Registering early for conference allows you to secure the lowest rates possible, as well as the opportunity to select your first choice of workshops and advanced practice courses! Another bonus: Early Bird registrants will receive a coupon for one AEM HI Arts watercolor paper pad ($18 value), redeemable at conference.

To celebrate our association’s members, who inspire us every day, we’re launching our very first Member-Palooza! Whether you’re new to AATA or the profession, or a long-time professional getting ready to jump back into “in-person” life, we hope that these opportunities and discounts will give you the boost you need this summer!

The American Art Therapy Association invites you to part three of the four-part virtual series, Journey to Art Therapy.

The third session, The Journey into Practice, will be held Wednesday, June 22, from 7-8 p.m. ET. Join post-graduate students and new professionals as they share their experiences of degree completion and navigating academic and interpersonal challenges along the way. They will also give tips on preparing for post-graduate professional life — from obtaining licensing/credentialing, finding work, and connecting with supervisors!

When talking about diversity, consider the many intersectional identities that have been marginalized over time in various organizations, professions, and communities. As art therapists, it is important to recognize how we can be more inclusive, more equitable, and more diverse in amplifying our support for LGBTQIA+ people as patients, clients, and colleagues.

This Sunday, June 19, is a celebration of freedom to be recognized by all Americans. On June 19, 1865, more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved Americans in Galveston, Texas, finally received word that they were free from slavery and for the first time recognized as citizens of the United States.
 
While many Black Americans have celebrated Juneteenth, also known as “Emancipation Day” or the “Day of Freedom,” for decades, the observance only became a national holiday in 2021. The public holiday will be commemorated on Monday, June 20, 2022. Juneteenth is also a somber reminder that there is much more work to be done for equity and equality in our nation. As mental health professionals, we see first hand the trauma that people experience as a result of racial injustice and discrimination.
 
We hope you will take a moment to honor Juneteenth and learn and reflect with AATA. 

I identify as queer and pansexual, and pride month feels deeply personal and complex. While it's exciting to see pride images everywhere, I am also critical of the intention when it seems that corporations and businesses are pandering to the LGBTQ+ community during this time of the year and potentially supporting anti-queer and anti-trans legislation the rest of the year. I am all for representation and visibility and would like it to be authentic and uplifting all year round.