For students who have an interest in art and psychology, there is something new to look forward to next semester. Against the backdrop of several academic programs shutting down, EMU seems to still be trying to create new opportunities for students with a new Art Therapy minor that will be added to the course catalogue in August. The minor was approved this pastNovember. 

The idea for the minor came originally from Anna Westfall, Program Director for Visual & Communication Arts and Associate Professor of Art. Westfall originally helped to start a pre-art therapy concentration several years ago. “The reason why it even came about was because I had so many art students talk about how they were interested in therapy and helping people,” she said, referring to that concentration. Years later, Westfall noticed the number of students double-majoring in art and psychology and decided to pitch the idea for a new minor. 

She says the minor will consist of 18 hours of studio courses and 15 hours of psychology courses. “Basically, what we’ve done is created a way for someone to go to graduate school to learn to be an art therapist.” Westfall went on to mention that she hopes this will “open up opportunities for jobs” for students. “I just think it’s a great way of connecting with people,” she said. 

Westfall also collaborated with Michael Horst, Dean of Behavioral, Health and Natural Sciences and Program Director of Psychology, to create the psychology requirements for the minor. Horst also has a background in counseling, serving as program director for EMU’s graduate counseling program for seven years. “That program has [an] emphasis on expressive arts therapies, and we even have a beautiful expressive arts room that our students use,” he says, reflecting on his experience with art in therapeutic practices. Horst described the role of an art therapist as similar to that of a counselor but that it would involve “leading therapeutic experiences that integrate their arts training” as well. Horst also mentioned that the minor works well for students in an art education minor, as they wouldn’t need to take as many classes to get the minor. 

Both Westfall and Horst noted that there are several students with both a VACA and a Psychology major. Julia Fisher, a sophomore Art and Education major, also said she knows several people in both majors. Fisher was considering Art Therapy as a major before coming to EMU, saying, “I think it’s definitely cool that that’s a path we can go on.” She appreciates the opportunity to “integrate psych and art” and sees a lot of overlap with her major, art education. 

This new minor looks to fill the role of preparing those who are interested in art and psychology for the professional world. Westfall believes it is a wanted niche, saying, “If you just think about the world right now, there’s so many people dealing with anxiety and depression … and having another tool to help them I think is really important.”