What is Music Therapy?

I had an email from a woman in Madrid, who works as a music therapist and her email made me think it would be a good thing to try and write about what music therapy is, and where it happens and what happens in a typical session.

Music therapy is founded on the principal that human beings have the capacity to respond to sound/music, and that within a music therapy session(s), people can explore what is important to them through the medium of music. Music therapy does not require any previous musical knowledge or musical ability. Sessions often last about 45minutes each, and depending on the needs of the client may happen weekly for a month or so, or last many years.

Lots of my work has been with children with autism, cerebral palsy and adults with mental health conditions. Music therapy takes place in educational, healthcare, forensic (prisons/secure units), and residential care settings to name a few. My work has increasingly been about developing new areas of practice, such as within the corporate world, or within prisons. I have been a music therapist for four years, having qualified in 2002.

There are a number of different strands or approaches to music therapy, one of the most widely known is Nordoff-Robbins. Other approaches such as psychodynamic music therapy are as widely used, but perhaps less well known. Most music therapy uses musical improvisation as a basis for working with clients. Sometimes words are used, in the creation and/or singing of songs, but this really depends on how each session develops.

There are music therapy associations in most countries. Here are just a few of their links.

American Music Therapy Association
Association of Professional Music Therapists (UK)
Canadian Music Therapy Association
Bristish Society of Music Therapy
Australian Music Therapy Association
New Zealand Music Therapy Association
Voices (free online international forum)