Abstract

Working as an independent contractor or in private practice is often the ideal scenario for creative therapists who want to control their own career and make decisions about the jobs and clients they take on.

This practical guide to successful self-employment takes you through every step of the process, from coming up with the idea and marketing yourself, finding jobs, and interviewing, to maintaining jobs and what happens when you or your client want to end the job. Each chapter is packed with practical information and illustrative stories from the author's extensive experience of setting up her own art therapy business, considering all the likely obstacles you may face, and covering topics such as ethics and interns.

This accessible companion contains all the information a creative therapist who wants to find work as an independent contractor will need to get started. It will be suitable for any level of experience and all creative therapists, including art, music, drama and dance therapists.

Emery Hurst Mikel is a licensed art therapist in private practice working with a variety of clients and organisations. She also mentors and consults others working in the creative industries who are interested in self-employment and independent contracting. She lives in the greater New York City metropolitan area.
I could imagine adapting her [Emery Hurst's] suggestions for music therapy contexts and other populations, and therapists in other countries could learn much from Emery's strengths in self-promotion and positivity. I predict that this book will serve much like a "rough guide" when travelling. After gaining a sense of the key messages, therapists can return to relevant sections when they reach particular places in their contract work journeys.
Nordic Journal of Music Therapy
The Art of Business: A Guide for Creative Arts Therapists Starting on a Path to Self-Employment" provides a fine key for therapists who seek to work as independent contractors or in private practicies, and provides specifics on successful self-employment strategies and models from locating a niche to marketing and finding jobs... From handling interns to making rounds and creating assessments, this is a solid guide to any who would successfully enter the self-employment market as an arts therapist.
Midwest Book Review
In this thoughtful book, Emery Mikel imagines beyond limiting career options by combining convergent and divergent creative thinking to conceive this inventive, yet practical manual for self-employment... In these challenging economic times, expressive therapists deserve to be prepared for diverse vocational opportunities. In order to achieve this goal, sound business strategies are needed. This book presents a sensible foundation for skillfully joining personal creativity, vocational aspirations, and solution-focused strategies for contract work.
From the foreword by Michael A. Franklin, Ph.D., ATR-BC, Professor and Coordinator, Graduate Art Therapy Program, Naropa University, Boulder, Colorado
This book is very clearly written with good examples and comprehensive details describing the exact procedures of self-employment. Building a private practice is a process and you have to build it step by step. These steps are very clearly laid out by Emery Mikel.
Susan Rancer, Registered Music Therapist, Founder of the Bay Area Music Therapy Network
When becoming the President of AATA in 1977 (before there was a central office) cost me 50% of my clinic job, independent contracting not only restored the lost income, but also provided me with more free time to devote to the organization. The author's directness and ethical clarity about the need for continuing supervision and thoughtful reflection should make this book a useful guide for clinicians at all stages of professional development.
Judith A. Rubin, Licensed Psychologist, Board-Certified Art Therapist, Author of 6 books and Editor of 9 films on art therapy, President, Expressive Media Inc.