Tattoos

[MelTheArtTherapist]

Hi,
So as my username connotes, I'm currently an undergrad student working to eventually get my PhD in Art Therapy. Given the openness, fluidity and artistic nature of my field, I was wondering if it's okay to get an anatomical heart tattoo on my forearm. I've been so far getting a lot of mixed reviews; some say it helps gain a lot of rapport with younger clients (which is the demographic I want to work with), and others say that despite how open my field is, the jobs I may have to take along the way may not be. Please let me know your thoughts and opinions!

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[CheetahGirl]

So, on the forearm? Would you be able to cover it and/or conceal when meeting people for the first time?

The thing about the anatomical art is, as you know, some may get grossed out. Could you search your heart for another location (no pun intended)? Say your trunk, back, upper arm. I know you want folks to see it and wear it proudly, but it is still a conservative world out there when thinking of marketability and mental health service delivery.

I would absolutely recommend reconsidering a neck tattoo (location of, not anatomical design of the cervical spine) until after graduate studies are over.

Nowadays, I see plenty of clinicians with modest tattoos (I live in NYC), but IMO...I would conceal until you know where you stand (i.e., you have that job working with that population that truly appreciates body art).

 

[AppsAintNoThang]

Hi,
So as my username connotes, I'm currently an undergrad student working to eventually get my PhD in Art Therapy. Given the openness, fluidity and artistic nature of my field, I was wondering if it's okay to get an anatomical heart tattoo on my forearm. I've been so far getting a lot of mixed reviews; some say it helps gain a lot of rapport with younger clients (which is the demographic I want to work with), and others say that despite how open my field is, the jobs I may have to take along the way may not be. Please let me know your thoughts and opinions!

I have tattoos. I chose them based on what they meant to me, and it was important for me to not consider what others would like or dislike.

That being said, I definitely conceal mine at least mostly while starting out at a site, and when I'm around patients. They've never been an issue when I've done that, but I've never used them in an attempt to gain rapport or otherwise. If a patient comments, I decide how to respond based on the patient and my relationship. Just know it can bring in another aspect to a therapeutic relationship, whether you like it or not. But none of us as therapists are blank slates, so we need to be able to respond to these aspects.


Also I've had a couple sites where visible tattoos are not allowed, which means be ready for long sleeves at some places.

 

[temppsych123]

I have a tattoo on my ankle, and got it when I was living in a very liberal west coast city where lots of folks had tattoos. I then did a practicum at a place in suburbia in the midwest, and I asked about whether I'd need to cover the tattoo all the time (it was during the summer months, kind of annoying). The response I got was awesome: "is it a tattoo of a gun or a knife or something violent? If not, no problem!" I think in most cases it's ok, but always a good idea to think strategically about future job options (what if you decide to take a totally different career path altogether? It happens!) and get a tattoo that you can cover up if need be. My husband has a tattoo on his forearm, and it's easily covered up by long sleeves, so not a problem regardless of what he ends up doing career-wise.

 

[MCParent]

The thing about the anatomical art is, as you know, some may get grossed out. Could you search your heart for another location (no pun intended)? Say your trunk, back, upper arm.

Yup.

It's a heart tattoo; why would you not get it on your chest? And don't say "so I can wear my heart on my sleeve."

 

[undertoad]

Hi,
So as my username connotes, I'm currently an undergrad student working to eventually get my PhD in Art Therapy. Given the openness, fluidity and artistic nature of my field, I was wondering if it's okay to get an anatomical heart tattoo on my forearm. I've been so far getting a lot of mixed reviews; some say it helps gain a lot of rapport with younger clients (which is the demographic I want to work with), and others say that despite how open my field is, the jobs I may have to take along the way may not be. Please let me know your thoughts and opinions!

I have a number of visible tattoos. It hasn't been a problem in my current job (direct support professional), but I'm prepared to wear long sleeves if necessary in the future, and I keep a cardigan in my car just in case. As long as you're willing to dress appropriately to accommodate possible dress codes in the future, I would get it.

 

[President_LeslieKnope]

I have a number of visible tattoos. It hasn't been a problem in my current job (direct support professional), but I'm prepared to wear long sleeves if necessary in the future, and I keep a cardigan in my car just in case. As long as you're willing to dress appropriately to accommodate possible dress codes in the future, I would get it.

Ditto. I have lots of tattoos, some of which are visible (forearm, wrist, etc.) and never had a problem. I usually wear a watch over my wrist tattoo and long sleeves, but I have definitely worked without covering up either of these and never had an issue. Really awesome tattoo idea btw!

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Face and neck tattoos might be more of an issue, but tattoos (in general) are a lot more accepted these days.

 

[smalltownpsych]

Hi,
So as my username connotes, I'm currently an undergrad student working to eventually get my PhD in Art Therapy. Given the openness, fluidity and artistic nature of my field, I was wondering if it's okay to get an anatomical heart tattoo on my forearm. I've been so far getting a lot of mixed reviews; some say it helps gain a lot of rapport with younger clients (which is the demographic I want to work with), and others say that despite how open my field is, the jobs I may have to take along the way may not be. Please let me know your thoughts and opinions!

I don't have much opinion about tattoos, but to me the bigger question is: is there really a PhD in Art Therapy and is that a licenseable degree? I do believe that many forms of artistic expression can be therapeutic and can be adjunctive to traditional evidence-based psychotherapy, but I usually see these types of modalities whether it is art, movement, narrative, animal-assisted, etc. being oversold and loosely applied.

 

[Justanothergrad]

I don't have much opinion about tattoos, but to me the bigger question is: is there really a PhD in Art Therapy and is that a licenseable degree? I do believe that many forms of artistic expression can be therapeutic and can be adjunctive to traditional evidence-based psychotherapy, but I usually see these types of modalities whether it is art, movement, narrative, animal-assisted, etc. being oversold and loosely applied.

That was my only thought as well.