Student Profile: Chelsea Plotner

Name: Chelsea Plotner, 25
Hometown: Army Brat

How long have you been in the program? I have been in the FSU Art Therapy program for 1.5 years!

How did you hear about Art Therapy?  I first heard about art therapy during my undergrad at FSU. I studied art education in the same department that art therapy resides in, graduating with my Bachelors in 2011. In the art education program, we had to have a concentration in either an art medium of our choice, such as photography, or we could choose to do psychology, which was considered the pre-art therapy track. I have always been interested in psychology, so I chose that track. Along the way I met an art therapist working with the military, and read as much research as I could get my hands on. By the time I graduated with my undergrad, I knew that art therapy was what I was meant to do!

What qualities do you think make a good therapist? I think being an attentive and active listener is the most important part of being a therapist. It is so easy to get mentally distracted during a session, which means you could miss some key piece of information that a client is giving you. Practicing being in the here-and-now with your client not only helps you, but your clients will notice as well, and know that you truly care about what they have to say.

What inspires you? There are so many exciting things happening in the world of art therapy – everyday I read a new article that makes me say “Wow!” and perks my interests for a new part of the field. There is no limit to what population art therapy can be used with, and seeing what other art therapists are trying (and succeeding) at makes me want to dive right in!

Why did you choose FSU for your program of study? I was really looking for a program that would be invested in me, not just as a graduate student, but as an individual. When I interviewed with the FSU Art Therapy program, I met some of the students and got to talk to them about their experiences in the program. They all had such wonderful things to say, I couldn’t shake it!

People thought I made a poor decision to stay at the school where I got my undergrad, but I believe they are wrong. FSU’s program is truly one of a kind, and the faculty and staff are amazing. My professors genuinely want me to be successful, not just as a professional, but as a person, and my classmates are my biggest cheerleaders. I wouldn’t be anywhere else!

What is it that you desire to do with your degree in art therapy? Right now, I would love to work with juvenile offenders. I think this group of adolescents really needs the benefits that art therapy can bring to them, and there is always a need for dedicated mental health professionals in this field. Coming from a military family, I would also be interested in working as a Military Family Life Consultant, helping families to cope with the stresses of military life, deployments, reunions, and other unique aspects of life in the service.

Any Advice for future art therapy students? When looking for a graduate school, find one that has a variety of internships throughout the program. FSU requires three separate internships, so that we can experience working with a variety of populations, and see where we might fit or not fit. My internship sites have been an invaluable source of experience and knowledge, and have helped me to know that I am in the right profession for me. They also give you great real-world work experience, and the diversity of settings you work in will help you in your job hunt later down the road! The entire experience of graduate school is hard, pedal to the metal, non-stop grind, but it is truly one of the most rewarding things you will do with your life J

Student Profile: Carrie Tillett-Saks

Name: Carrie Tillett-Sak, 23
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

How long have you been in the program? I have been in this program for a year and a half.

How did you hear about Art Therapy? I heard about Art Therapy in high school. My friend’s mom, Lori Vance, was an art therapist. She knew I was into the arts in high school, but I built a stronger relationship with her once I was in college. Four or five summers ago, I emailed Lori to tell her I was looking for a summer job in Milwaukee and if she knew of any to let me know. She hooked me up with Our Next Generation, which is an after school non profit organization in Milwaukee that works with under privledged youth. They hired me as the Art Camp Counselor for their summer program. I worked with a classroom of eight and nine year olds for the summer, making art, planning field trips and parades, having reading time, and other fun summer activities. It was both terrifying and exciting. We took a few field trips to Express Yourself Milwaukee, which is where we created a lot of art. Seeing these students create and express themselves really inspired me to, and essentially made me want to dedicate my life to art therapy with at risk youth.

What qualities do you think make a good therapist? Empathy is one of the most important qualities of an art therapist. You must be able to understand the situations and disabilities of a lot of the clients we serve. Flexibility is also very important. Sometimes I forget that not every art directive will work with every client. People are unique; their treatment should be as well. And of course, in the spirit of still being in grad school, hard work is very important. We cannot serve populations if we do not understand their disability and symptoms. It is our responsibility as mental health providers to keep up to date on clinical diagnoses and modern treatment techniques.

What inspires you? As cheesy as this may be, a lot of my classmates inspire me. Seeing some of the amazing things they are doing, and the dedication they have to improving the field, makes me want to get more and more involved. They are only graduate students, but I feel lie some of them are aiming to truly change the field and improve the quality of art therapy we provide. Some people’s passion is amazing.

Why did you choose FSU for your program of study? The first thing that caught my eye about the FSU art therapy program was their dedication to social justice. I was first drawn to art therapy because it gave me an opportunity to help, in a way that I knew how, those who needed help but probably wouldn’t receive it due to socioeconomic status. That the FSU program highlighted social justice meant a lot to me. The second thing that drew me to FSU was their personal touch. Even before I was accepted, the staff was very helpful and receptive to me.

Any Advice for future art therapy students? Dream big. Do not doubt the process. Take on a lot and accomplish a lot. Yes, those are all clichés, but they are important ones.

Student Profile: Rachel Mims

Who?   Rachel Mims, 32

Hometown?  I grew up in Arlington, TX.  I have, however, lived all over the world!  After two years of undergraduate study I enlisted in the U.S. Army.  I spent 10 years in the Army and lived in Germany, South Korea, Texas, Oklahoma, and North Carolina. 

How long have you been in the program?   I started the program in August 2012!

How did you hear about Art Therapy?   I first heard about art therapy when completing an assignment in my abnormal psychology class.  As part of the assignment we had to go look at a website that listed different occupations.  I searched for “art” and looked at every job title that contained it and found art therapy!  After very little investigation I knew that art therapy was what I was meant to do!  I continued researching it and my initial feeling was confirmed!!

What qualities do you think make a good therapist?  A good therapist is someone that actually cares about helping others. The desire and passion for improving the lives of others is what motivates someone to stay current in the field and to find the best possible treatments for their clients. 

What inspires you?   What inspires me are those moments when you can clearly see the art therapy working.  I am doing my internship at Gadsden Correctional Facility this semester.  A prison is without a doubt a great place to see the impact that therapy can have.  I am inspired on a daily basis. 

Why did you choose FSU for your program of study?  I initially looked at FSU because my significant other was from Florida.  Years later, after that relationship was long over, I still could not get FSU out of my mind!  The program looked great and the school was affordable!  As a veteran I knew that I would need a school that I could afford using only my GI Bill; FSU certainly fit that bill.  Once I visited the campus I knew FSU was where I was supposed to be – I could feel it!  I am without a doubt grateful that I had the wisdom to listen to my intuition. 

What is it that you desire to do with your degree in art therapy?  My hope is to work for the Department of Veterans Affairs as an art therapist.  I want to provide art therapy to veterans.  I also hope to conduct research so that I can demonstrate how powerful art therapy is as a treatment for veterans.

What types of things have you done with FSU Art Therapy Association?  I am the current President of the FSU Art Therapy Association.  I have participated in past community service events providing art therapy at Big Bend Homeless Shelter, the Homeless Veteran Standdown, and local events aimed at raising community awareness about mental health.  I also worked on the 7 Days of Opening Nights mural and have volunteered a few times at First Friday. 

Are you involved in other areas of campus life?  I sure am!  I am the Creative Arts Consultant and Community Service Representative for the FSU Collegiate Veterans Association, I am a group fitness instructor at the campus recreation center, and I was just selected to become a member of Garnet & Gold Key!

Any Advice for future art therapy students?  Graduate school is not easy, but it is entirely worth it.  You get to learn fascinating things and you have the opportunity to begin helping people in your community.  You can still participate in on-campus activities and you can certainly make life-long friends with the other students in your class.