Art Therapists
Official O*NET title: Art Therapists (29-1129.01)
Also called: activity therapy specialist, art psychotherapist, atr, atr-bc, clinical art therapist
Do you do this at work?
Answer each card — it takes about a minute.
Do you do this at work?
Communicate client assessment findings and recommendations in oral, written, audio, video, or other forms
Swipe right for yes, left for not me. On a keyboard: → yes, ← not me, Z undo. +2 XP per answer.
How AI is changing art therapists work
9 of 22 measurable main tasks for this job show up in real AI-use data, so we rate it Amber (some AI use) — 41%.
This shows where people already use AI, not whether the job will disappear. How we measure this.
Tasks in this job and recorded AI use
- Communicate client assessment findings and recommendations in oral, written, audio, video, or other forms (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Review research or literature in art therapy, psychology, or related disciplines (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Analyze data to determine the effectiveness of treatments or therapy approaches (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Write treatment plans, case summaries, or progress or other reports related to individual clients or client groups (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Instruct individuals or groups in the use of art media (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Analyze or synthesize client data to draw conclusions or make recommendations for art therapy (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Observe and document client reactions, progress, or other outcomes related to art therapy (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Supervise staff, volunteers, practicum students, or interns (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Customize art therapy programs for specific client populations (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Conduct art therapy sessions, providing guided self-expression experiences to help clients recover from, or cope with, cognitive, emotional, or physical impairments (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Talk with clients during art or other therapy sessions to build rapport, acknowledge their progress, or reflect upon their reactions to the artistic process (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Assess client needs or disorders, using drawing, painting, sculpting, or other artistic processes (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Design art therapy sessions or programs to meet client's goals or objectives (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Develop individualized treatment plans that incorporate studio art therapy, counseling, or psychotherapy techniques (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Establish goals or objectives for art therapy sessions in consultation with clients or site administrators (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Select or prepare artistic media or related equipment or devices to accomplish therapy session objectives (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Talk with other professionals on client's treatment team to develop, coordinate, or integrate treatment plans (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Recommend or purchase needed art supplies or equipment (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Interpret the artistic creations of clients to assess their functioning, needs, or progress (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Gather client information from sources such as case documentation, client observation, or interviews of client or family members (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Conduct information sharing sessions (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Photograph or videotape client artwork for inclusion in client records or for promotional purposes (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Teach art therapy techniques or processes to artists, interns, volunteers, or others — no recorded AI use
- Coordinate art showcases to display artwork produced by clients — no recorded AI use
- Coordinate field trips for client groups to museums or other public displays of art — no recorded AI use
Tasks: O*NET 31.0. AI use: Anthropic Economic Index (exact or close text match).
Your first steps (guidance)
- Week 1: Open a free AI assistant and say hello. Follow our “Getting started with AI” guide. Ask it one simple question about your work.
- Week 2: Use AI on one task you do often. Try the prompt for: “Communicate client assessment findings and recommendations in oral, written, audio, video, or other forms”. Try the prompt for: “Review research or literature in art therapy, psychology, or related disciplines”.
Tick your own tasks above to get a plan based on what you really do. The first 2 weeks are free; Premium (coming soon) adds weeks 3–12. New to AI? Read our beginner’s guide.
Questions about AI and art therapists
Will AI replace art therapists?
Our data can’t predict job losses, and we don’t try to. What it does show: 9 of the 22 main tasks for this job match tasks people already use AI for (Anthropic Economic Index), giving a Amber rating (some AI use). Using AI on a task is not the same as AI doing the whole job, and 16 of the 25 listed tasks show no recorded AI use yet.
Which art therapist tasks is AI used for most?
In the data, the most AI use among this job’s tasks is for: communicate client assessment findings and recommendations in oral, written, audio, video, or other forms; review research or literature in art therapy, psychology, or related disciplines; analyze data to determine the effectiveness of treatments or therapy approaches.
Which art therapist tasks show little or no AI use?
For example: conduct art therapy sessions, providing guided self-expression experiences to help clients recover from, or cope with, cognitive, emotional, or physical impairments; talk with clients during art or other therapy sessions to build rapport, acknowledge their progress, or reflect upon their reactions to the artistic process; assess client needs or disorders, using drawing, painting, sculpting, or other artistic processes. These are good places to keep building your own skills.
How does this job compare to others?
In Microsoft Research’s “Working with AI” study, this job’s AI applicability score is equal to or higher than 33% of the occupations they scored. That measures overlap with AI chat use, not risk of job loss.
How can a art therapist start learning AI?
Start small: open a free AI assistant, try it on one task you do often, and always check facts and numbers yourself. The plan on this page is guidance, not professional advice.
See how this job ranks
Art Therapists ranks #181 of 572 jobs for the share of main tasks with AI use (#1 = most), and #16 of 80 in Healthcare.
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