AATA National Office
Conference attendees, mark your schedules for a meet and greet with Congresswoman Sharice Davids on Saturday, November 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.! Congresswoman Davids represents Kansas’s 3rd Congressional District, including Kansas City and Overland Park. She serves as Vice-Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus, Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, and on the Mental Health Caucus among others. She has been a vocal advocate for veterans and access to mental health care. Elected in 2018, she is one of the first two Native American women in Congress.

 AATA National Office 
As we celebrate our 50th anniversary as an association, we are seeing great momentum in our licensure effort, with a new license signed into law just last month. Over 50 years, we have reached many milestones that illustrate our mission – to advocate for expansion of access to professional art therapists and lead the nation in the advancement of art therapy as a regulated mental health and human services profession. And we look forward to many more achievements as we work to realize our vision – that the services of licensed, culturally proficient art therapists are available to all individuals, families, and communities.

One of the core roles of any professional association is legislative advancement to benefit those in the profession, so we’re taking the opportunity to review the history and current status of the five building blocks of our national licensure strategy. The building blocks will directly support us in reaching our goals of having distinct art therapy licensure as well as insurance reimbursement in all U.S. states and territories.

AATA National Office
Visit arttherapy.org/aata50th to scroll through pictures on our timeline, read congratulatory letters from supporters of art therapy, learn how the 50th will be celebrated at conference, and more! 

AATA National Office 
Thank you to the friends and colleagues who submitted reflections in tribute to Mildred (Millie) Lachman-Chapin, MEd, ATR-BC, HLM, who died on August 26, 2019 and was involved with the AATA since its founding. We invite everyone who will be joining us for our 50th conference in Kansas City, MO to attend the Annual Memorial Ceremony on Saturday, November 1, 2019 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. to honor Millie and other colleagues we have lost this year.

Carolyn Mehlomakulu, LMFT-S, ATR-BC
I love that I have been able to craft a professional life that allows me to spend my time and energy in different roles and settings. In my clinical work, I enjoy seeing the resilience, growth, and personal expression that clients access through the art therapy process. As a supervisor and through writing/presenting, I get excited about being able to help others learn new things and grow as clinicians.

Belmont, CA Patch 
Non-profit website TopCounselingSchools.org has named Notre Dame de Namur University’s art therapy master's degree program one of the top 15 in the United States. The news comes as the school’s art therapy program celebrates its 40th anniversary, and as the faculty has made significant contributions in their latest publications.

Lousiana Weekly
Earlier this month, participants at a one-day gathering looked at how artistic endeavors might be the therapy troubled military veterans, especially veterans of color, need to heal. At the Louisiana Military and Veterans Arts and Humanities Summit in New Orleans, speakers, military personnel and citizens concerned for the welfare of veterans said that negative stigmas are a challenge for Black, Latino, Asian and other minorities dealing with trauma and other psychological disorders.

Texas HHS
Kerrville State Hospital’s art studio is home to ambitious art projects, music and decorated cabinets full of supplies. "This studio promotes collaboration and empowerment," said Art Therapist Jaimie Peterson. “We all work together to provide the best for our patients."

JD News
Creative Forces Open Studio gives veterans like Robert Harrell a safe, creative place to gather and support each other. Harrell has taken part in the program since nearly the beginning. On top of benefiting from the creative process, he has also taught several workshops and enjoys seeing the artistic talent of the program’s members with various skill levels. 

WBAL-TV11
Leigh Galloway is on her last chemo treatment before undergoing a double mastectomy, after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis in April. "When I first started chemo, I was so scared," Galloway said. Art therapy is helping make treatment a little easier for cancer patients like Galloway.

DBK News
When dating her boyfriend during senior year, Kait Watson didn’t notice any red flags for months. Eventually, Watson’s boyfriend began showing violent signs of jealousy over her past relationships and current friendships, which left her feeling trapped and voiceless.