Art Therapist - Adolescent Psych (FT)

Description

Your passion belongs at UNC Health. Join more than 56,000 teammates working together to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve across North Carolina.

Summary:

Seeking a compassionate, creative, and clinically skilled Art Therapist to join our multidisciplinary team on the Inpatient Adolescent Psychiatric Unit. This position involves providing therapeutic art interventions to adolescents (ages 12-17) experiencing acute psychiatric symptoms, including mood disorders, anxiety, trauma, psychosis, and behavioral challenges. The Art Therapist will utilize creative expression to support emotional regulation, insight, communication, and recovery in a structured, trauma-informed hospital environment.

Responsibilities:

• Plan, facilitate, and document individual and group art therapy sessions tailored to the needs of adolescent patients.
• Collaborate closely with psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other therapists to contribute to comprehensive treatment planning.
• Integrate trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate, and culturally sensitive practices into all interventions.
• Monitor and assess patients' emotional and behavioral responses to therapy and report progress in clinical team meetings.
• Maintain accurate, timely documentation in accordance with hospital and regulatory standards.
• Provide crisis intervention support and contribute to milieu management as needed.
• Educate staff and families (when appropriate) on the role and benefits of art therapy in psychiatric care.
• Maintain appropriate boundaries, confidentiality, and adherence to ethical standards of the profession.

Other information:

Qualifications:

Required:

• Master's degree in Art Therapy or a closely related field from an accredited program.
• Registration (ATR) or eligibility for ATR through the Art Therapy Credentials Board.
• Licensure or eligibility for licensure in North Carolina (e.g., LPC, LCAT, LMHC, or equivalent).
• Experience working with adolescents in psychiatric or behavioral health settings.

Preferred:

• Board Certification (ATR-BC).
• Familiarity with DBT, CBT, or other evidence-based practices.
• Prior hospital or acute care experience.
• Bilingual skills a plus.

Key Competencies:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to manage group dynamics and behavioral challenges effectively.
• Empathy, patience, and a calm demeanor in high-stress environments.
• Creativity, adaptability, and a collaborative spirit.
• Commitment to ethical and culturally competent care.

Work Environment:

• Inpatient psychiatric hospital unit; secure and structured setting.
• Close collaboration with interdisciplinary clinical teams.
• May involve exposure to emotionally charged situations and aggressive behaviors.
• PPE and safety training provided.

Legal Employer: Pardee - HCHC

Entity: Pardee UNC Health Care

Organization Unit: Pardee Adolescent Behavior Health Unit Admin

Work Type: Full Time

Standard Hours Per Week: 40.00

Work Assignment Type: Onsite

Work Schedule: Day Job

Location of Job: PARDEEHOSP

Exempt From Overtime: Exempt: No

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran or political affiliation.