The Art Therapist's Guide to Social Media: Book Preview2. The Art Therapist’s Guide to Social
Media offers the art therapy
community a guide that addresses
content related to social media use,
its growing influence, and the impact
social networking has on the
profession and work of art therapists.
3. Divided into three parts that highlight the
themes of connection, community, and
creativity, chapters explore timely topics
such as the professional use of social
media, ethical considerations, potential
benefits and challenges, and strategies to
embrace the possibilities that social media
can create for the field worldwide.
4. Published by Routledge Books
232 pages, 42 images, 8 color figures
Includes contributions from over 50
art therapists and artists from all over the world
Foreward by Lynn Kapitan
Illustrations by Nate Fehlauer
Wiscy Jones Creative
5. The content in this book and its
contributions are an inspiring
testament to the here and now
progress we have made as a
community in regards to
becoming more comfortable and
embracing social media as well
as the possibilities and
limitations that continue to exist
for future consideration.
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
6. Social networking has created
opportunities for connection,
community, and creativity that quickly
expand beyond our physical
classrooms, workplaces, studios,
hometowns, and countries, inspiring
new ways of interactivity for art
therapists. This technology allows us
to reach out, link to, and collaborate
with art therapy professionals and
students studying everywhere.
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
8. Pioneering web-based tools in the
1990s made it possible for art
therapists to obtain or provide
updates about happenings in the
field, reach out with questions, or
independently post topics for
discussion and engage in virtual
dialogue with other art therapists
about particular interests.
Chapter 1, Introduction to
Social Networking and Social Media
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
10. Our online connections and
activity as art therapists can
have a real impact and activate
change through the rippling
effect of social networking in
remarkable ways.
Chapter 1, Introduction to
Social Networking and Social Media
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
11. The growing virtual proximity that is
driven by social networking is an
innovative way for art therapists to
spread their commitment and passion
for this profession as a shared benefit
that we can all enjoy in the spirit of
professionalism and integrity.
Chapter 1, Introduction to
Social Networking and Social Media
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
12. The use of social media creates
many energizing possibilities to
revolutionize how the message of art
therapy and the work of art therapists
are broadcasted and dialogued
about in this modern digital age.
Chapter 1, Introduction to
Social Networking and Social Media
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
13. As professionals, we need to take
a meaningful look at some of the
challenges and benefits that social
media can have on the clients we
serve, the therapeutic relationship,
and how to best navigate social
media with purpose and
responsibility in our own use.
Chapter 2, The Challenges and Benefits
of Social Networking
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
15. Despite our opinion, personal skill
level, or our engagement with the
world of social media, we have a
digital social responsibility to
clients to be attentive and
responsive to these issues.
Chapter 2, The Challenges and Benefits
of Social Networking
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
17. Orr (2010) states, “it is the art
therapist’s ethical responsibility to
understand how vulnerable
digital media can be to outside
manipulation and viewing, and to
teach clients to protect their works
and themselves within such an
environment” (p. 97).
Chapter 2, The Challenges and Benefits
of Social Networking
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
19. As art therapists increasingly
engage in social networking of all
types, protecting the need for
privacy is a valuable area of
concern, especially in relationship
to our personal life (Orr, 2011).
Chapter 2, The Challenges and Benefits
of Social Networking
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
21. Our online actions and efforts can
have a profound influence on
impressions, opinions, and beliefs
about art therapy. Our conduct can
ultimately reflect on the field as a
whole, prompting positive or
undesirable perceptions from others.
We each serve as ambassadors of
this amazing profession.
Chapter 3, Social Media, Art Therapy, and
Professionalism
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
23. E-professionalism involves managing
social media with a sense of
awareness, meaningful
contemplation, and intentional action
where the art therapist can recognize
the bigger effect and influence of their
conduct online (Tunick et al., 2011).
Chapter 3, Social Media, Art Therapy, and
Professionalism
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
25. Online disinhibition can potentially
weaken our professional character,
values, and cloud our sense of
judgment, which then can influence
our conduct when engaging in
social media. Short-term virtual
actions and reactions can have a
real, often wide-reaching effect with
long-term outcomes.
Chapter 3, Social Media, Art Therapy, and
Professionalism
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
27. For the art therapy community and art
therapists not to take part in social
media is to miss out on valuable
opportunities to keep the field moving
forward in this digital age with a
strong, professional presence.
Chapter 3, Social Media, Art Therapy, and
Professionalism
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
30. Since the Internet’s early
beginnings, the concept of
community has historically been
at the center of online activity.
Chapter 4, The Value of Digital Community
for Art Therapists
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
31. Online professional art therapy groups
are often dedicated to exchanging
occupational related information and
knowledge, in addition to finding value
in collaboration or supporting each
other with professionally driven
projects, endeavors, and learning.
Chapter 4, The Value of Digital Community
for Art Therapists
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
33. What needs are important to you as a
member of a digital community?
Chapter 4, The Value of Digital Community
for Art Therapists
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
35. The intersection of social
media and art therapy includes
dynamic possibilities to uphold the
profession through information
sharing, news reporting, and offering
ways to make this growing field to
be seen and recognized.
Chapter 5, Strengthening the Art Therapy
Profession through Social Media
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
37. It can be helpful to think about what
your content is communicating about
art therapy, you as an art therapist, and
the power of this impact. The manner in
which you share the content and digital
assets you have developed will make a
significant difference in how it is
received, engaged with, and used to
influence professional presence online.
Chapter 5, Strengthening the Art Therapy
Profession through Social Media
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
39. The tools and platforms of social
networking continue to not only fill our
own personal and professional lives,
but its influence and scope can be
seen and experienced worldwide.
Chapter 6, Social Media and the Global Art
Therapy Community
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
40. Art therapists can benefit from
adapting global digital citizenship in
their online behavior and engagement.
In what ways can you use social
media as an art therapist to support
global digital citizenship?
Chapter 6, Social Media and the Global Art
Therapy Community
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
43. With social media’s increasing
presence impacting our digital lives as
art therapists, there is also significant
value in exploring how the power of
social media influences creative
activity, especially in relationship to
our practice as artists.
Chapter 7, Social Media and the Art
Therapist’s Creative Practice
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
44. The use of online creative
communities, art-based Internet
collaborations, social networking tools,
apps, and connecting to others who
encourage our creative process, are
all helpful ways that social
media can be leveraged for the art
therapist’s creative practice.
Chapter 7, Social Media and the Art
Therapist’s Creative Practice
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
46. Social media can multiply our
message, action, and intention as
artists while striving to make a
meaningful difference and facilitate
transformation through our art-based
efforts and creative expression.
Chapter 8, 6 Degrees of Creativity
47. The application of social media and its
digital tools have been a key
component to bringing art therapists
and other artists together in a
mobilized effort to make a positive
difference through their own art-
making and creativity.
Chapter 8, 6 Degrees of Creativity
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller
48. So what does the future of social
media hold for art therapists and its
potential for upcoming opportunities,
experiences, and the field?
Do you feel there is a professional
need to keep up with the rapid
changes and developments of
technology? If so, what resources do
art therapists need?
Chapter 9, Future Considerations-
Social Media and Art Therapists
© 2017 Gretchen M. Miller