Expressive Therapist

While providing home visits, the Expressive Therapist provides Expressive Therapy to patients and families under the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver. The Expressive Therapist works to help patients and their families to feel empowered in their own creativity and to aid in their communication of their feelings particularly with regard to the stress and symptoms of serious illness and/or life-threatening conditions. The Expressive Therapist will also function as an additional resource to the rest of the palliative team as well as home care staff through consultation and educational offerings.

JOB DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

• Uses music, art, and/or play therapies as a creative process resulting in exploration of patient's feelings, reconciling emotional conflicts, fostering self-awareness and making memories

• Helps children better understand and express their reactions through expressive modalities

• Educates patient and family members about expressive therapies including the benefits, purpose and ways to incorporate these benefits into daily life.

• Encourages/assists patient/family in creating tangible mementos (such as artwork, musical creations etc.) as appropriate.

• Maintains a caseload and ensures accurate and timely individualized assessment, planning, implementation and documentation.

• Uses evidence-based treatments/modalities to address patient's needs and preferences.

• Acts professionally and is legally accountable for all aspects of work

• Develops an Expressive Therapy plan of care in conjunction with patient and family

• Demonstrates an understanding of illness and the potential complications and side effects of treatments

• Monitors and reviews the effectiveness of the therapy given and modifies it as necessary to support patient's treatment plan of care

• Discusses patient suitability to receive expressive therapy treatment with the referring professional and the Home Care Palliative Care Program Manager, if necessary.

• Refers patients to other members of multi-disciplinary team, as appropriate.

• Participates in interdisciplinary case conferences and acts as a clinical resource for the team when needed.

• Communicates promptly within the multidisciplinary team as issues arise for patients, whilst being mindful of confidentiality issues

• Act as the patient's advocate in relation to Expressive Therapy.

• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS / KNOWLEDGE

Formal education required:

Child Life Specialist with Bachelor's Degree in Child Psychology or a related field and certification through the Child Life Council

OR

Creative Arts Therapist with a Master's or Doctoral Degree in Creative Arts Therapy and licensed by the State of New York

OR

Music Therapist with a Bachelor's Degree from a program recognized by the NYS Education Department

OR

Play Therapist with a Master's Degree from a program recognized by the New York State Education Department and a current Play Therapist Registration conferred by the Association for Play Therapy.

Previous experience required:

• Minimum 1 year of working with the medically fragile population

• At least 1 year of clinical experience with a pediatric population, preferably involving end of life care