[Student Version] What Makes a Thriving Profession?

Recorded On: 09/09/2025

Description:

There are several key elements that help a profession thrive—from academic program accreditation, to credentialing and continuing education, to licensure and of course, public awareness. Some professions laid the groundwork, like medical doctors who established licensure at the state level in the late 1800s and went on to create a very strong professional identity. As art therapy grows as a field—we have the opportunity to advance as a profession and strengthen our own unique identity as mental health professionals. Please join us for a special CE session and learn with us about the key elements of a thriving profession, what AATA is doing to make the art therapy profession stronger, and how you can help. The conversation will be led by the volunteer members of the Professional Affairs Committee.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will be able to:

List at least three elements of a robust and thriving profession
Identify at least one way in which individual members can contribute to the elements of a thriving profession
Describe at least one area for growth and advocacy within the art therapy profession

Additional Information:

This version is not CE eligible.

Raquel Farrell-Kirk

MS, ATR-BC

Owner of Creative Energy Art Therapy.

Raquel Farrell-Kirk is a board-certified art therapist and program evaluator. She has over 20 years of experience providing art therapy in hospitals, schools, museums, and community programs and was the lead therapist for The Power of Art, a Bloomberg Philanthropies-funded initiative that supported the community in the years following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting. Her clinical skills and community work led to her work as a program evaluator. She is passionate about using program evaluation, particularly art-based and qualitative methods of inquiry, to help organizations and initiatives maximize their positive impact on individuals and communities.

Specialties: Raquel specializes in art therapy for those living with dementia and for children and teens with ADHD, Autism, and related diagnoses, as well as art therapy programming for arts organizations seeking to develop community outreach programs.

Traci Bitondo

PhD, LPC, ATR-BC, ACS, ATCS

Assistant Professor at Caldwell University

Dr. Traci Bitondo is an Assistant Professor at Caldwell University, where she shares her expertise in Counseling and Art Therapy with future professionals. She holds a Master’s in Counseling, specializing in Art Therapy, and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision. Honored with the 2022 Nancy Schoebel Legislative Service Award from the American Art Therapy Association and the NJ Counseling Association’s Edward Stroh LPC Award. Traci also led a research team recognized with the Rawley Silver Research Award.

She is the immediate past President of the New Jersey Art Therapy Association and has presented nationally and internationally on trauma treatment, art therapy interventions for special populations, and clinical supervision. She operates a Counseling and Art Therapy practice where she treats mental health clients, supervises emerging professionals, and advises on practice development. Her background includes working in diverse settings with clients facing severe mental illness, individuals in the vision loss and blind community, and providing in-home therapy to families in crisis.