What to Expect From an Online Expressive-Arts Therapy Program: Courses & Outcomes
Not all learning happens through words. Sometimes, it starts with a paintbrush, a piece of music, or a moment of stillness.
For professionals drawn to the emotional power of the arts, expressive arts therapy offers a meaningful way to support others through creativity.
The Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy at Maine College of Art & Design is a fully online, 12-credit program built for working adults. In just 9 months, you’ll learn how to use creative expression to foster emotional growth, resilience, and connection in your field — whether that’s education, counseling, healthcare, or community work.
Why Study Expressive Arts Therapy Online?
An online art therapy program offers flexibility for those balancing careers, families, and other responsibilities. At Maine College of Art & Design, our graduate certificate courses are taught asynchronously, allowing you to complete readings, discussions, and assignments at your own pace, with no required login times.
What makes this program stand out:
- Fully online and asynchronous format
- Expert faculty with experience in education, therapy, and the arts
- A diverse student cohort from classrooms, clinics, museums, and nonprofits
- Creative, hands-on learning grounded in real-world application
You'll explore how art can be used as a tool for healing and connection, and graduate with practical methods you can use right away.
What Courses Are Included?
The Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy includes four online courses that combine theory, creativity, and real-world application. Each one explores how the arts can be used to support emotional and social well-being across diverse settings.
Emotional Intelligence & Artistic Learning
This course explores how art can be used to build emotional awareness, empathy, and resilience. You'll learn how to incorporate the five core social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies into creative practices that support holistic development.
Skills you’ll gain:
- Embedding emotional learning into artistic practices
- Designing activities that foster self-awareness and resilience
- Supporting social connection through creative group work
Resilient Learning Environments
Learn how trauma-informed and student-centered approaches can be used to create supportive, inclusive spaces through art. This course focuses on strategies that reduce stress, build trust, and promote healing in educational and community settings.
Skills you’ll gain:
- Creating safe spaces through trauma-informed art practices
- Applying student-centered methods in group and one-on-one settings
- Using art activities to support vulnerable and diverse populations
Theoretical Foundations and Methods of Expressive Arts Therapies
This course introduces the major theories behind expressive arts therapy, including humanistic, psychodynamic, and trauma-informed approaches. You'll also explore newer areas like neuroaesthetics and culturally responsive practices.
Skills you’ll gain:
- Understanding theoretical frameworks that guide expressive arts therapy
- Applying practical techniques through case studies and creative exercises
- Adapting methods across different populations and settings
Adaptive Art: Fostering Inclusive Creative Practices
Explore how to design accessible and inclusive creative experiences using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and differentiated instruction. You'll work with varied materials and learn strategies to support participants with diverse needs.
Skills you’ll gain:
- Designing inclusive art activities for all ability levels
- Using UDL principles to plan and modify creative lessons
- Engaging diverse learners in meaningful artistic expression
Program Outcomes and Career Applications
Completing the Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy equips you with tools that extend beyond individual courses. You'll gain a deeper understanding of how to use the arts to support emotional well-being in practical, adaptable ways, no matter your work setting.
After finishing the program, you’ll be able to:
- Lead expressive arts sessions that support emotional, cognitive, and social development
- Apply trauma-informed, inclusive strategies across educational, healthcare, and community settings
- Use creative methods to help others process emotions, build resilience, and connect
- Strengthen your qualifications for roles in teaching, counseling, youth services, and creative wellness programs
Whether you’re expanding your current work or exploring new professional pathways, this certificate adds value and meaning to how you serve others through art.
Note: This program does not lead to licensure as a certified art therapist. Those pursuing licensure should consult the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) for education and supervision requirements.
FAQs About Expressive Arts Therapy
What is expressive arts therapy?
Expressive arts therapy is a mental health approach that uses creative practices, like painting, movement, writing, music, or drama, as tools to explore emotions and promote healing. It emphasizes the creative process over the final product and can be used in a wide range of settings, from schools to hospitals.
What’s the difference between expressive arts therapy and traditional talk therapy?
Expressive arts therapy relies on creative expression as a pathway to understanding thoughts and emotions. While talk therapy centers on verbal communication, expressive arts therapy invites people to explore and process experiences through artmaking, which is especially helpful for those who struggle to articulate feelings.
How is expressive arts therapy used in non-clinical settings?
Expressive arts approaches are widely used in classrooms, after-school programs, senior centers, and community spaces to support emotional learning, build self-esteem, reduce stress, and strengthen social connections. No clinical diagnosis is required.
Do online expressive arts therapy programs include creative practice?
Yes. Courses in the Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy program include opportunities to explore expressive processes through guided activities, personal reflection, and creative exploration. While assignments are completed online, students are encouraged to engage with materials and approaches that align with their interests, background, or work setting.
What makes Maine College of Art & Design’s certificate program unique?
Unlike many online art therapy programs, this certificate is intentionally designed for working professionals in education, human services, and the arts. The courses are fully online and asynchronous, but still offer meaningful interaction, practical application, and guidance from faculty with real-world experience in both artmaking and therapeutic support.
Elevate Your Impact With Our Online Art Therapy Program
Make space for creativity in how you lead, teach, or care for others.
The Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy at Maine College of Art & Design gives you the structure to grow professionally, without stepping away from the work you already do.
Request more information today and start shaping your next chapter in the arts.
