Honouring the Value of Art Therapy While Keeping Care Accessible
At KATI, we are deeply committed to making art therapy accessible while also honouring the value of the work, the profession, and the people who provide it. As part of this commitment, we want to share an update about our student art therapy placement fees and the values that guide this decision.
An Update to Student Placement Fees
As of January 1, 2026, fees for student art therapy placement sessions have been updated to:
$30 per individual session
$10 per person per group session
These services continue to be offered through supervised student practicums and remain heavily subsidised through student tuition.
Why Are Fees Changing?
KATI’s student art therapy services are delivered by students completing supervised clinical practicums as part of their postgraduate training. Each student completes a minimum of 300 direct client contact hours and is supported through ongoing supervision by a Registered Canadian Art Therapist.
While these services are offered at reduced rates, they are rooted in significant care, time, training, and professional oversight. Updating our fees is an important step in ensuring that art therapy is not undervalued, both within our program and across the broader field. These fees are also aligned with other art therapy postgraduate programs and reflect ethical, sustainable practice.
For context, professional art therapy services typically range from $100–$200 per hour for individual sessions and $50–$80 per person for group sessions. Our student placement fees remain substantially lower, while still acknowledging the value of the work being offered.
Accessibility Still Matters
We recognise that cost can be a barrier to accessing care. Accessibility is a core value at KATI, and we remain committed to supporting clients who need it. If the updated fees feel challenging, bursaries are available, and clients are encouraged to reach out to discuss support options. We believe that financial concerns should not prevent people from accessing meaningful therapeutic support.
A Shared Commitment
This fee update reflects our ongoing effort to balance accessibility with sustainability — supporting students in their professional development, valuing the art therapy profession, and continuing to offer care that is grounded in integrity, relationship, and respect.
We are grateful to the clients, students, and community members who make this work possible, and we remain committed to transparency as we grow and evolve together.
If you have questions about fees, bursaries, or student art therapy services at KATI, we invite you to connect with us.