Meredith Schroeder, ATR, LCPC

How did you start building your network?

It's hard work building a network in the mental health field, especially in a niche area like art therapy. It helps to stay in touch with grad school friends who are practicing, but I also go outside of my comfort zone and network online and in person with other mental health professionals. It gives me practice explaining what I do and what the field of art therapy is all about.

How did you pick your career? Did you know all along?

I didn't always know what career I wanted to go into. I had a great art teacher in high school who really knew me and my interests. I was always interested in other people/getting to know new people as well as visual arts. My high school art teacher suggested I look into art therapy- it's a great combination of psychology and art. I kept this suggestion in my head until my undergraduate career where I did major in psychology and eventually looked into art therapy graduate programs. After undergraduate, I did go on to earn my Masters Degree in Counseling and Art Therapy and now work as an art therapist.

When you were a student, did you do anything outside of school to build skills or get knowledge that has helped your career?

I was always interested in visual art so I tried to practice/make art whenever I could. I would take/participate in art classes outside of school when they were offered. I am also a shy person, and I had a summer job in food service. I think talking to people and taking orders really helped me to be more comfortable talking with others and work on my level of shyness.

In layperson terms, what do you actually do at work?

As an art therapist, I work with both individuals and groups in a therapeutic way. With individuals, I talk with them about the stresses in their lives and what changes they may want to make. I discuss with their feelings and help them to recognize how they are feeling in the moment. We may make art about how they are feeling or illustrate a situation that is going on in their lives. I believe that making art is another form of communication that helps provide a visual. With groups, it works the same way. We are all working towards some form of shared goal, often to connect with each other and make/appreciate art. Along with all this talking and connecting with other people, I also maintain my records and notes as well as email with colleagues and potential new clients.