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Creative Arts Therapy Jobs (NOW HIRING)

These positions design and implement creative/expressive arts therapy interventions to meet the patients' treatment goals and documents the patients' response and progress towards the goals ...

These positions design and implement creative/expressive arts therapy interventions to meet the patients' treatment goals and documents the patients' response and progress towards the goals ...

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Creative Arts Therapy information

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$119K

$125K

$129.5K

How much do creative arts therapy jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 3, 2026, the average yearly pay for creative arts therapy in the United States is $125,000.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $122,500.00 and $127,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges Creative Arts Therapists face when working with diverse client populations?

Creative Arts Therapists often work with clients from a variety of cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, which can present challenges in ensuring that therapeutic interventions are both relevant and accessible. Adapting creative modalities—such as art, music, or drama—to align with each client’s unique experiences and values requires cultural sensitivity and flexibility. Therapists must also be skilled at building trust and rapport, especially when clients may be unfamiliar with or hesitant about expressive therapies. Ongoing supervision, professional development, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams are essential for navigating these challenges effectively.

How much do creative arts therapists make?

Creative arts therapists in New York City typically earn between $50,000 and $75,000 annually, depending on experience, certification, and work setting. Salaries can vary based on whether they work in hospitals, schools, or private practice, and many hold licensure or certification in their specialty area.

What jobs can I get with an art therapy degree?

With an art therapy degree, you can work as an art therapist in hospitals, mental health clinics, schools, or community organizations, providing therapeutic services through creative expression. Additional certifications or licenses may be required depending on the setting and location, and strong communication and artistic skills are essential for success in these roles.

What is Creative Arts Therapy?

Creative Arts Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses creative modalities such as art, music, dance, drama, and writing to help individuals express themselves and address emotional, psychological, or social issues. Unlike traditional talk therapy, it leverages the creative process to foster self-awareness, personal growth, and healing. Creative arts therapists are specially trained professionals who guide clients through these activities in a therapeutic setting, making it suitable for people of all ages and backgrounds. This approach is used in a variety of settings, including hospitals, schools, rehabilitation centers, and private practices.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Creative Arts Therapist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Creative Arts Therapist, you need a background in psychology or counseling, a master's degree in creative arts therapy, and state licensure or certification. Familiarity with therapeutic assessment tools, documentation systems, and specialized art, music, or movement therapy techniques is typically required. Strong interpersonal skills, creativity, and emotional intelligence help build trust and facilitate client expression and healing. These skills and qualities are crucial for effectively supporting diverse clients in their therapeutic journeys and achieving positive mental health outcomes.

What is the difference between Creative Arts Therapy vs Art Therapist?

AspectCreative Arts TherapyArt Therapist
CredentialsMaster's degree in Creative Arts Therapy or related field, certification varies by stateMaster's degree in Art Therapy, certification (ATR or ATR-BC)
Work EnvironmentHospitals, clinics, schools, mental health centersHospitals, mental health clinics, schools, private practice
Industry UsageUsed broadly for mental health, rehabilitation, and wellness programsPrimarily focused on mental health and emotional well-being through art

Creative Arts Therapy and Art Therapist roles overlap significantly, with both requiring similar credentials and working in healthcare or educational settings. The main difference lies in the scope: Creative Arts Therapy often encompasses multiple art modalities and broader therapeutic approaches, while Art Therapists focus specifically on art-based interventions. Both professions aim to improve mental health and emotional well-being through creative expression.

What does a creative arts therapist do?

A creative arts therapist uses artistic activities such as art, music, dance, or drama to help clients improve mental, emotional, or physical well-being. They assess clients' needs, develop treatment plans, and facilitate sessions in clinical or community settings, often requiring relevant certifications and strong interpersonal skills.

What jobs can you do with art therapy?

With a background in art therapy, you can work as an art therapist in settings such as hospitals, mental health clinics, schools, or rehabilitation centers, providing therapeutic services to clients of various ages. Other related roles include creative arts therapist, mental health counselor, or art program coordinator, often requiring relevant certifications and strong interpersonal skills. These positions typically involve using art as a tool to support emotional, psychological, and physical healing.
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Infographic showing various Creative Arts Therapy job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 50% Full Time, and 50% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $125,000 per year, or $60.1 per hour.
Creative Arts Therapist-Level II

Creative Arts Therapist-Level II

NYC Health Hospitals

New York, NY • On-site

$79K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Posted 17 days ago


NYC Health + Hospitals rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 71 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

133rd of 877 rated healthcare providers


Job description

NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan is the community hospital of choice for residents of East Harlem, northern Manhattan, and neighboring communities. The hospital provides culturally-sensitive care in a welcoming and hospitable setting, emphasizing primary care medicine and utilizing the latest advances in medical science. Metropolitan delivers high quality health services with compassion, dignity, and respect to all, without exception. Since its founding in 1875, the hospital has been affiliated with New York Medical College, representing the oldest partnership between a hospital and a private medical school in the United States. Metropolitan is a part of the NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest municipal hospital and health care system in the country.
At NYC Health + Hospitals, our mission is to deliver high quality care health services, without exception. Every employee takes a person-centered approach that exemplifies the ICARE values (Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence) through empathic communication and partnerships between all persons.
Work Shifts
10:00 A.M - 6:00 P.M
Standard Work Hours: 35
Duties & Responsibilities
Purpose of Position:
This class of positions encompasses professional and/or supervisory work of varying degrees of difficulty in the operation of a creative arts therapy department providing therapeutic services through the utilization of various modalities, principles and techniques specific to the creative arts therapy discipline. All personnel perform related work.
Under direction, with broad latitude for independent judgment and decision making, performs difficult and responsible professional work in the creative arts therapy discipline.
Examples of Typical Tasks:
At a higher level, performs the duties of Assignment Level I:
1. Establishes and implements comprehensive therapeutic group/individual therapy programs utilizing principles and practices of creative arts therapy.
2. Conducts individual assessments of patient's strengths and weaknesses to evaluate social, cognitive, psychological and physical functioning through the creative arts process.
3. Develops treatment goals and objectives based on initial and ongoing assessments designed to improve functioning through the utilization of the techniques unique to the creative arts therapy discipline.
4. Implements therapeutic interventions utilizing art, music, drama, dance or poetry as a modality to facilitate the patient's attainment of goals articulated in the patient treatment plans.
5. Participates as an active member of the interdisciplinary treatment team by attending meetings and contributing to the formulation of individual patient comprehensive treatment plans.
6. Writes regular progress notes on patient's behavior and responses to treatment goals.
7. Prepares and maintains records, progress reports, statistical information and participates in departmental and facility-wide quality assurance/performance improvement (QA/PI) activities.
8. Prepares supply requisitions and maintains inventories of equipment and supplies as designated.
9. May be assigned to coordinate and supervise the activities of auxiliary staff in related therapeutic disciplines.
10. May be assigned to instruct and supervise volunteers, interns and students in the areas of creative arts therapy.
11. Performs other related duties as assigned.
In addition to performing the duties of Assignment Level I at a higher level, as described above, also performs the following typical tasks:
1. Serves as a professional resource to Creative Arts Therapists in the development and implementation of specialized treatment interventions utilizing non-verbal, diagnostic and expressive techniques.
2. Provides consultation for complex cases in the evaluation of social, cognitive, psychological and physical functioning through the creative arts therapy process.
3. Monitors, documents and evaluates the attainment of creative arts therapy goals as part of the therapeutic process.
4. May represent the department at conferences, workshops, hospital or community functions; reports actions and findings to department.
5. May develop and conduct departmental training programs to introduce new developments and techniques within the creative arts therapy discipline.
6. May be assigned to function as a primary therapist, as long as practicing within the boundaries of professional competency, as specified in the New York State Education Law, Article 163, Section 8407.
7. Performs other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
Assignment Level I
1. A valid License or Limited Permit issued by the New York State Education Department to practice as a Creative Arts Therapist. Employees working with a Limited Permit must obtain
Licensure within two years from their date of appointment.
Assignment Level II
1. A valid License issued by the New York State Education Department to practice as a Creative Arts Therapist; and
2. Two years of full-time, paid, professional experience in creative arts therapy.
Assignment Level III
In addition to meeting the requirements for Assignment Levels II, Assignment Level III
requires:
1. One additional year of experience.
Department Preferences
Purpose:
Under direction of the Wellness Program Director, the LCAT Level 2 will assist in development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluating wellness services/programming provided to staff within the facility in order to maintain the goals and objectives of enhancing overall staff wellness within the system. The role is workforce facing and have little to no patient engagement responsibilities.
Specific Duties and Responsibilities:
• Demonstrate effectiveness in planning, organizing, and managing the ongoing operation of employee wellness at assigned facility / service line.
• Strategic planning associated with health and wellness programs and overall embedding and fostering of wellness culture; facilitate the strategy and process to launch new programs based on the 8 Dimensions of Well-being across the facility/service line.
• Provide emotional debriefs, a 1:1 or group conversation with a focus on reflection, to foster a supportive and safe environment for all employees to connect and engage in emotional and psychological processing; minimum of 20 wellness encounters (1:1/group debriefs and wellness events) per month across all tours.
• Prep, plan, and facilitate wellness events that align to the 8 Dimensions of Well-being that are customized to services, settings, departments, and disciplines using group techniques.
• Facilitates proactive and preventative wellness rounds covering 100% of the facility/service line.
• Support wellness room awareness, utilization, satisfaction, and maintenance.
• Track all encounters on a monthly basis, enter pertinent information into the quality assurance program portal, and provide qualitative and quantitative data-based insights on facility/service line-specific utilization of the H3 program to key stakeholders.
• Assist in coordination, planning, and facilitation of wellness activities, celebratory events, and recognition programs for employees.
• Proactive wellness and real-time crisis support for employees; assist in the development of facility-based crisis plan for employees.
• Lead and facilitate, in concert with H3 Lead and Wellness Program Director, department meetings to embed unit-based wellness programming and improvement cycles.
• Utilize data to facilitate PDSA cycles and to make targeted wellness interventions for clinical and non-clinical departments.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Experience developing and implementing therapeutic programming on a large scale in healthcare
• Experiencing designing, implementing and facilitating unit-based rounding
• Excellent verbal, written, presentation, and group facilitation skills required
• Mental Health professional background as to inform practice
• Supervisory experience required
• Grant writing experience preferred
• Knowledge of wellness in healthcare
• Two years experience in healthcare
Educational Level:
1. A valid License issued by the New York State Education Department to practice as a Creative Arts Therapist; and
2. Three years of full-time, paid, professional experience in creative arts therapy.
3. BH Requirements: PMCS trainings (within BHS and facility-wide expansion), BHS preventative and proactive wellness (including wellness events, wellness rounds, debriefs), wellness outreach calls, post-code response, responding to workplace violence incidents
Benefits
NYC Health and Hospitals offers a competitive benefits package that includes:
  • Comprehensive Health Benefits for employees hired to work 20+ hrs. per week
  • Retirement Savings and Pension Plans
  • Paid Holidays and Vacation in accordance with employees' Collectively bargained contracts
  • Loan Forgiveness Programs for eligible employees
  • College tuition discounts and professional development opportunities
  • College Savings Program
  • Union Benefits for eligible titles
  • Multiple employee discounts programs
  • Commuter Benefits Programs

If you wish to apply for this position, please apply online by clicking the "Apply for Job" button.

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