So What is this Music Therapy of Which You Speak?

I'm glad you asked. Well, I know you really didn't...but for the sake of public education, I'm going to pretend that you did, and post some common Q's and A's about the art and science of music therapy.

Q: Is Music Therapy a new field?
A: No, it is an established allied health profession that has its genesis back around WWII. When professional and amateur musicians volunteered to play music for hospitalized war veterans, it soon became evident that there was a marked and positive response to the music, both physically and emotionally. Following the music listening sessions, patients in general reported decreased depression; they made fewer requests for pain medication, and many experienced improvement in appetite and quality of sleep. This response was so dramatic that it awakened interest in the use of music to promote health and recovery. However, it also became evident that people would need training to accomplish this, and so was founded the first music therapy college curriculum at Michigan State University in 1944.

Q: So what exactly IS Music Therapy? Do you just play nice music and cheer people up?
A: Well, it IS therapeutic for many people to hear good music, and certainly it can change your mood for the better. However, it's much more detailed than that! Music Therapy is an ACTIVE process, which means the client must take an active role in what happens. An active role could be singing, playing, listening, talking. It is not the kind of thing where the therapist puts on a CD and walks away. There is dialogue, there is support--and there is challenge to grow and change. That's therapy!

Q: How do you determine growth and change?
A: Through a detailed assessment, and through documentation of progress. The therapist observes a client in a music therapy session, may ask questions, will look at the client's records, if there are any, and will create a treatment plan, with goals and objectives, based on the client's needs and strengths and likes and dislikes. The reason that the client is seeking therapy is also taken into consideration. For example, if an otherwise high-functioning adult is seeking music therapy because of a trauma or temporary stressful situation, the course of therapy may be shorter, and more directed towards the goal of resolving or adapting to the stressor. However, if you have a young child with multiple disabilites, what you may be looking at is a longer, more intensive course of therapy, and probably one that will be part of a multi-disciplinary approach to help the child develop in the special education milieu.

Q: What is an example of a music therapy goal for a child with physical and cognitive disabilities? How about a music therapy goal for a depressed but otherwise high-functioning adult?
A: An example of a music therapy long-term physical goal for a child with developmental delays might be one like this: (Child's name) will increase his fine motor skills in music therapy. The short-term objective for this goal would be more specific: (Child's name) will use an adapted mallet for 2 out of 4 entire activities by (date). The significance of using a mallet? Well, developing skill with the mallet will hopefully carry over into other areas of his life, perhaps help him use eating utensils, and help him develop eye-hand coordination, which actually is important in developing literacy skills. All those abilities, motor and cognitive, are tied together neurologically. Cool, isn't it?
The goals and objectives for a high-functioning person experiencing depression might look like this: (Client's name) will report decreased depression using a number scale (0=none, 10=severe)by the end of the second month of music therapy treatment. The objective paired with that goal could be something like this: (Client's name) will choose 2 coping skills learned in music therapy, and use them outside of therapy to help alleviate depression, as evidenced by journaling, and reporting to the therapist each week. In each case, the goals and objectives must be clear, obtainable, and measurable, even though they are tailored to very different situations and clients. It is important to note that someone with multiple issues may have more than one goal in music therapy- agoal and objective to meet each need as the therapist sees fit.

Q: What is a typical music therapy session like?
A: Just as there are no typical music therapy clients, there really is no typical music therapy session. There are elements that are usually in a music therapy session, such as greetings/check-ins, activities for warm-up (or ice-breakers), then things that focus on the major therapeutic issue at hand...and of course, cool-down and closure activities. It depends, really, on the population a therapist is working with, whether it is a group or an individual session, and the therapist's own personal style. Most of my work has been child-driven; in other words, I may have a general idea of the music I want to use, and what need areas I wish to work on--but if the child comes into therapy in a completely different state than I had anticipated, my session plan goes out the window. I then have to "drop back five and punt" to meet that child where he or she is at that point in time.

Q: Can a school music teacher provide music therapy for a child?
A: Unless the school music teacher is also a Board-Certified Music Therapist, and has clearance by the school or district to also work in that capacity, no. If the music teacher IS a music therapist, but only working in an educational capacity, music class does not count as music therapy.

Q: Can Music Therapy be included on a child's Individual Education Plan (IEP)?
A: Music Therapy is a related service under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA, formerly PL 94-142), and can be added to a child's IEP, after a formal assessment by a Board-Certified Music Therapist. HOWEVER--the child has to meet criteria to have this service; either by virtue of being so significantly handicapped that extra supports are not only beneficial but necessary, or because the child consistently performs at a higher level in music therapy than anywhere else in his or her special education program.

Q: Is there an agency that oversees credentialing in Music Therapy?
A: Yes, the Certification Board for Music Therapists. The mission of CBMT is "to define the body of knowledge that represents competent practice in the profession of music therapy; to create and administer a program to evaluate initial and continuing competence of this knowledge; to issue the credential of MT-BC to individuals that demonstrate the required level of competence; and to promote music therapy certification." (CBMT website, www.cbmt.org).

Q: How can I find a music therapist?
A: You can find a music therapist who can meet your needs in your area by calling CBMT at 1-800-765-CBMT (2268) or e-mailing them at info@cmbmt.org. You may also call the American Music Therapy Association at
(301) 589-3300, or by e-mailing them at info@musictherapy.org.