In September, myself and Cathy Malchiodi will be presenting on the topic of social media and art therapy at The Buckeye Art Therapy Association’s 28th Annual Symposium. I am really looking forward to this, as presenting on how art therapists can navigate and use the web is one of my favorite topics. And it’s a pleasure to be presenting with Cathy again!
The dynamic digital landscape of the Internet is continuously in motion, making it essential for the modern day art therapist to remain up to date on new advancements and resources emerging in the art therapy community’s web presence. Obtaining and acquiring information on-line, as well as building and sustaining connections with colleagues and professionals through e-mail, e-groups, blogging, and social media sites are important resources that not only help decrease isolation for the art therapist, but can cultivate new opportunities.
Our presentation will highlight the potential and benefits for art therapists interested in using the Internet for professional networking to enhance their career, strengthen support, as well as discuss how social media can promote art therapy and bring art therapists together in a global web community to share experiences, exchange ideas, and collaborate on projects.
Attendees will be introduced to and learn more about how we use our social media trifecta: Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to promote art therapy, as well as other on-line tools and applications that are available to art therapists for professional networking, development and communication. Social media’s role in developing and building communities such as The Art Therapy Alliance and the International Art Therapy Organization will highlight how developing a strong web presence can support the many professional needs and interests of art therapists in an accessible and cost effective way.
Come and join us for this presentation and many other interesting topics on art therapy at BATA’s Symposium in Dublin, Ohio during September 11 and 12, 2009. For more information, visit http://www.batasymposium.org.
August 19, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Gretchen,
Thanks for leading the way with Art Therapy and the Web. The “social media trifecta”! Nice.
October 14, 2009 at 8:39 am
I didn’t/couldn’t go to this presentation, but it is a topic that is close to my technonerdy core.
I remember the first time my dad showed me the capabilities/possibilities of using the internet in the early 90s when I had to do a report on another country in elementary school and he dialed up in MS DOS mode to Sweden to help out. It was like magic.
When I first began my internet investigation of art therapy programs and resources online in 2005/2006, I was saddened by the lack of personal ventures, stories, and experiences offered on the internet. Of course I was able to find objective or more concrete information, but I wanted a different perspective… which is why I ended up creating my blog. Of course, since then, I’ve been able to find so many other personal perspectives which I really appreciate.
However, I’m feeling some discomfort in the understanding of what I can share, since we do deal with such sensitive issues in this field. I want to express the power of the internships as a graduate student without divulging specific/sensitive information about clients.
Is it safe to discuss response pieces to an internship site, to a population of people, to process individual experiences of this type of work without breaking boundaries?
I have been hesitant about this. I have even deleted entries I’ve written, because of the discomfort I’m feeling in this. And maybe this doesn’t speak to your presentation with Cathy, but how real can we be on our personal blogs? What are your thoughts?
Sorry this is really long.
October 14, 2009 at 8:39 am
Yikes! It’s like a blog entry in itself.
October 14, 2009 at 9:21 am
No worries– Some really important considerations to think about….. and others in the art therapy community are also concerned about… Check out Liz Beck’s post about Ethics and the Internet….
http://www.lizbeck.net/2009/09/20/ethics-and-the-internet/