Vancouver Art Therapy Institute is a private non-profit institute in Vancouver, BC, offering professional training in art therapy and expressive arts therapy.
The Vancouver Art Therapy Institute (VATI) is a private non-profit institute located at #300 – 291 East 2nd Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5T 1B8. The institute is committed to supporting education in the therapeutic arts to promote creativity, resilience and embodied healing. Its programs are interdisciplinary in their arts-based content and in its philosophy of education. The institute offers comprehensive professional training programs in art therapy and expressive arts therapy.
The institute was founded in 1982 as a non-profit society and charitable organization. For over 40 years, it offered one credential, a diploma in art therapy, with students providing hundreds of thousands of hours of service in the arts through practicum placements in a variety of settings. In 2023, the institute expanded its educational offerings to include a second distinct credential in expressive arts therapy. When the institute was founded, advancing art therapy through research was a core priority.
The institute is accredited by the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU). The art therapy program follows the training guidelines established by the Canadian Art Therapy Association (CATA). Students in the Art Therapy (AT) Diploma program complete a major research project that combines theory with real-world practice. Art Therapy admission requires a Master's degree, or a Bachelor's degree plus 8-10 years of experience. Expressive Arts Therapy admission requires a Bachelor's degree or equivalent education and experience.
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), through the Government of Canada, recognizes the institute for its commitment to rigorous inquiry, community engagement, and high academic standards in art therapy and expressive arts therapy. The institute's research ethics committee is called the Research Ethics Committee, which upholds firm guidelines for all proposals.