently accepting applications for our graduate art therapy internship. This internship covers two academic semesters and will begin in September of 2025 and run through May of 2026. The intern can expect to be on site for roughly 20 hours per week.
The application deadline is April 11th, 2025.
An affiliation agreement is required to be in place with the academic institution and Children’s Wisconsin. Prior to applying to a Children’s Wisconsin Child Life & Creative Arts Therapies clinical placement, please discuss and confirm with your academic coordinator that an affiliation agreement exists between your academic institution and Children’s Wisconsin.
Please reach out to creativeartstherapies@childrenswi.org with any questions.
An internship placement at Children’s Wisconsin provides students with opportunities to:
- Apply knowledge from coursework to develop skills as a medical art therapist
- Engage in both short term and long term therapeutic care while supporting children, adolescents, and caregivers
- Explore a wide range of art materials and understand their value in the medical setting
- Collaborate with other art and music therapists, child life specialists, and unit staff
- Learn and enhance skills in clinical assessment, planning of care, and electronic patient documentation
- Grow patient care skills in multiple areas: Medical Intensive Care Units, Hematology/Oncology Units, patients admitted for mental and behavioral health support
Sadie Carpenter, ATR, LPC
Rachel Pahng, ATR-P
Celia Glime, ATR-P
Resources for becoming an art therapist can be found here:
Go to MyChart
If you are a registered user or have an access code you want to use, go to MyChart.
