CiiAT Specializes in Virtual Art Therapy Education and Clinical Services
Accredited — Respected — Trusted
Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU)
CiiAT is a Designated Institution by Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU) with the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills in British Columbia, Canada.
Designated B.C. Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit & Shield Design mark is a certification mark owned by the Government of British Columbia and used under licence.
Canadian Art Therapy Association
Our Diploma is recognized by CATA, who works alongside provincial art therapy associations to uphold professional standards in the interest of public safety and trust.
College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
CRPO develops standards and procedures to regulate psychotherapists and art psychotherapists while striving to ensure competent and ethical practice within a professional accountability framework.
Our School
CiiAT (pronounced see-at) strives to be a community of equity and inclusion by welcoming students from many backgrounds and diverse cultures, creating space for all voices to be heard.
Leading the way in virtual art therapy
About CiiAT
Since 2016, the Canadian International Institute of Art Therapy has been leading the way in virtual art therapy education, clinical services, research and publications.
Currently, all CiiAT accredited programs are taught online in real time and are heavily interactive. Coursework is delivered through Moodle, our comprehensive learning management system.
Art Psychotherapy Diploma
The Art Psychotherapy Diploma consists of 17 academic and clinical courses, delivered online with instructor-led and self-directed options, and 350 client hours and supervision. These 1,200 instructional hours are taught on a part-time schedule over 30 months of study. Graduates of the program qualify for membership with CATA and CRPO to become leaders in the field in the areas of professional practice, research, and theoretical development.
Therapeutic Arts Series
The Therapeutic Arts series consists of a certification program and specialized short courses, ideal for personal and professional development for individuals and teams looking for continuing education in mental health, emotional wellness, and creativity. These courses guide the participants through an experiential and exploratory process of self-discovery and personal growth while building the knowledge, confidence, and skills needed to safely facilitate therapeutic arts sessions with individuals and groups.
Organizational Development
CiiAT designs Organizational Development events and offers therapeutic arts training to private groups and teams online or on location. CiiAT faculty recognizes the need for a creative, engaging, and informational training program to build employee capacity and team cohesiveness. From an intimate group of six to a banquet hall of 600, CiiAT will provide tailored material to better suit your unique needs, and your team's targeted learning outcomes.
Trusted training and curriculum
The faculty and facilitators at CiiAT provide their diverse experiences, qualifications and education to bring engaging, inclusive, and relevant educational content for individuals and teams.
All Diploma Instructors and clinical supervisors are Registered Art Therapists / Psychotherapists and in good standing with CATA. All other program facilitators are Therapeutic Arts Practitioners and Professional Art Therapists.
Virtual Art Therapy Clinic
Virtual Art Therapy Clinic
The Virtual Art Therapy Clinic (VATC) is a CiiAT initiative that provides virtual art therapy services by donation to the global community.
Since 2020, VATC has provided 10,000 clinical sessions in nine languages, led by supervised post-graduate Art Psychotherapy Diploma students completing their clinical requirements.
Virtual Art Therapy
CiiAT has been leading the way in virtual art therapy education and clinical services since 2016. Starting with education, CiiAT offered post-graduate courses via a learning management system and videoconferencing to students worldwide. This led to the successful launch of CiiAT’s Virtual Art Therapy Clinic (VATC) in 2020. A critical research study conducted at VATC demonstrated a 34% reduction in anxiety levels during pre and post art therapy sessions for clients.
Virtual Art Therapy: Research and Practice
The success of VATC led to the publication of Virtual Art Therapy: Research and Practice, Routledge, 2022 edited by Michelle Winkel, RCAT. This book is also authored by 17 leading international practitioners and provides a practical and research-based exploration of virtual art psychotherapy and how its innovations are breaking new ground in the mental health field.