I am a Virginia resident who is currently attending George Washington University as a Candidate for a Master's in Art Therapy at the campus in Old Town Alexandria.  I urge the Board to consider this fundamental change as an opportunity to foster a growing number of qualified Art Therapists in their mission to deliver affordable, approachable, and evidence-based mental health interventions for Virginia residents.

During my year-long internships at St. Elizabeths, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, and Washington DC VA Medical Center, I valued the numerous interdisciplinary approaches toward psychotherapeutic issues that I’ve observed within my teams.  I also learned that awareness of informed art therapy interventions is vital to the art therapist’s ability to deliver a reliable continuity of care to his or her clients. 

The dedicated service of veteran art therapists has been a source of tremendous inspiration; the current law makes it difficult to look toward these mentors to improve our skills which ultimately supports our Virginia clients in their pursuit of goals and enhanced quality of life.