What is Music Therapy?

Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy degree program. (musictherapy.org) A Music Therapist must complete a minimum of a bachelor's degree in music therapy with 1,200 hours of clinical practicum, including a 1,040 hour professional internship before sitting for the board exam.

What does that really mean and look like?  The overall goal of music therapy is to regain, maintain, or improve some level of function.  Since music stimulates the ENTIRE brain, goals may be cognitive, social, physical, emotional, spiritual, related to end of life care, or a combination of areas.  Music and the elements of music (pitch, rhythm, dynamics, structure, pulse, timbre, texture, tempo, tonality, harmony) are the tools used during sessions.  This can be in active ways including, but not limited to singing, drumming, songwriting, movement, and improvisation or may be passive such as therapeutic listening and responding to live, client-preferred music.