“Music can name the unnamable and communicate the unknowable.” -Leonard Bernstein.

According to the American Music Therapy Association, “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 program.” In other words, a music therapist utilizes music through singing, instrument playing, active listening, or songwriting to help clients achieve non-musical goals and transfer those skills to daily life. Music therapists do not require clients to have any sort of musical ability or training to benefit from services.

How Do I Become a Music Therapist?

To become a music therapist, one must attend an accredited program at a four-year university or attend a master’s equivalency program at an accredited university. After completing the proper schooling, each potential music therapist works at their personally chosen clinical site to complete 1200 clinical hours. After completing these hours, one is eligible to sit for the board certification exam. Upon passing the exam, one becomes a board-certified music therapist. In certain states, such as Illinois, music therapists must also hold a state license. Every five years, each board-certified music therapist must receive 100 continuing education credits to ensure they are up to date on current research and techniques within the field. 

Where Do Music Therapists Work?

Music therapists are found in a wide variety of locations, including therapy practices, senior centers, assisted living facilities, school systems, day service centers, rehabilitation facilities, children’s hospitals, addiction recovery centers, and psychiatric hospitals, to name a few. Music therapists are qualified to work with people from birth through the end of life, but most specialize in a certain population or age group. Music therapists can also co-treat with talk therapists, speech therapists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists.

What Can You Expect in Sessions?

One of the unique qualities of music therapy sessions is that each music therapist customizes the session for not only the client, the goals, and the diagnosis but also what the client needs that day. There are several different strategies for music therapy sessions, and some can include songwriting (either from scratch or with a fill-in-the-blank template), instrument playing, group singing, musical games, lyric analysis, or relaxation to music. Each intervention is designed with the client’s specific goals in mind, and they are used to help the client work towards their goals. Before starting sessions with a music therapist, the client is assessed for their specific skill set and area of need. Once the goals are set, clients typically see their music therapist once a week to bi-weekly for the duration of care. Music therapy can be used alongside talk therapy as an extra tool for the client’s achievement of goals.

Overall, music therapy proves to be an extremely beneficial form of therapy. It provides clients with a safe and fun space to work on their specific goals with a board-certified therapist in an environment that can access creativity in the therapeutic process.