2026, 14 August, Scottsdale Arizona: Therapeutic arts for self-care: Exploring therapeutic arts practices for mindfulness and distinguishing them from clinical art therapy

Participants will explore the conceptual and practical distinction in between therapeutic arts and art therapy, two terms that are frequently conflicted, but differ significantly in scope, training requirements and clinical application. This distinction is essential for psychological practice: clinicians must understand the boundaries of their own competence versus treatment offered by a credentialed art therapist. The workshop grounds, this discussion in current understanding of clinician burnout, compassion, fatigue, and vicarious trauma, situating therapeutic arts within the broader literat...Read moreure on mindfulness based stress, reduction, and present moment awareness through guided experience exercises. Participants will directly practice techniques they can integrate into their own self care, routines, gaining firsthand insight into how creative process can support nervous system regulation and sustained attention.
From an educational standpoint, this training address is a recognized gap in clinical training programs: while clinicians are routinely, talked to recommend self-care and mindfulness practices to clients, they receive comparatively little structured instruction and maintaining their own psychological resilience. By positioning therapeutic arts as a professional development and self-care tool, which is distinct from but an informed portion of the clinical discipline of our therapy, this workshop equipped clinicians with practical strategies for personal sustainability while reinforcing sound ethical boundaries around scope of practice. Less...

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Learning Objectives

  • Define therapeutic arts and distinguish from art therapy
  • Identify how therapeutic arts support clinician self-care and mindfulness
  • Understand, ethical and scope of practice considerations

Learning Levels

  • Beginner

Friday, August 14, 2026

Mini Social Event Venue
7116 E Fifth Ave, Scottsdale, AZ, 85251

10:50 AM MDT - 01:10 PM MDT

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$15.00 - $30.00
EARN 2 CE Credit Hours
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About the speaker

Kirsten Eby, ATR-BC, LPC

Kirsten Eby, ATR-BC, LPC

Kirsten Eby is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Board Certified Registered Art Therapist who believes that every individual possesses unique strengths and the inherent capacity for growth. She graduated from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville with her MA in Art Therapy Counseling in 2013 and has been practicing in Arizona ever since. Her clinical experience has included clients from age 3-85 in a variety of settings including a special education school for youth with behavioral challenges, a SMI outpatient clinic, the forensic unit at the Arizona State Hospital, a therapeutic group home for teen girls, and an IOP program for adolescents. Currently she is in private practice working with adults and couples. She has presented twice at the American Art Therapy Association annual conference on her thesis research with children and youth affected by HIV/AIDS. She is passionate about advocacy and education regarding the profession of art therapy in Arizona. Outside of work, she is an avid hiker and enjoys creating her own artwork and spending time with family.

Agenda

10:50 am - 11:00 am Sign In
11:00 - 1:00 pm Presentation/experience
1:00 -1:10 Wrap up

CE Information - Earn 2 CE Credit Hours

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