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Ethics
Filing an Ethics Complaint Against a CATA-ACAT Member
For the Canadian Art Therapy Association to process an ethics complaint, the subject of the complaint must be a member of CATA-ACAT. The Canadian Art Therapy Association is a voluntary membership organization and as such does not have any jurisdiction over individuals who are not members of our organization. Therefore we cannot process complaints against non-members or general members of the public.
Please be prepared to provide the art therapist’s name, city and jurisdiction of practice at minimum. Your completed ethics form can not be processed without your signature. If the releases are not signed or you have omitted other required information, we will not be able to process the complaint form and will need to return it to you for completion.
Please note that CATA-ACAT does not accept anonymous complaints. However, we do safeguard the confidentiality and integrity of the complainant and the entire complaints process.
If you have an ethical complaints in relation to the CATA-ACAT Standards of Practice, please follow the steps below:
Download and fill out an anonymous and confidential Ethics Complaint Form: PDF | DOCX
Submit the filled form and relevant documents by e-mail to the CATA-ACAT Ethics Chair at ethics@canadianarttherapy.org or mail the form to the CATA-ACAT physical mailing address in the footer of this website.
Reporting a Non-Art Therapist Claiming to Practice Art Therapy
If you believe someone is representing themselves as an art therapist without proper credentials or is claiming to be a CATA member but is practicing with expired membership – please inform the CATA-ACAT Ethics Chair at ethics@canadianarttherapy.org. This will help CATA-ACAT determine if the art therapist was ever a member in good standing and what measures to take to ensure compliance under the appropriate Act(s) and health regulations. Regardless of what regulations are at play, CATA-ACAT will reach out to the person in question, if appropriate, to inform them of the risks of claiming to practice art therapy without proper training.
Standards of Practice
CATA-ACAT’s Standards of Practice is a comprehensive set of guidelines which the members of an organization are obligated to abide by. It provides a framework of principles that describes the knowledge, skills, and values inherent in Canada’s art therapy profession. These standards articulate the goals and aspirations of the collective profession. They convey a vision of professionalism that guides the daily practices of members of the Canadian Art Therapy Association.
CATA-ACAT members are to strive to be current in their professional knowledge and recognize its relationship to practice. They understand and reflect on student development, learning theory, pedagogy, curriculum, ethics, educational research and related policies and legislation to inform professional judgment in practice.
CATA-ACAT members are to apply professional knowledge and experience to promote learning. They use appropriate pedagogy, assessment and evaluation, resources and technology in planning for and responding to the needs of individual clients. All members are to continuously refine their professional practice through ongoing inquiry, dialogue and reflection.
A violation of the Standards of Practice can result in an Ethics complaint mechanism being initiated that can be registered by any member of the public, member, or practitioner. A violation of Standards of Practice can be seen as negligence, result in disciplinary action, and is likely to be a legal issue.
Motions Passed for Revisions - November 2021
The following motions regarding Indigenizing Art Therapy have been passed by membership at our AGM on Saturday, November 20, 2021.
That CATA-ACAT honours and takes immediate action on the TRC Calls to Action and that Indigenous Ethics of Respectful Reciprocal Relationality and prohibition of exploitive relationships be an accepted Standards of Practice and Education.
As outlined in the letter to CATA-ACAT board on June 16th, 2021 from Dr. Fyre Jean Graveline, Jean Tait and Jen Vivian, that CATA-ACAT revisions the Art Therapy Standards of Practice and Education to address the four crucial areas that are identified in the letter: Embracing Cultural Knowledge, Recognizing Collective Trauma, Indigenous Ethics and Restoring Relationality.
That continued learning for practicing art therapists prior to or who are currently working with Indigenous Peoples and Communities be required.
Organizational Bylaws
Canadian Art Therapy Association/Association Canadienne d’Art Thérapie is incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act (NFP Act). CATA-ACAT, is a NFP corporations and provide services without making any profit. As a NFP, we are dedicated to activities that improve and benefit the art therapy community. Under federal legislation, CATA-ACAT is able to generate revenue and is limited to expenditures that are further invested within CATA-ACAT to further its vision and mission.