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Distance Learning Program

Overview & Curriculum

Tuition

Prerequisites & Apply

Testimonials

International Info

Practicum

Overview

The purpose of the Toronto Art Therapy Institute Distance Learning Program is to positively encourage the growth of the profession of Art Therapy by supporting those who live in more remote communities in Canada to become fully qualified Art Therapists. Our aim is to provide the highest quality of Distance Learning education in Art Therapy available. Our program is approved by both the Canadian Art Therapy Association and the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. The TATI Distance Learning Program is offered once per year (January start date), and we accept 10 students per cohort.


The Toronto Art Therapy Institute Distance Learning Program is considered a full-time program as students complete the equivalent of four graduate level courses each semester. Each week the course instructors send out details about that week’s lecture which could involve many processes including synchronous learning, discussion, viewing a video, listening to a presentation, taking part in a forum, posting your artwork, etc. Each group of students will be learning together for the full 16 months of coursework.


Due to the Canadian Art Therapy Association requirement for distance learning programs to include 176 hours of on-site learning, students attend on-site classes for two sessions of 11 days each. Each of the two 11 day on-site semesters consist of 88 hours of intensive learning (8 hours per day). 


The Toronto Art Therapy Institute is a Graduate Level Diploma training program in Art Therapy which includes 16 months of accelerated and full-time coursework followed by two years to complete a thesis or major project.  700 hours of practicum is also required.  Upon completion of all of the program requirements students graduate as Professional Art Therapists.  The program takes most students two to three years to complete. Due to the impact of the pandemic on practicum placements, it could take longer for students to complete the program.


Please note: While we do accept international students, Distance Learning students must be residing in Canada for the duration of the program due to limitations with providing liability insurance for practicum placements outside the country. The Distance Learning program is intended for students who live at least 100km from our campus in Toronto or who cannot attend Saturday classes for religious reasons. 

Info Sessions:

Online information sessions are held before each admissions period and are hosted by TATI instructors, practicum staff, and administrators to share information about art therapy, the TATI program, and application process, and to answer questions.

 

Upcoming info session:

January 2024 program admissions

Thursday June 15, 2023

12:00-1:30 ET via Zoom

Register here

Distance Learning Curriculum

For further details including course descriptions, please see the Distance Learning Program Overview.

In order to access TATI’s remote learning platform and join classes via Zoom, students need to have stable internet connection, a computer with camera and microphone, a camera or mobile device to photograph artwork, and preferably a private space and headphones for attending class (required for Group Art Therapy Experiential to ensure confidentiality for all classmates). Students will also need to have Zoom installed on their computer or device. For more details about using Zoom, please see the Zoom New User Guide.

Group Art Therapy Experiential  


Theories and Ways of Knowing in Psychotherapy Practices


Practicum Preparation

The History and Development of the Profession of Art Therapy 


Ethics and Art Therapy


Principles of Group Therapy Process 

11 day on-site intensive (88 hours of instruction)


Group Art Therapy Experiential


Introduction to CBT and DBT in Art Therapy 

Trauma-Informed Art Therapy

Art Therapy with Older Adults 


Medical Art Therapy


Advanced Studio: Therapeutic Puppetry


Art Therapy and Mindfulness

Group Art Therapy Experiential 


Cultural Humility and Art Therapy


Child and Adolescent Development and Art Therapy


Art Therapy with People Who Have a Severe and Persistent Mental Illness


Art Therapy, Spirituality, Grief and Loss


Art Therapy in Diverse Settings


Practicum Support: Documentation and Risk Assessment

Group Art Therapy Experiential


Family and Couple Therapy


Indigenous Issues, Health and Art Therapy


Research Methods in Art Therapy


Art Therapy Assessment Methods


Art Therapy in Diverse Settings


Advanced Studio: Eco-Art Therapy

11 day on-site intensive (88 hours of instruction)

 

Group Art Therapy Experiential 

 

Digital Art Therapy

 

Art Therapy for Eating and Body Image Concerns

 

Group Clinical Supervision 

 

Advanced Studio: Art Hives


Advanced Studio: Mask-making

 

Public and Private Practice in Art Therapy: Finding, Attaining & Creating Employment as an Art Therapist

*subject to changes for each cohort – this is to give a general idea of semester dates for the Distance Learning program.

 

Semester 1

16 weeks of remote instruction 

 

January to April 

 

One week break in March

 

Semester 2 (on-site)

11 days of on-site instruction

 

Monday-Friday of week 1 and Sunday-Friday of week 2, classes 9:30am-6:30pm (one hour lunch break each day)

 

During April or May 

 

Semester 3

16 weeks of remote instruction 

 

August to November 

 

One week break in late Aug/early Sept

 

Semester 4

16 weeks of remote instruction 

 

December to April

 

Two breaks: one week in December, one week in March

 

Semester 5 (on-site)

11 days of on-site instruction

 

Monday-Friday of week 1 and Sunday-Friday of week 2, classes 9:30am-6:30pm (one hour lunch break each day)

 

During April or May 

 

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are paid in four installments of $4,440. Tuition payments are due at the beginning of each 4 month quarter of the 16 months of coursework. The total tuition for the program is $17,760.00

 

 

An additional fee of $1,300.00 is required for Thesis/Major Project Advisement to be paid at the end of coursework or earlier depending on when the student begins their thesis or major project.

 

 

Program Extension Fees:

The completion due date of all practicum hours and the thesis or major project is 2 years from the last day of semester 5. If students do not maintain contact with the program and progress in practicum and/or thesis/major project after coursework, and the two-year completion due date has passed:

-The student will be recorded as inactive in the program.
-If at or after this time the student would like to continue practicum and/or thesis or major project, they must pay a fee of $200 in order to reinstate their active student status in the program.
-If the student does not maintain contact and progress in the program after 6 months from last contact, they will be recorded as inactive in the program.

 

 

Tuition fees are tax deductible.

The Toronto Art Therapy Institute is registered as a private career college under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005 and receives no government funding.

 

 

We are not registered with the Ontario Student Loans Program (OSAP) due to changes in their policies which would require TATI to be responsible for the loans of students who default on their loans.

Important Dates


September 2023 Program Admissions:

Applications for the September 2023 On-Site Program are now closed.

 


January 2024 Program Admissions: 

Applications for the January 2024 On-Site Program  and the January 2024 Distance Learning Program will be accepted between July 3-28, 2023.

 

All application documents and payment of the application fee must be received by 12:00 p.m. (NOON) ET on Friday July 28 in order for an application to be processed. We recommend submitting your application documents at least 24 hours in advance of the deadline to allow time for admissions staff to confirm receipt and provide payment instructions. 

 

Due to our review timeline and process we do not accept late applications.  Incomplete applications are kept on file for one year and can be transferred over for completion during another admissions period within the year, by request.

Prerequisites and Application Process

Admission requirements:

  • 1. A bachelor’s degree from a recognized university:
    • A major, minor, or courses taken in fine or studio arts is highly preferable.
    • A major, minor, or courses taken in relevant areas of studies relating to the care profession or human services is highly preferable, such as psychology, equity studies, social work, child and youth studies, disability studies, education, and health studies.
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  • If bachelor’s degree is not in one of the above areas of studies, professional or volunteer experiences in support or facilitation roles in mental health settings, social services, or community-based programs will also be considered.
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  • 2. Must have consistent and ongoing engagement with arts-making through academic, professional, personal, or community-based practices.
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Admission process:

  • 1. Applicant opens an applicant file with us by completing the  application intake form. This form can be completed anytime. Please open a file with us before having any application related documents sent in. 
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  • 2. Applicant submits all required application documents (please see next section below) and application fee by the specified deadline.
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  • 3. The admissions committee will review all completed applications.
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  • 4. Suitable candidates will be contacted for a virtual interview with the admissions committee.
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  • 5. Admission decisions will be communicated to all applicants at least one month before the program start date. 

Required application documents:

  • 1. Official academic transcripts
    • Electronic copy of the official transcript(s) emailed to us directly from the academic institution(s) to contact@tati.on.ca. If an e-copy is not available, please have your transcript(s) couriered to our office at 8 Prince Arthur Avenue, Suite 200 (2nd Floor), Toronto ON, M5R 1A9.
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    • If you are currently in the final semester of your bachelor level degree and your transcript does not yet list a degree conferral/graduation date, we also require a letter emailed to us directly from your university’s registrar’s office or from a departmental academic advisor to confirm that you have completed all requirements needed to graduate *at the time of your application*. 
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    • If your degree was completed outside Canada, the United States, or the United Kingdom, we require a degree equivalency certificate from an organization such as WES or ICAS. Transcripts from academic institutions outside of the above countries without equivalency certificates will not be processed.
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    • If English is not your first language, please provide English proficiency test results. 
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  • 2. Three reference letters:
    • Two professional and/or academic reference letters from individuals who can comment on your suitability for art therapy training and practice from the perspective of a supervisory role in relation to you, the applicant.
    • One character reference letter from an individual who can comment on your suitability for art therapy training and practice, but is not a family member or close friend.
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    • All three letters must be signed and emailed to us directly from the individuals writing the letters. Please have your reference letter writers complete the following linked PDF reference form  and email it to contact@tati.on.ca. 
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  • 3. Statement of Interest:
    • -Describe how your lived experiences contribute to your interest in pursuing art therapy as a profession.
    • -Describe how your education, professional training, and/or volunteer involvements might prepare you for training in art therapy. 
    • -Describe why you wish to pursue art therapy training specifically at the Toronto Art Therapy Institute.
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    • Maximum 5 pages double-spaced.
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  • 4. CV or resume
    • Applicant's up-to-date CV or resume. 
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  • 5. A portfolio of your artwork
    • -10 images of artwork created by the applicant, and selected to demonstrate ongoing engagement with arts-making, personal creative and reflective process, and range of medium.
    • -Include a brief statement for each image in regard to your reflections on the creative process and the image.
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    • Please combine all images into one PDF file with the statements (other file formats not accepted).
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    • TIP: Canva is a free online tool with which you can create compositions of images and text, and save as a PDF: https://www.canva.com/
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  • 6. Signed PDF application form
    • Click the "Download the PDF Application Form" button on this page to access the form. It is a fillable PDF.
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  • 7. Non-refundable $180.00 CAD Application Fee
    • Applicant will receive payment instructions when all application documents have been received. Application will not be processed unless all documents are received and application fee is paid by the specified deadline.

How to submit the required application documents:

  • Please begin by opening an applicant file with us by filling out the application intake form.  This form can be completed anytime. Please open a file with us before having any application related documents sent in. 
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  • Transcripts and reference letters can be submitted up to two months in advance of the application deadline. 
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  • All remaining documents must be sent to us by the applicant, in a single email with the subject line Application: Firstname Lastname to contact@tati.on.ca, within the specified application window.
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  • Please do not combine all the application items into one file. We require each document as a separate file for our processing system.

Application deadlines:

Application period opening and closing dates for 2023/2024 programs are as follows:

Program/Start Date

Application Period Opening Date

Application Period Closing Date (Deadline)

On-Site Program – September 2023 start

April 3, 2023

April 28, 2023

On-Site Program – January 2024 start

July 3, 2023

July 28, 2023

Distance Learning Program – January 2024 start

July 3, 2023

July 28, 2023

Applications are accepted between the opening and closing dates for each corresponding program start date, as detailed above. All application documents and payment of the application fee must be received by 12pm (noon) ET on the application period closing date in order for your application to be processed. 

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Testimonials

My experience in the Graduate program at TATI has been nothing short of life changing.

On an academic level, I have never been so challenged and held to such high standards. The learning experience is very well-rounded and thorough, and the instructors bring with them a vast array of professional experience in their chosen area of focus. The small class sizes are conducive to bonding as students and future professionals, and to creating a strong relationship with instructors. Each student is accountable, not only to the instructors and to Helene, but also to each other.

The supervised clinical practicum hours required to complete the program are absolutely valid and necessary in order for students to enter the art therapy field well prepared and competent in a clinical atmosphere. Ongoing supervision is required throughout the practicum and the research process and I personally gained an incredible amount of knowledge and experience through the supervision provided. The proposal, research and thesis components were well supervised and advised. I found my advisor to be very committed, approachable and clear and concise with his advice. He was a strong advocate for the work I did, and he guided me through the process with great support and critical evaluation. The opportunity to grow and gain personal insight through participation in the TATI graduate program has allowed me to become very self-aware and balanced in my own life, creating the strong ability to practice in the most effective way for the clients with whom I work.

On a professional level, I now find job opportunities abundant, and feel very prepared and well qualified to work in the art therapy and the mental health field. In a recent interview, an interviewer remarked upon viewing my TATI education, “I’ve heard that is a VERY prestigious program”, and I agree wholeheartedly. Since graduating from the TATI program, I have held contracts in long term care, hospital settings, community health centre settings, with those living with acquired brain injury, those living with Alzheimer’s disease, caregiver groups and those living with developmental and learning challenges. I have never found myself without opportunities, and most recently have begun working full time in the addictions field. I have been given the opportunity to present my art therapy research at the Canadian Collaborative Mental Health Care Conference in 2014, and most recently have been asked to complete a book review for the Dementia and Ageing Research Team in Manchester UK.

None of this would have been possible without the education I earned at TATI, so thank you, Helene!
Krista Schneider
BA, DTATI
Thanks so much for everything… I am currently making a living as an art therapist at 6 different worksites (including groups and individual sessions with people with addictions, brain-injured clients, survivors of domestic violence, children and teens who have witnessed domestic violence, and people with severe mental illness) and I am always looking to expand my practice — I am currently proposing seniors groups at the various local retirement homes. I’m working in Lindsay, Sutton, Port Perry and Port Hope.

I cannot tell you what a difference my time at TATI has made in my life, and how grateful I am to you, and to all my instructors and supervisors.

I am so proud to say that I am an art therapist.

In 2013 The Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General awarded me a Victim Services Award of Distinction for textile art project with survivors of domestic violence in Kawartha Lakes.
Annalisa Danowski
DTATI
Sari_Richter_bio_testimonial
Although I am a fairly recent graduate, I feel as though I’ve embarked on a truly fulfilling career. During my time as a student with TATI, I participated in group therapy sessions and immersed myself in unbelievable placements, gaining valuable experience in and knowledge of an art therapy career as a result. Not many students could say they were given an opportunity to lead Addictions Rounds at CAMH, or co-implement an art therapy program for men seeking addictions treatment at the Good Shepherd DARE Program. I’ve also spoken during Mental Health Week at McMaster University and volunteered for a “new memory project” for women staying in a shelter in North York.

Currently, I working with a new program being offered by Youthdale Treatment Centres which is located at Covenant House in downtown Toronto. The Intensive Extended Day Program seeks to fill the vast gap in mental health services for youth aged sixteen and older. Working with an incredibly dedicated team of administrators, a psychologist, social worker, child and youth workers and many others to shape this necessary endeavour has been a dream.Currently, I working with a new program being offered by Youthdale Treatment Centres which is located at Covenant House in downtown Toronto. The Intensive Extended Day Program seeks to fill the vast gap in mental health services for youth aged sixteen and older. Working with an incredibly dedicated team of administrators, a psychologist, social worker, child and youth workers and many others to shape this necessary endeavour has been a dream.

Feeling like what I’ve accomplished and will continue to work on has been meaningful and had an impact on the lives of others is truly a gift. I also value the incredible connections I made with my classmates, and hold them in the highest regard. Their work and dedication continues to fascinate, motivate and inspire me most of all. Feeling like what I’ve accomplished and will continue to work on has been meaningful and had an impact on the lives of others is truly a gift. I also value the incredible connections I made with my classmates, and hold them in the highest regard. Their work and dedication continues to fascinate, motivate and inspire me most of all.
Sari Richter
B.F.A., DTATI
Changing careers is a difficult proposition and one that saw me retiring from one career and starting another through the distance learning program at TATI. I selected the distance learning program because it was the best option for me and traveling to Toronto for two semesters was easier for my circumstances.

The course covered a lot of information and was delivered in manageable chunks that were easy to absorb. The structure of the course was clear, logical and concise and allowed me and my fellow students to expand on our posts, thoughts and get feedback from each other as well as the instructor. Meeting on line through a visual chat for the experiential course was something I had never participated in before, but the instructor made sure that we all had time to present to the group, ask questions of fellow students, and provide feedback as a facilitator. It was an interesting experience to meet everyone in person for the first time in Toronto but it seemed like we had already formed a bond with each other than carried through the whole course.

It wasn't just about the new knowledge and the skills that we were learning to become art therapists. The main benefits came from doing assignments, the experiential exercises and sharing our stories and experiences on line, receiving individual feedback and interacting with the professors who were patient, experienced and knowledgeable. It's been some time since I was a full-time student, and it took some time to adjust, but it was easy to follow the lessons and the format of the on-line program and with the help of the instructors and fellow students, it became second nature to participate in the posts and on line discussions.

I chose to do a major project and my advisor was amazing. She was extremely supportive throughout the whole process and when I needed guidance, she was willing to point me in the right direction and helped me stay focused through skype calls, phone calls and emails. I even had the chance to meet her in person on one of my trips to Toronto that wasn't related to TATI.

My practicum site was a private psychiatrist's office in Thunder Bay and although supervision was through skype calls, my supervisor was always available through messaging, emails and if I needed an extra skype call, she was willing to be there for me. She sent information and articles that would help with my practicum and the feedback was beneficial for my development. I also branched out to complete group sessions at CMHA which was encouraged by my supervisor to broaden my experience and my training. Helene worked extremely hard to find places to complete my practicum hours and contacted many organizations to help me get placed.

The distance learning format gave me the ability to work in my own community with the constant support of the office staff and instructors. The two on-site semesters allowed my cohort to bond and by the second semester, it was clear that we had been a part of something special and would stay in touch for years to come. The on-site guest instructors and lecturers were extremely well prepared, and imparted not only knowledge but their wisdom about the profession and their specialty whether it was puppet-making, sand therapy or working in different settings with various populations.

I feel confident moving forward with this career with the education, support and guidance that I have received from TATI and look forward to my future as an art therapist. I will be opening my own practice soon, as I recently graduated, but feel confident that I will serving the community well with the tool and knowledge I have gained through TATI.
Tammy Reynolds
HBA, B.ED, DTATI

International Students

Language Requirements:

If you apply to either the On-Site or Distance Learning programs at TATI, TATI reserves the right to request a successfully completed language proficiency test. Language test scores are reviewed in combination with academic credentials to determine your admissibility to TATI.

You may meet our English-language requirements if you have successfully completed one of the following:

 

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language

Computer: 220

Paper: 560

iBT: 83

 

IELTS: International English Language Testing Service

Score in Academic: 6.5

 

 

 

 

Degree Equivalency Certificate

If your degree was completed outside Canada, the United States, or the United Kingdom, we require a degree equivalency certificate from an organization such as WES or ICAS. Transcripts from academic institutions outside of the above countries without equivalency certificates will not be processed.

International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS):  www.icascanada.ca

 

World Education Services (WES):
www.wes.org/ca

 

Practicum

As with the on-site program, students are required to complete 700 hours of practicum and a thesis or major project in order to qualify for graduation.

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+1 (416) 924-6221

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Toronto Art Therapy Institute is registered as a private career college under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005.