I have to declare a major when I apply so I’m a little stressed about it.
I’d probably go literature or philosophy for the librarian track. And psychology for the art therapist track. I think I’d way more enjoy doing lit/phil for undergrad, but I think where I end up after matters more. I doubt many art therapy programs would want a lit/phil major.
I like the idea of being an art therapist as someone with a great deal of gender and gay. And it seems like a very vibes based profession which works for me. But if I was a librarian I’d probably read a lot more and that would make me happy. Plus maybe I could organize queer reading groups or something.
I’m curious if any of you have experience with either of those fields. Or just anything to add/offer.
My cousin is a librarian. He got his master’s from a decent school, but had a rough time finding work. He’s happy with his job now, but I have to tell you, it sounds like he’s very busy while on the job. I don’t think he has lots of time to read for pleasure. Do you enjoy arranging toddler reading hour, helping people use the internet, fighting the city for a budget, managing a part-time workforce, and showing kids how to use the Dewey decimal system? Because from what I’ve seen, librarians spend a lot of time doing those kinds of things, not so much reading the books they’re interested in. People are often happy to take a little time to talk to someone who is interested in their field. You might try reaching out to librarians and art therapists in your area and ask if they can give a little time to answer your questions and maybe direct you to some information about what their average days are like.
Another piece of advice from someone who has lived through some financial hard times: investigate how oversaturated the job market is. Is it hard to get hired? What starting salary might you expect? How much might that increase with experience? A job you enjoy is great, but it doesn’t compare to the feeling of not constantly worrying about making rent. That kind of stress will eat at you.
I didn’t mean that I would be reading on the job, just that spending time around books and libraries and other people who are reading would make me end up reading more in my spare time.
Part of what attracts me to the librarian position is that it is a sort of community position. I like the idea of being helpful with all sorts of different things. And I’d be great at badgering the city for money.
The idea of talking to people who work in those fields seems like a really good idea.
They both pay pretty similarly. Overall art therapists make 10-15% more according to glassdoor.
Sounds like librarian might be a good fit then!
As someone who knows a lot (and I do mean a lot) of therapists, specifically experiential therapists like what an art therapist would do, you’ll need a masters in some social work thing. Probably actually an MSW. Honestly your undergrad won’t matter as much for that as long as you can get into a masters program. So whatever would set you up for that. Which would likely be psych but could be pretty much anything. This would be a much more direct path to art therapy.
I also know a librarian! You also need a masters for that and your undergrad is also basically irrelevant. It would be totally possible for you as a librarian to setup art sessions or work to provide space for those activities. This would be an indirect way of participating in art therapy but still super rewarding.
Anyway if you want to know more about any of these things or what the path looks like feel free to reach out. I could also try to put you in contact with someone who has gone down these paths if that is something that might be helpful. The bad news is they both require masters programs, but the good news is they’re both totally achievable things.
if you’re considering being a librarian just pick whatever undegrad major you find most enjoyable. cool job but fair warning the grad school is mostly BS and you learn the vast majority of the skillset on the job. prob shouldn’t require a masters tbh.
Hey Comrade, I can offer some ideas as someone who is a therapist(LAC working toward LPC). also feel free to dm, i have a hard time responding to posts or dms timely- no hexbear at work is general rule.
So, I dont know too much about art therapy, but have several music therapist friends, and they’re wages are all higher than mine and they enjoy their work immensely. They do a lot of work with neurodivergent and child/adolescent clients. -Undergrad degree doesnt make too much of a difference, in a lot of ways it seems to be a hoop they want you to jump through just to prove you can. I got my BA in religious studies(focused on Tibetan Buddhism) not much of a link between that and my CMHC program(clinical mental health counseling). I did work in the field for my 20’s before going back to school tho- so that made my application look great i’m sure. Only folks in my program with psych undergrad degrees were fresh out of undergrad, almost everyone else had a less direct journey. Trying to go straight from undergrad into a grad program is doable, but presents with some career issues if going the therapist route- you’ll often find middle aged(or even just a few yrs older) cl’s struggle taking people much younger than them as experts. A simple ‘that isn’t an issue for the majority of my clients, how about we try several sessions and if it is still an issue I will help you find referrals for another clinician’ often does the trick, but not all the time. I would highly recommend volunteering or working in some fashion in both fields- it can be really hard to gauge a profession while just sitting on the sidelines, a few weeks of work will be a better guide than just about anything.
Friends who are librarians love the work, complain bitterly about the student debt vs wages; often find it depressing that they are the only social services available, and often feel un/under prepared(sometimes un-safe) for what the job actually entails as far as working with the public, often folks with addiction, mental health concerns, etc. And, to my understanding they do make lower wages than therapists.
both seems like excellent careers and ways to help our brother, sisters and others. Whatever you end up doing, one of these or mystery third option, looking for ways to engage that are creative and outside of the box are sorely needed. Hope something in there is helpful!
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