Expressive Therapies

Expressive Therapies

Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS), full-time or part-time graduate certificate program

Expand your range and flexibility.

Apply your experience and knowledge in clinical education and community settings toward achieving your professional goals. Our certificate of advanced graduate study, designed for those who hold an advanced degree in expressive therapies or a related field, provides you with in-depth training in the principles and practices of different expressive therapies modalities (art, dance, music, drama, and integrated arts), as well as a strong understanding of philosophical foundations and theory.

Lesley University’s visionary programs in expressive therapies teach you how to incorporate the arts into a range of clinical, educational, and mental health counseling settings. You’ll become a more reflective practitioner and work with a team of faculty experts in Cambridge, Massachusetts to translate theory into experiences that enhance your professional practice.

Our flexible program accommodates your career, and can be completed full-time or part-time. You’ll gain a solid foundation in the principles and practices of expressive arts therapy, and how to apply the arts in professional practice. 

With 30 out of the program’s 36 credits dedicated to elective courses, you can hone your skill set in a particular expressive arts modality or expand your knowledge in a variety of modalities.

The program culminates in an independent study project designed to contribute new knowledge and research.

Graduate Program Inquiry Form

Program Structure

Full-Time or Part-Time On-Campus Program

36 Credits
man walking in harvard square, cambridge

Cambridge, MA

A nexus for higher education and mental health counseling practice and research, each year 250,000 students arrive to Cambridge from around the globe. The intellectual and cultural capital runs deep, and so do your opportunities addressing barriers to wellness. From Lesley’s location, access innovative community, hospital, and school-based mental health programs.

mitchell kossak with drum
Expressive Therapies
Mitchell Kossak
Mitchell's passion for teaching and healing has led him to work extensively with autistic children and adults, divided communities in Israel, and individuals affected by trauma, such as his work in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings. His current research explores the importance of the body in psychotherapy, and how the arts can be engaged to bring awareness to the body’s role in personal expression and healing.
Careers
Where Graduates Work
1,005
Counselors, therapists, and other mental health practitioners were trained at Lesley University in the last 5 years, making us the largest provider of training for licensed mental health counselors in New England.
#1
Massachusetts is the best state in the nation for mental health care according to Mental Health America, with excellent access to care for both youth and adults.
22%
Careers in mental health counseling are expanding, with projections for a 22% increase in job openings from 2018 to 2028. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Faculty

Total approximate cost for this certificate program.
Expressive Therapies
Estimated Cost

All graduate students are reviewed for merit scholarships through the admissions process and are awarded at the time of acceptance. Other forms of financial aid are also available. Review all graduate tuition and fees, and what they cover. Tuition and fees are subject to change each year, effective in the Summer term.

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Total approximate cost for this certificate program. Tuition and fees are for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Use our step-by-step guide to apply for federal and university funding. Scholarships, grants, Work-Study, and loans. It’s all right here.

Next steps to apply

Ready to get started? We're here to make the application process as smooth as possible. Just answer a few quick questions, and get your customized application guide.