Art Therapy vs. OT
These two differing methods are often confused because they have developed alongside one another throughout history, and practitioners in OT often utilize therapeutic art in their treatments.
In the 1980’s, art therapists were based in occupational therapy, and therapeutic art treatments were a component of OT. Although the two types of treatment have now split, art therapists and occupational therapists often work side-by-side.
Some Key Differences between Art Therapy & OT:
Art Therapy
- Training for Art Therapists usually takes place at the postgraduate level, as there are little to no undergraduate degree programs in the field
- Art Therapy is centered around treatments including visual arts such as painting or drawing
- Art Therapists often have a strong background in studio/visual art, and incorporate art into their own daily lives
- Art Therapy focuses on the whole process in creating a work of art: the creation and the product
- Art Therapy is based on choice when it comes to treatment and the tools that clients are able to use
Occupational Therapy
- Occupational Therapists often possess undergraduate degrees directly related to OT
- OT utilizes a broad range of arts-based methods, some of which include: music, drama, dance, and visual art
- Occupational Therapists usually have little to no background in art studies
- OT focuses on the process in creating a work of art, rather than the product
- Occupational therapists often have a specific purpose when designing a treatment utilizing art and an art tool
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Source
Art Therapy: Creative Therapies in Practice (D. Edwards)
ARTS THERAPIES 
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