Creative & Expressive Therapy or Arts Therapies is an inclusive name, which refers to the use of creative and expressive processes in the treatment of:

Adjustment disorders, mental disorders, emotional disorders, organic and developmental disorders, stress, trauma and bereavement as well as emotional growth.

The following professional groups are included in the association:

1. Visual and Plastic Art Therapy
2. Music Therapy
3. Movement and Dance Therapy
4. Drama Therapy
5. Psychodrama
6. Biblio Therapy

The Creative arts Therapies are relatively recent professions within the Mental Health field. The number of professionals in these fields has grown tremendously in recent years, adding respect and legitimacy to these modes of therapy both in Israel and the world over. The Arts Therapies are of particular help to people who have difficulties expressing themselves verbally, as well as for those who use verbal expression as rationalization preventing them from getting in touch with their emotional world.

The Israeli Creative and Expressive Arts Therapies Association - I.C.E.T (YAHAT) was founded in 1971, and was registered as a non-profit organization. It functions as a voluntary organization with no governmental or public support since it’s inception. The sole income of the association consists of yearly membership dues. The association sponsors regional and national workshops, seminars and other professional development activities, runs a bi-annual national conference, pays the fees of non-member lecturers, legal adviser, controller and office staff.

A Newsletter containing information about the various activities in Israel and abroad is published quarterly. The newsletter is a platform for members to share information, review new literature, advertise job opportunities and clinical supervision for members. The various committees use this platform to report on negotiations with various government offices for the promotion of the field of the Creative Arts Therapies.

I.C.E.T is governed by an elected board, which includes a Chairperson, two Vice-Chairs, General Secretary and the heads of the six professional sections (elected every four years).

Committees:

Membership and Registration (Separate committee for each section)

Ethics Committee

Internal Review - Chairperson: Dalya Meir.

Regional Coordinators - Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Center, Southern Region, Haifa and North.

The association numbers over 1500 active members in all three professional levels. Since I.C.E.T is the largest association for creative and expressive arts therapists, it is certified to represent and lobby for the profession. It is not, however, a union, and therefore is not allowed to negotiate collective pay settlements.

Board Members

Chairman Motty McMurrey 02-6433089

1^st Vice-Chair Tzvia Cohen 04-6380523

2^nd Vice-Chair Einia Artzi 03-6044960

General Secretary Shmuel Schpitzer 02-5817232

Secretary Chava Kamrinskey 08-9466434

Section Heads

Visual & Plastic Arts Therapy Dr. Liora Veiser

Movement and Dance Therapy Nira Neeman

Music Therapy Ayala Gerber

Drama Therapy Elsa Segev-Shaham

Psychodrama Orit Mass Goldman

Biblio Therapy Tzipi Barak

Current Regional Coordinators

Jerusalem Karni Yishai 02-5701376

Tel Aviv & Centre unfilled

Haifa & North Dita Ben David 04-9510824

South Billi Koren 08-9930778

Art Therapy has been recognized by the Ministry of Health as a Para-medical profession since 1988. The Ministry issues certificates of recognition. A joint committee of I.C.E.T and the Health Ministry verified the documents of applicant for professional recognition certificates. As of 2001 the approval of all Art Therapy training programs is under the sole jurisdiction of the Health Ministry. Any graduate of a recognised program will be issued a certificate of professional recognition. The ministry is scheduled to institute a National Certification Examination, as well as establish a professional advisory committee to deal with matters of certification, professional training, the nature of practicum work and placement as well as recognition of supervisors. As common at the ministry, the committee will consist of three to five people. The chairperson will be the head of professional certification at the ministry and the other members will be selected by the ministry from a list of professionals provided by I.C.E.T and from amongst the teaching staff at the training programs.

The advisory bulletin issued by the Health Ministry specifies that public sector employers can only employ Creative and Expressive Art Therapists that hold Health Ministry Recognition Certificates. This directive applies to hospitals, mental health clinics, community services, HMOs, education ministry schools, etc. The Education Ministry has issued a directive forbidding teaching staff to conduct mental health treatments without the professional certification of recognition issued by the Health Ministry.

The Health Ministry is the body responsible for upholding the enacted health laws, and is the only one responsible for determining the conditions and criteria for receiving a professional licence or a certificate of professional recognition. All professionals have to apply personally to the ministry in order to receive their certificate. There is no formal connection between membership in the association (I.C.E.T) and the granting of the certificate by the Health Ministry, however, the association has adjusted its membership requirements to the ministry’s certification requirements in order not to create discrepancies.

For further information please contact:

Hava Kamrinsky

26 Kromer St.

Rehovot, 76425, Israel

Tel: 972-8-9466434 Fax: 972-8-9466411

E-Mail: kamerin@bezeqint.net

Or

P.O. Box 49002

Jerusalem 91491, Israel