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Demystifying the Online Presence: Art Therapists and the Internet

Save the date: August 4th, FREE webinar hosted by AATA with yours truly! Register here.

It’s natural to feel skeptical or overwhelmed about the changing nature of social interaction and marketing. Although disregarding these changes may feel like the safe choice, this also limits your ability to network professionally, reach new clients and help others.

This Webinar, presented by Liz Beck, a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) living in the San Francisco Bay Area, will address common questions asked by art therapists about the benefits and pitfalls of having a digital presence, giving you the tools to decide whether being available online is right for you.

Topics include:
• What it means to have an online presence, and how it’s useful.
• Common questions and concerns about having an online presence.
• Appropriate places for a therapist to build an online presence, including a discussion about Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
• Why having a website is important.
• Why it’s important to keep your online content updated.
• What information is useful to include on a professional website.
• Simple guidelines to keep your professional online presence ethical.

If you know anyone who would benefit from joining this webinar, please encourage them to attend. There are way too many art therapists out there who avoid getting online and using new technology to the benefit of themselves and their clients.

Thank you for your support!

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Ethical Challenges and the Internet

Thinking about social media, email, google searches and it’s relationship to ethics in psychotherapy? Read this interesting and informative article written by Sara Martin of the Monitor, an APA publication.

Ethics codes are in desperate need to catch up to the times! But, that doesn’t mean we can’t use our common sense and knowledge to practice ethically to maintain a separation between our personal and professional lives.

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Art Therapy and Technology: Ethical Considerations

Just a few hours ago I received an e-survey from the AATA ethics committee. I was pleased to see that a portion of the survey asks whether posting client photographs or videos can be done in an ethical (or unethical) manner.

About a year ago Cathy Malchiodi wrote an excellent article on the subject, and the comments on her blog helped to further the debate. I also discussed my opinions on the matter in a series of posts that can be viewed here, here, here and here.

One of the main points in my analysis: AATA’s ethical codes are determined by what the majority of art therapists who are AATA members think is ethical. So, fellow art therapists, fill out the survey! Even if you feel you don’t have an opinion or a good understanding of the subject—that’s all information for the ethics committee to process, and hopefully provide more education about.

Lastly, ex-AATA president, Pegg Dunn Snow, informed me that the ethics commitee would be meeting during the 2009 conference to discuss the ethical considerations of art therapy and technology—essentially addressing her example of “what not to do” when you’re advertising your art therapy practice. The advice given by the AATA ethics committee parallels my analysis, and hopefully will serve as a compass until more specific guidelines are provided.