This past week was a great one for the Art Therapy world. Karen Pence, the Vice President’s wife, is advocating for and bringing awareness to the benefits of art therapy. The news was in articles all over the place. I’ve read a Washington Post Article as well as a Newswire Press Released Article so far. They explain her plan and her understanding of how art therapy can help all people.

Although the Second Lady herself is not an art therapist, she has seen art therapy in action which is why she feels the need to advocate for it. She wants it to be more recognized as a mental health profession, something I’m sure we all want. Giving art therapy recognition can have a great out come for the future of the art therapy profession. Having an advocate so high up sounds as though it would be of a great help to the art therapy profession.

This will allow for more people to understand or just simply be aware of art therapy. Considering some people don’t even know that art therapy exists, this will bring their attention to it and see that art therapy is a treatment option which can be life changing for that person. Karen Pence is simply opening the doors to the art therapy world for Americans and the art therapists will do the rest.