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Oh…the disappointment…

A few days ago I received an email from NorCATA informing me (and everyone on their mailing list) that the bill for the LPC in California failed to pass the Senate by one vote. This is so disappointing and I’m trying not to let it get me down.

I would like to thank everyone who is working hard on this issue, and I very much hope that next year the bill will pass. In the next few months, as they gear towards another attempt, there will be emails sent out asking for psyc professionals in California to write to their Congressman/woman to express their support for the bill. If you are interested in getting involved or getting on the mailing list for updates, I’m sure if you contacted NorCATA or the California Coalition for Counselor Licensure that could be arranged.

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Cross Your Fingers

I remember when I was in grad school, we had a discussion regarding what options art therapists had in different states. It was then that I learned that art therapists could not become licensed in the state of California unless they qualified to sit for the exams required to obtain an MFT (Marriage and Family Therapy license) or LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).

Life brought me to Northern California, and when it did, it became more and more obvious that my career would be stunted because I am ineligible for a state recognized license. When I was searching for a job there were lots I was qualified for, except that I wasn’t an MFT or LCSW. I would have to go back to school for another Master’s degree…or perhaps this even would be the impetus for me to continue my studies even further and get a Psy D (Doctor of Psychology).

But wait. The creation of an LPC license (Licensed Professional Counsellor), which is available in all other 49 states except California, and what most art therapists are licensed as by each state (in addition to the national license of ATR-BC, registered art therapist-board certified), is something that art therapists in California have been working towards for the past several years (if not decades). And yes, these things can take forever…and it seems like it has, but we’re now closer than ever to having a bill pass in the Senate that would give rise to the LPC license in California. The bill may even pass within the next few weeks (if the Senate doesn’t close early for the year), and if this happens, the Governor could sign the bill by the end of September, and the bill would come into effect as early as Jan 1, 2009.

This is incredibly exciting for me, since, as I said before, without a state license I have much less opportunity.

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Elephants Can Now Be Referred for Artx

This is an amazing video of an elephant painting an elephant holding a flower.

Many people believe the film is a fake because there are many cuts editing out portions of the presentation. I don’t know if the painting part is fake, but I have to wonder if the elephant was trained or being prompted. For example, This video reminds me of other cases of animals who seemed to able to engage in complex human behaviors, such as addition and subtraction. The story of Clever Hans is widely sited in psyc 101 textbooks. Clever Hans’s abilities were uncovered as a hoax because the animal was being prompted unknowingly by the crowed of observers.

In any case, training or not, the fine motor movement is impressive.

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Celebrity Artx

Well…I guess art therapy has reached new heights in terms of media exposure…its just one of several forms of therapy offered to B-list celebrities when they enter rehab.

Even though it’s only a minute and a half, and barely demonstrates the process of group art therapy, I have included this clip from VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab”….because, as they say, any publicity is good publicity….


video.vh1.com

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Psyc Podcast

I commute 2 hours a day from the Castro Valley back to San Francisco. Recently, I’ve been getting into listening to podcasts…and it occurred to me…wouldn’t it be awesome if there was an art therapy podcast? Well…there isn’t, as far as I know. But I think I may have found the next best thing. Shrink Rap Radio hosted by Dr. Dave deals with a broad range of topics in relation to psychology. Anything from therapeutic doll making, to gestalt therapy, to American Sign Language for babies. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying, and I encourage anyone wanting a good psyc podcast to check this one out.

Dr. Dave also does another podcast called Wise Counsel, which I’ve also been getting into. He interviews some of psychology’s living greats like Yalom and Barlow. I know I’m probably just a psyc nerd, but I find it really exciting to hear these great thinkers who influenced modern psychology discuss their theories and their works.

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Artx and the Rehabilitation of Terrorists

As a part of a government sponsored religious reeducation program, an art therapist in Saudi Arabia is using art to help junior jihadists explore new ways of conceiving the world and getting out their anger. Interestingly, the participants are chosen after they have served their jail sentences and have passed a test showing their willingness/openness for change. Follow the link to the full story, and also a video that was shown on The National, a Canadian news program.