Our Impact
The Art Therapy Project has served more than 10,000 clients supporting all ages, backgrounds and communities.
We serve more than 800+ clients annually including adults and youth, and offer 30+ weekly group art therapy sessions with 20+ program partners.
The Art Therapy Project transitioned in-person art therapy programming to online TeleArt Therapy sessions in 2020. The first TeleArt Therapy Groups served sexual assault survivors, individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, youth, and caregivers. TATP shipped art supplies directly to clients to help create a sense of community while providing the necessary tools to participate in effective art therapy sessions.
Today, we offer a hybrid art therapy experience, allowing clients to participate in-person or from the comfort of their home.
Our Employee Wellness Workshop Program began in 2020 as a response to support front-line workers. We provided opportunities for employees to participate in guided sessions rooted in art therapy techniques led by one of our licensed art therapists.
Since then, we have served over 1,405 participants through our Employee Wellness Workshop Programs. The funds from this program directly support our art therapy groups for those in need of mental health services.
The following statistics are through December 2023.
692Therapy Sessions in 2023
Since the introduction of TeleArt Therapy, clients have had a positive response to the new modality and continue to receive the professional care that they need both in and out of the studio.
557Adults Served in 2023
Adults in our art therapy groups find new ways to express emotions and tell their stories, connect with others with similar experiences and find hope for the future.
310Youth Served in 2023
Our youth art therapy groups support resilience and positive connections by utilizing developmentally appropriate interventions related to emotional needs and goals.
Welcoming All Backgrounds
Serving Our Community
Serving All Genders
Supporting All Ages
Our History
In 2008, Founder and Board Chair David Wasserman began supporting the MPS Art Therapy Program at the School of Visual Arts’ (SVA) efforts to provide art therapy for female veterans in New York. Recognizing a need for mental health services in New York City, he founded The Art Therapy Outreach Center (ATOC) in July 2010 and, with a commitment from SVA to provide ongoing administrative and in-kind support, began programs in 2011. SVA continues its support, providing rent-free office and studio space, IT support, and more. David Rhodes, SVA’s President and Debi Farber, Chair of the MPS Art Therapy Department, are both founding board members and remain active to this day.
As part of our fifth anniversary in 2016, we changed our name and refreshed our mission statement to better reflect the collaborative nature of our work. We became The Art Therapy Project (TATP).
In 2017, we received certification to provide Continuing Education workshops to Licensed Creative Arts Therapists. Since then, TATP received additional certification to provide workshops for social workers and psychologists, which has allowed us to strengthen our connection between the mental health and art therapy fields.
When COVID-19 hit in March of 2020, our approach and model changed as we transitioned to TeleArt Therapy. In the following years, our team worked closely with our clients to determine how best to continue to meet their clinical and safety needs. As a result, The Art Therapy Project developed a studio space offering a hybrid option, giving clients the opportunity to participate either in-person or via TeleArt Therapy.
Recognized as a thought leader in the field and on the cutting edge of service delivery, TATP was asked by the American Art Therapy Association to present workshops at their annual national conferences on TeleArt Therapy and Hybrid sessions. In addition we have provided training locally for art therapists, art therapy students and others in the field.
