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Yale New Haven Health
New Haven, Connecticut

Art Therapist, ATR-BC

Counselor / TherapistFull-Time

Listed compensation

$22.7-$46.32/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 53m ago · Verified live

Job Description

To be part of our organization, every employee should understand and share in the YNHHS Vision, support our Mission, and live our Values. These values - integrity, patient-centered, respect, accountability, and compassion - must guide what we do, as individuals and professionals, every day.

Responsible for developing, implementing, modifying and evaluating art therapy services for children, teens and young adults and their families, pertinent to units assigned within Pediatrics through the Child Life Department.

Observes, analyzes and assesses patient needs to develop, and communicate appropriate individualized interventions and art therapy programs to patients and families.

Facilitates group and individual art therapy activities and interventions for the purpose of restoring, maintaining or improving cognitive, physical, emotional or social function of diverse population of pediatric patients.

Successfully employs strategies to engage a diverse population of pediatric patients and families in the observation, discussion, selection or creation of art activities within the context of art therapy.

Develops, plans, implements, evaluates art therapy treatment services to meet specific patient/family assessed needs, adapting to developmental age, chronological age, physical limitations or disabilities and psychosocial needs and patient progress.

Works with artists, child life specialists and others on the patient care team in effective collaborative practice.

EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran

Responsibilities

  • 1. DIRECT AND INDIRECT PATIENTCARE
  • 1.1 Develop, plan, implement and evaluate art therapy services to restore, maintain or improve the patient and family's social, emotional, physical and cognitive function in a manner consistent with Arts for Healing program and Child Life mission and goals.
  • 2. COMMUNICATION, COLLABORATION AND TEAMWORK
  • 2.1 Provide clear and concise documentation of individualized art therapy treatment plan and the patient's and family's response to treatment in accordance with individualized goals, per department and hospital guidelines.
  • 3. FISCAL MANAGEMENT
  • 3.1 Maintain supplies and equipment for art therapy services and provide assessment of material needs.
  • 4. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM

4.1 Participate in quality assurance and quality initiatives including collecting, maintaining and analyzing quality and productivity data specific to art therapy services.

Qualifications

Education

Minimum of a Masters Degree in Art Therapy or Expressive Arts Therapy as required for registration by the Art Therapy Credentials Board.

Experience

Minimum 1-2 year's experience working as an art therapist with children in a healthcare environment preferred; or the equivalent of 2 year's full time experience as art therapist with children in a school or other community setting with specific expertise in working with children with special needs.

Licensure

Currently holds designation of Registered or Board Certified (ATR, ATR-BC) by the American Art Therapy Association and the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB), or is eligible for registration.

Special Skills

Knowledge: Considerable knowledge of expressive art and art therapy principles, techniques and methods. Psychosocial needs and behaviors of hospitalized children and families with an understanding of how to facilitate art therapy activity in a medical environment required.

Professional level of knowledge and skill in growth and development, specifically as it relates to creative expression. Understands the application of the creative process to aid in psychological preparation, provision of coping strategies and support during medical events.

Knowledge of visual arts media, forms, design principles, techniques and their use in relationship with other expressive modalities.

Skills: Competence in the execution of art skills, comfortable facilitating expression using a variety of arts mediums and in a variety of art forms including but not limited to drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media.

Embraces a multi-modal and collaborative approach; open to the use of art modalities in combination with other expressive modalities including movement, written word or music. Able to apply and adapt art principles and techniques for therapeutic outcomes within art therapy/expressive arts therapy scope of practice.

Strong interpersonal skills evident in the implementation of art therapy services; establishes effective professional relationships and communication with staff, patients, families, artists, media, etc. Strong time management, communication and organizational skills. Effective skills in program development, project coordination and program planning.

Physical Demand

Able to lift at least 25lbs. Must comply with appropriate OSHA, HIPAA and JCAHO standards relevant to position.

YNHHS Requisition ID

193959

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)

Certifications

Board Certification

Key Skills

Pediatric careTreatment planningPsychosocial assessmentPatient-centered care

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 34% are remote, 32% have no call, 62% require no weekends.

Mental Health Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 1.0% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Mental Health Therapy by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$47k–$96kMental Health Therapy median $54k (middle half $39k–$61k)13 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$69k in purchasing powerConnecticut index 103.6 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Mental Health Therapy listings in Connecticut172 active7,845 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 34% remote · 32% no call · 62% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedConnecticut Counselor listings: 11% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 27% offer loan repayment245 active listings, Oct 2026
Mental Health Therapy pay trend+1.0% vs prior quarter—through Sep 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Counselor Jobs

42 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

42 jobs · 33 employers
13
<$65k
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$65k-80k
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$80k-95k
2
$95k-110k
5
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Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

38 jobs · 33 employers
401k / retirement match
97%
Sign-on bonus
32%
CME allowance
29%
Loan repayment
21%
PSLF eligible
13%

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Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 7,885 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in New Haven

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$352k
Typical market rent
$1,972/mo
Residents’ average commute
22 min
State income tax
Up to 7%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.