What is Music Therapy?

Music Therapy: Description of Profession

Music Therapy is an established healthcare profession that uses music to address physical, emotional, cognitive, social and spiritual needs of individuals of all ages. Music therapy improves the quality of life for persons who are well and meets the needs of children and adults with disabilities or illnesses. Music therapy interventions can be designed to: 

• promote wellness
• manage stress
• alleviate pain
• express feelings
• enhance memory
• improve communication
• promote physical rehabilitation
• improve socialization
• improve quality of life.

What is music therapy?

Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music therapy methods to accomplish personalized and individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed music therapy professional who has completed an approved music therapy degree program.

What do music therapists do?

Music therapists work in a wide variety of settings with individuals and with groups of clients who are referred for treatment and biopsychosocial and spiritual support. They assess the clients’ emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities, and cognitive skills through interviewing, listening to and observing responses. They design music therapy strategies based on clients’ holistic needs, using music improvisation, song writing, lyric discussion, music and imagery, music listening techniques, and learning through music; and they encourage client involvement in creative and expressive strategies that will help enhance overall functioning, well being and quality of life. Music therapy sessions are held as often as possible and commonly include the clients’ caregivers when appropriate. Music therapists also participate as active members of multidisciplinary teams and participate in interdisciplinary treatment planning, ongoing evaluation, and follow up.

Who can benefit from music therapy?

Children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly with: stress-related symptoms; mental health needs and issues; developmental and learning disabilities; Alzheimer's disease and other aging related conditions; medical illnesses, such as cardiopulmonary diseases, cancer and end- stage illnesses; substance abuse problems; brain injuries; and physical disabilities, including acute and chronic pain, and pre-post natal care and pre-post surgical care.

Where do music therapists work?

Music therapists work as active team members in medical hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitative facilities, outpatient clinics, day care treatment centers, agencies serving developmentally challenged persons, community mental health centers, drug and alcohol programs, senior centers, nursing homes and residencies, hospice programs, correctional facilities, halfway houses, schools, and private practice.

What is the history of music therapy as a health care profession?

The idea of music as a healing influence that could affect health and behavior is as least as old as the writings of Aristotle and Plato. The 20th century discipline began after World War I and World War II when community musicians of all types, both amateur and professional, went to Veterans Administration hospitals around the country to play for the thousands of veterans experiencing both physical and emotional trauma from the wars. The patients' notable physical and emotional positive responses to music led the doctors and nurses to request the hiring of musicians by the hospitals. It was soon evident that the hospital musicians needed some prior training before entering the facility and so the demand grew for a college curriculum. The first music therapy degree program in the world, founded at Michigan State University in 1944, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1994. The American Music Therapy Association was founded in 1998 as a union of the National Association for Music Therapy and the American Association for Music therapy. The Canadian Association for Music Therapy was founded in 1974.

Who is qualified to practice music therapy?

In Canada persons who obtain the minimum of an undergraduate degree in music therapy, a 1000 hour clinical internship and obtain professional accreditation from the CAMT may practice music therapy.  In the United States persons who complete one of the approved college music therapy curricula (including an internship) are then eligible to sit for the national examination offered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists. Music therapists who successfully complete the independently administered examination hold the music therapist-board certified credential (MT-BC).

The above material is partially adapted from the American Music Therapy Association website: musictherapy.org and the Canadian Association for Music Therapy website: www.musictherapy.ca

  Related Websites

Canadian Association for Music Therapy: www.musictherapy.ca

American Music Therapy Association:  www.musictherapy.org

Music Therapy Association of Ontario:  www.musictherapyontario.com

World Federation of Music Therapy: www.wfmt.org

Hong Kong Music Therapy Association: www.musictherapyhk.org