One of the most common questions I hear when I tell people I’m a music therapist is, “What exactly is music therapy?”. The concept seems simple, and we all know music is powerful in its own way, but explaining what exactly the field of music therapy is as a whole is more complicated. Here’s a short breakdown of your burning questions to help you out.
What Is Music Therapy?
Music therapy is actually an established health profession where music is used as a tool within a therapeutic relationship to work on physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs. This therapy is provided by a board-certified music therapist who has completed an approved and credentialed program through a university.
History of Music Therapy
The earliest references to using music as a therapy date back to 1789 with an unsigned article, “Music Physically Considered”. Interest in music therapy continued to grow with the formation of various national associations in the early 1900s. In the 1940s, key professionals began to develop standards of care and training programs for creating competent and skilled music therapists. In 1998 our current association, The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) was formed, and with the help of the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT), oversees the training and educating of our nation's music therapists.
Who Becomes a Music Therapist?
When you ask a music therapist why they began in their field, most of them will say something along the lines of having a love for music, and having a love of working with people. Music therapy is a person-centered field. Therapists are highly skilled musicians first and foremost, with training in how to engage in therapeutic relationships with various clients and populations.
Who Benefits from Music Therapy?
Anyone can benefit from music therapy! Music therapists work with children, teens, adults, and geriatric populations with a wide range of needs. Common goals therapists will work on with their clients can include mental health needs, developmental and learning deficits, Alzheimer’s and other aging related conditions, substance abuse problems, brain injuries, physical disabilities, and acute and chronic pain including mothers in labor. Music therapists can go on to receive additional specific training to work with premature infants, and other vulnerable populations.
Research-Based
There are currently two music therapy specific journals publishing research regularly; The Journal of Music Therapy and Music Therapy Perspectives. Research studies on music therapy also appear in many other journals world-wide.
Instruments Used For Music Therapy
Depending on the goal you are working toward, some of the most commonly used instruments that a music therapist may use during a session include guitars, keyboards, shakers, drums/percussion, HAPI drums, meditation instruments, music engineering software and laptops/midi controllers, singing bowls, bells, tone chimes, ocean drums, and rainsticks.
Music Therapy Around the World
Music therapy is happening outside of the US as well! The World Federation of Music Therapy currently exists to help countries developing a music therapy presence do it in the most efficient and quality way possible. Some other countries that currently have their own music therapy national associations include: Australia, Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, and Taiwan.
Misconceptions About Music Therapy
People often think you must already know how to play an instrument or sing to be involved with music therapy. No way! No musical skills are needed by a client in order to participate in and benefit from music therapy. There is not a particular style of music that is more therapeutic than all the rest – all styles of music can be useful in effecting change depending on the client and the goal. Music therapy is based on the individual’s preferences, circumstances and need for treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a list of other frequently asked questions about music therapy, head over to our website’s Tidbits page to get even more answers!
Merry Music Therapy!
And Happy Holidays as well.
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