What is Music Therapy?

Music Therapy is the intentional use of music and its effects on the brain and body to support developmental, medical, and clinical needs within a therapeutic relationship with a board-certified music therapist. 

In other words, music therapy is a certified music therapist using the various qualities of music (rhythm, melody, tempo, dynamics, harmony, timbre) to help a person with skills they may be having trouble with, like moving, learning, communicating, remembering, controlling their feelings or breath, or interacting with others, and more. Most people understand and has experienced music as fun or relaxing. Music therapists, however, utilize the fun or relaxation that music can produce as motivators to address an individual's developmental, medical, or clinical needs. 

Music therapy certification requirements depend on the country in which one goes to study. In the United States of America, to acquire and maintain board-certification for music therapy, one must:

• complete an approved undergraduate music therapy program

• complete 1,200 hours of supervised clinical training, including internship

• apply for and pass the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) exam

• engage in continuing education

• re-certify 5 years

Music Therapy Interventions

Music therapists use evidenced-based interventions depending on the needs of the client. Generally, they are categorized into "active music therapy," where the client actively makes music, or "receptive music therapy," where the client does not actively make music. From these interventions, specific music experiences are selected and designed based on the individual's choronological and developmental ages, music preferences, personality, strengths, potentials, and challenges. 

What Can a Music Therapy Session Look Like?

Every music therapy (MT) session is different because every person has different needs, goals, preferences, and mood/energy level. Also, the session length and setting can impact what happens in a session. Therefore, sessions can look different from person to person as well as session to session. 

Below is a sample format of what could take place in a session: 

• Opening/Hello Song - This important component establishes the start of the MT session, allows the music therapist to assess the client's present affect/energy level, and, particularly for young children with developmental disabilities, encourages the development of prosocial behaviors. 

• Emotional check-in - This component may be combined with the opening/hello activity or facilitated as a separate experience depending on the music therapist's clinical judgement, and can be facilitated with instrument play, improvisation, singing, movement to music, song re/writing, etc. Depending on the client, this component can help with developing emotional identification language or expressing positive or negative emotions in a safe, non-judgmental way.

• Transition song/activity - This component occurs after each experience and is particularly for persons with developmental needs that may struggle with changes and needing to know what is coming up next. Not all individuals may need transitions. 

• MT experience 1 - This experience can target the primary goal for music therapy, for example improving communication, supporting emotional expression, developing motor skills, strengthening memory, or encouraging relaxation, just to to name a few. 

• MT experience 2 - This experience can target the primary goal in a different way or the secondary goal for music therapy. 

• MT experience 3 - Depending on the session length or client's attention and energy level, this experience can be included to target a goal or facilitated as an another opportunity for the client's self/creative expression without directly working on a goal. 

• Closing/Goodbye - This component creates closure for the session and transitions the individual into the next part of their day. 

Sessions lengths can differ, however they are typically 20-30 mins. and 45-50 mins. Shorter or longer sessions are possible upon consultation.