[8] ATCB is the national U.S. credentialing body for professional art therapists who meet stringent qualifications.
AATA started the ATCB to provide credibility to the existing Registered Art Therapists (ATR) and to create board certification requirements for an advanced credential.
[9] ATCB credentialing programs enable art therapists to become credentialed in three tiers with an optional first designation: first tier is Registration (ATR) and Provisional (ATR-P) as an optional first designation working towards Registration, Board Certification (ATR-BC) and as an Art Therapy Certified Supervisor (ATCS).
First, those getting approved based on their education, must have at least 100 hours of clinical experience supervising art therapists.
Board certification is a measurement of a professional's knowledge base, as compared to registration that sanctions an art therapist's education and post-graduate supervised experience.