Buckeye Art Therapy Association

Home
United States
Ashland, OH
Buckeye Art Therapy Association

Directions Website Contact the organization

BATA is an organization of over 200 art therapists, students, and supporters dedicated to the advanc

The Buckeye Art Therapy Association (BATA) is one of the oldest, largest, and most active state art therapy associations in the country and is an affiliate chapter of the American Art Therapy Association (AATA). The purposes of BATA are the development of the therapeutic use of art, advancement of art therapy research, improvement of standards of practice, development of training criteria for art therapists, and the exchange of information and experiences. The objectives of BATA are to encourage the use of art therapy as an effective treatment modality, improve human welfare, improve the skills and effectiveness of those engaged in art therapy practice by the use of meetings and seminars, encourage the development of professional training opportunities in art therapy, and attract people to and inform people about the field of art therapy. To join BATA visit: http://www.buckeyearttherapy.org/Membership

10/30/2026

Next week, Thursday! 🎨🎭🎼
Can’t wait to convene for our full-day Pre-Conference course with Dr. Krystal Demaine, Registered Expressive Arts Therapist and Professor at Endicott College!
Check out her program here:

This full day pre-conference course will complement the keynote address to be given the following day. It can also be experienced as a stand – alone opportunity.

10/30/2026

Excitement is growing and seats are still available!

We are excited to announce that registration for our 2026 Fall Symposium is now open! This year's event will be held November 5-7th at the Mount Vernon Estates in Ashland, OH, and features a full day pre-conference course with our Keynote Speaker Krystal Demaine Ph.D., REAT, MT-BC, RYT, followed by two days of symposium panels, papers, workshops, performances, and our annual membership meeting! All sessions incorporate various expressive therapies, and the conference fee includes all CEUs. Registration links are in our bio. Hope you can join us!!!

09/30/2026

09/22/2026

Today we recognize the legacy of art therapist Tracy Dee Councill who passed on September 4th, 2026. Tracy spent more than 30 years working as an art therapist for pediatric cancer patients, eventually starting a national nonprofit, Tracy's Kids. Her organization has served more than 100,000 patients and their family members. To summarize her entire career and accomplishments in one single paragraph would be impossible, but we do want to share an excerpt from her obituary.

"In a recent letter to Tracy, one former patient said, '[My doctor] played a pivotal role in saving my life, but you and your team were essential in saving my soul.'"

A celebration of life and final art show titled "Tread Softly" will be held on October 4th, 2026 at 2pm at 4819 Monument Avenue in Richmond VA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The Church of the Holy Comforter, One Voice Chorus, and Gold Chicken Friends. To read the full obituary, visit: https://everloved.com/life-of/tracy-councill/obituary/

09/18/2026

Buckeye art therapists travel to New Zealand for service learning!

Thanks to the American Art Therapy Association for featuring our adventures on your blog and in Art Therapy Today that just dropped yesterday!

As Americans traveling during a contentious time in the world, we recognized our role as ambassadors for peace, respect, and brotherhood.

08/12/2026

CALL FOR PAPERS - Submit today!
BATA 2026 Symposium: “AMPLIFYING EXPRESSIVE THERAPIES"
November 5th – 7th
Mount Vernon Estate
Ashland, Ohio
https://www.mountvernonevents.com/

We are pleased to announce Dr. Krystal Demaine, PhD, REAT, MT-BC, RYT as our Keynote Speaker for our 45th BATA Symposium!

Demaine is an educator, clinician, and expressive therapies leader specializing in music therapy and intermodal expressive arts practice. She is a Board-Certified Music Therapist, Registered Expressive Arts Therapist, Registered Yoga Teacher, and Certified Trauma and Resilience Specialist, with over two decades of work integrating neuroscience, embodiment, and creative expression in healing and learning spaces.

Demaine serves in regional and international leadership roles with organizations advancing creative arts in therapy and education, while active in shaping the evolving landscape of expressive therapies scholarship and practice. She is the author of Expressive Therapeutic Writing (2024) and The Roots and Rhythm of the Heart (2022), with forthcoming Routledge publications (2027–2028) exploring creative expression and integrative expressive arts.

Please consider giving a presentation at this year’s Symposium.
The CALL FOR PAPERS proposal form can be accessed here:
https://www.buckeyearttherapy.org/BATA.Symposium

Extended Deadline for proposals: September 10, 2026

• This year, we are prioritizing proposal topics and techniques specifically related to: Expressive Arts Therapy

“Expressive Arts utilize visual arts, music, dance/movement, drama/theater, poetry/writing, and other creative processes in an intermodal, integrative approach to foster deep personal growth and community development.”

“Expressive Arts Therapy,” as defined by IEATA, is a therapeutic model that engages multiple expressive arts modalities with an intermodal approach in order to facilitate an integrative experience involving the threading of: visual arts, music, dance/movement, drama/theater, poetry/writing, and other creative processes.”

- International Expressive Arts Art Therapy Association (2026)
https://www.ieata.org/glossary/

• Proposals which highlight the implications and impact of expressive and creative arts therapy research in practice are especially welcome.

Your knowledge, expertise, and experience in the field are valuable. We depend on your active participation in order to provide quality and informative workshops, lectures, and presentations.

For more information, please contact Molly O’Neill Haaga, BATA Symposium Chair at [email protected].

Molly O’Neill Haaga, PhD, LPC, ATR-BC, LPAT
2nd Vice President
Symposium Chair
www.buckeyearttherapy.org

08/05/2026

“Art is the forgotten fifth pillar of health,” writes Daisy Fancourt. In Art Cure she adds to the growing evidence confirming what humankind has long intuited: art is good for our wellbeing. Drawing on scientific studies and testimonies, she argues that, alongside diet, sleep, exercise and nature, art (or the “arts”) can enhance mental and physical health, even boosting longevity.

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/08/04/art-cure-book-analyses-the-healing-powers-of-the-arts

07/15/2026

06/18/2026

CALL FOR PAPERS - Submit today!
BATA 2026 Symposium: “AMPLIFYING EXPRESSIVE THERAPIES"
November 5th – 7th
Mount Vernon Estate
Ashland, Ohio
https://www.mountvernonevents.com/

We are pleased to announce Dr. Krystal Demaine, PhD, REAT, MT-BC, RYT as our Keynote Speaker for our 45th BATA Symposium!

Demaine is an educator, clinician, and expressive therapies leader specializing in music therapy and intermodal expressive arts practice. She is a Board-Certified Music Therapist, Registered Expressive Arts Therapist, Registered Yoga Teacher, and Certified Trauma and Resilience Specialist, with over two decades of work integrating neuroscience, embodiment, and creative expression in healing and learning spaces.

Demaine serves in regional and international leadership roles with organizations advancing creative arts in therapy and education, while active in shaping the evolving landscape of expressive therapies scholarship and practice. She is the author of Expressive Therapeutic Writing (2024) and The Roots and Rhythm of the Heart (2022), with forthcoming Routledge publications (2027–2028) exploring creative expression and integrative expressive arts.

Please consider giving a presentation at this year’s Symposium.
The CALL FOR PAPERS proposal form can be accessed here:
https://www.buckeyearttherapy.org/sys/website/?pageId=1237109

Deadline for proposals: August 10, 2026

• This year, we are prioritizing proposal topics and techniques specifically related to: Expressive Arts Therapy

“Expressive Arts utilize visual arts, music, dance/movement, drama/theater, poetry/writing, and other creative processes in an intermodal, integrative approach to foster deep personal growth and community development.”

“Expressive Arts Therapy,” as defined by IEATA, is a therapeutic model that engages multiple expressive arts modalities with an intermodal approach in order to facilitate an integrative experience involving the threading of: visual arts, music, dance/movement, drama/theater, poetry/writing, and other creative processes.”

- International Expressive Arts Art Therapy Association (2026)
https://www.ieata.org/glossary/

• Proposals which highlight the implications and impact of expressive and creative arts therapy research in practice are especially welcome.

Your knowledge, expertise, and experience in the field are valuable. We depend on your active participation in order to provide quality and informative workshops, lectures, and presentations.

For more information, please contact Molly O’Neill Haaga, BATA Symposium Chair at [email protected].

Molly O’Neill Haaga, PhD, LPC, ATR-BC, LPAT
2nd Vice President
Symposium Chair
www.buckeyearttherapy.org

06/18/2026

Gearing up for November!

Address

1041 US HWY 250 N.
Ashland, OH
44805

Website

http://www.buckeyearttherapy.org/, https://www.buckeyearttherapy.org/event-6736210, https://www.buckeyearttherapy.org/ev

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Buckeye Art Therapy Association posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.