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. (American Music Therapy Association definition, 2005)
Music Therapy is the specialized use of music in the service of individuals with needs in the areas of mental health, physical health, habilitation, rehabilitation, special education, self-care or personal growth. Services are rendered to individuals of every chronological age, mental age, and adaptive level of functioning in a variety of settings. In each instance, the purpose is to help individuals attain and maintain their maximum levels of functioning.
Whether music is used as therapy , education, or entertainment, the experiences are enjoyable. However, music therapy is an allied health service with both musical and nonmusical goals whereas music education is only for the purpose of developing musical skills and entertainment is only for fun. Music therapy is a multi-sensory approach, allowing client participation to be focused on using strengths to progress toward goals in one’s treatment plan.
Music is a fun! Children often don’t even realize that they are learning or being challenged to develop new skills while participating in music therapy. In the therapeutic process, music serves as a tool to both motivate and reinforce concepts, such as socialization, appropriate behavior, and academics.
Additionally, therapeutic music experiences can be easily adapted by a credentialed music therapist in order to enable all children to participate at their own level. Music therapy allows for each child to participate in a way that accommodates his/her individual strengths and weaknesses. Adapting lessons is especially important when working with children functioning at a different levels.
♪ Serve as direct service providers and as consultants to teachers and other therapists to provide follow-up to a music therapy session or instructions on the methods of therapeutic music techniques
♪ Assess emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities, and cognitive skills through musical responses
♪ Design therapeutic music experiences for individuals and groups based on client needs using a variety of techniques
♪ Participate in interdisciplinary treatment planning, ongoing evaluation, & follow-up
Since music therapists serve a wide variety of persons with many different types of needs there is no such thing as an overall typical session. Sessions are designed and music selected based on the individual client's treatment plan and preferences. Therapeutic music experiences can work on many goals in different ways, including TIMP (therapeutic instrumental music performance) for improving motor movement, MSOT (music sensory orientation training) and MACT (music attention control training) for increasing the duration of attention to task, and a variety of singing techniques for speech and language development.