North American Drama Therapy Association

What North American Drama Therapy Association does

The North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) is a private nonprofit professional membership association incorporated in 1979, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, with a small staff of 1-10 employees. It operates as the sole standards-setting body for drama therapy in North America, conferring three professional credentials — Registered Drama Therapist (RDT), Provisional RDT (P-RDT), and Board Certified Trainer (BCT) — and maintaining accreditation for graduate training programs and alternative training routes. Its core products are an integrated credentialing and continuing education ecosystem rather than a discrete technology product: the annual conference, the peer-reviewed Drama Therapy Review journal (published with Intellect Books), continuing education programs approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP No. 6819), a mentorship program, regional chapters, and a public Find a Drama Therapist directory.

The association runs on a MemberClicks-powered digital platform that supports online credentialing applications, CE credit tracking, event registration, and a member portal. It monetizes through five identifiable streams: recurring annual membership and registry fees for RDT and BCT holders (due by May 1 each year), one-time credential application and reinstatement fees ($400-$600 depending on credential and lapse duration), annual conference registration ($250-$1,250 by tier), continuing education event fees (e.g., $50 for the Virtual CHED Forum), and tiered access to the journal and member directory. Its go-to-market is hybrid: event-driven through the annual conference and regional meetings, direct-to-consumer via online membership enrollment, with awareness built through social channels, email listservs, the Dramascope newsletter, and PR materials.

NADTA serves a distributed base of individual practitioners and stakeholders: credentialed RDTs, BCTs, and P-RDTs in primary care across mental health, addiction recovery, trauma, and developmental disability settings; graduate students in NADTA-accredited programs; licensed mental health professionals seeking CE credits; and the general public seeking therapy services. It holds no parent company, has no disclosed external investors or funding rounds, and operates with no subsidiaries, governed entirely by an elected Board of Directors and committee structure.

Name

North American Drama Therapy Association

Legal name

North American Drama Therapy Association

Website

https://nadta.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The North American Drama Therapy Association is a nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1979 that sets and upholds standards for drama therapy practice in North America, conferring the RDT, P-RDT, and BCT credentials and serving credentialed drama therapists, students, and mental health professionals seeking continuing education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association and Credentialing Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Training Delivery Services (Onsite/Virtual Instruction, Workshops, Coaching) (BPAEANAN)

Keywords

• Professional credentialing services
• Drama therapy association
• Continuing education programs
• Mental health credentialing
• Membership organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Albany

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues for Registered Drama Therapists, Board Certified Trainers, student members, and other membership categories. RDT and BCT credential holders pay annual registry fees due by May 1st each year.
2. Credentialing Services: Fees for processing RDT, P-RDT, and BCT credential applications including reinstatement fees ranging from $400-$600 depending on credential type and lapse duration.
3. Annual Conference Registration: Revenue from conference registration fees ranging from $285-$1,250 USD depending on membership status and registration type. The 2026 conference is being held in Albuquerque, NM.
4. Continuing Education Events: Fees for CHED Forum and other CE events, with the 2026 Virtual CHED Forum priced at $50 registration fee.
5. Credential Reinstatement Fees: Fees for reinstating lapsed credentials: RDT lapsed under 2 years $400, over 2 years $540; BCT lapsed under 2 years $440, over 2 years $600.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

NADTA is a nonprofit professional membership association that issues and maintains the Registered Drama Therapist (RDT), Provisional RDT (P-RDT), and Board Certified Trainer (BCT) credentials. It also operates the peer-reviewed Drama Therapy Review journal, an annual conference, continuing education programs, a mentorship program, a public therapist directory, and credential reinstatement services for lapsed members.

Product overview

NADTA is a professional association offering a credentialing ecosystem for drama therapists rather than a traditional technology product. The core offerings consist of professional credentials including Registered Drama Therapist (RDT), Provisional RDT (P-RDT), and Board Certified Trainer (BCT) designations. Supporting services include the Drama Therapy Review peer-reviewed journal, annual conferences (with the 2026 event in Albuquerque, NM), continuing education programs, mentorship matching, a public directory to find drama therapists, and credential reinstatement services for lapsed credentials. The association also maintains regional chapters and committees for member engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Drama Therapy Review (DTR): The official peer-reviewed journal of the NADTA that documents and disseminates research on the relationship between drama, theatre, and wellness.

Products and services

• Registered Drama Therapist (RDT) Credential Professional credential for drama therapists who have completed graduate-level education at an NADTA-accredited program or equivalent alternative training, requiring an 800-hour internship, 500 hours of drama/theatre experience, and 1500 hours of professional experience.
• Provisional Registered Drama Therapist (P-RDT) Credential Interim credential available after completing RDT educational requirements, designed to show employers verification of drama therapy education while working toward full credentialing.
• Board Certified Trainer (BCT) Credential Advanced credential for experienced RDTs with minimum five years of professional experience who train and mentor individuals pursuing RDT certification through alternative training pathways.
• Drama Therapy Review (DTR) Journal Official double-blind peer-reviewed journal of NADTA publishing research on the relationship between drama, theatre, and wellness, including qualitative and quantitative studies, literature reviews, and case vignettes.
• Annual Conference Annual national conference bringing together drama therapists from across North America featuring presentations, workshops, networking opportunities, and continuing education credits. The 2026 conference is scheduled in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
• Credential Reinstatement Program Process for reinstating lapsed RDT or BCT credentials, requiring documentation of continuing education credits and adherence to NADTA Code of Ethical Principles. Reinstatement fees range from $400 to $600 depending on credential type and lapse duration.
• Continuing Education (CE) Program Ongoing professional development program requiring RDTs to complete continuing education credits in specific content areas including cultural humility, ethical practice, and drama therapy competencies. NBCC-approved (ACEP No. 6819).
• Mentorship Program Voluntary program connecting experienced Registered Drama Therapists with students, newcomers, and emerging clinicians to share knowledge and support professional development in drama therapy.
• Find a Drama Therapist Directory Public-facing searchable directory service connecting clients with Registered Drama Therapists, accessible through the NADTA website.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations (NCCATA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNADTA is a member organization of NCCATA, aligning with professionals in art therapy, music therapy, dance therapy, poetry therapies, group psychotherapy, and psychodrama. This coalition represents the creative arts therapies professions at a national level.
• Hotel Albuquerque at Old TownminorOthersConference venue partner for the 2026 NADTA Annual Conference. Located at 800 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104. NADTA has negotiated a room block starting at $189/night.
• Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc.minorOthersParent company of Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, whose mission embodies New Mexico culture through design, art, and guest experiences. Partner for the 2026 conference venue.
• Intellect BookscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublisher of the Drama Therapy Review (DTR), the official peer-reviewed journal of NADTA. Intellect Books provides online access to the journal for members and non-member subscribers.
• National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)minorOthersNADTA is approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 6819). Conference sessions may qualify for NBCC CE Hours.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• MemberClicks: MemberClicks is the technology vendor powering NADTA's membership portal, credentialing, and event registration. It is comparable as an enabler/technology infrastructure provider serving many similar small professional associations, but is not a peer in professional services.
• National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations: NCCATA is the umbrella coalition that NADTA belongs to, alongside art, music, dance, poetry, and psychodrama therapy associations. It is comparable as a coordinating body for the same niche but is not a direct competitor — rather an ecosystem partner.

Broad incumbents

• American Counseling Association: ACA is the largest professional membership organization for counselors in the U.S., offering CE, advocacy, publications, and conferences. It is a broad incumbent that competes for the same mental health professional mindshare and continuing education spending that NADTA targets.
• American Psychological Association: APA is the largest professional organization for psychologists in the U.S., with extensive CE, advocacy, and credential-related programs. It is comparable as a professional association model but operates at massive scale across mainstream clinical psychology, indirectly shaping the demand for niche therapies like drama therapy.
• National Board for Certified Counselors: NBCC is the largest counselor credentialing body in the U.S. (NCC credential) and is the CE accreditation body that has approved NADTA as an ACEP provider. It is comparable as a credentialing and continuing education authority, but operates at vastly greater scale across the broader counseling profession.
• National Association of Social Workers: NASW is a large professional association for social workers offering credentials, CE, and advocacy. It is comparable in operating model (membership, credentialing, advocacy) but serves a vastly larger profession and competes for general mental health CE and conference spending.

Direct peers

• American Art Therapy Association: The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) is the largest professional credentialing body for art therapists in North America, offering the ATR and ATC credentials, annual conferences, CE programs, and a peer-reviewed journal. It is the most direct structural peer to NADTA as a fellow creative arts therapy professional association and fellow NCCATA member.
• American Music Therapy Association: AMTA is the credentialing and professional association for music therapists in the U.S., offering the MT-BC credential, accreditation of degree programs, an annual conference, and peer-reviewed publications. It is directly comparable to NADTA in operating model, member-driven governance, and NCCATA coalition membership.
• American Dance Therapy Association: ADTA is the credentialing body for dance/movement therapists (BC-DMT) in North America and a fellow NCCATA member. It operates with a similar small-staff professional association model as NADTA, offering credentials, conferences, and a peer-reviewed journal (American Journal of Dance Therapy).

Emerging players

• International Expressive Arts Therapy Association: IEATA is a professional association for expressive arts therapists and consultants, with REAT credentialing and an international membership scope. It overlaps with NADTA at the intersection of creative/experiential therapy modalities but operates at smaller scale and with broader modality coverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DramaTherapyChannel
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/North-American-Drama-Therapy-Association/285728894792117
• Instagraminstagram.com/nadta.dramatherapy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-american-drama-therapy-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about North American Drama Therapy Association