During my senior year as a music therapy undergraduate student, I had the opportunity to live and volunteer at a Hospice home for those who had a prognosis of 3 months or less to live and did not have a stable living situation. While I was not yet a practicing music therapist, the experiences I had there shaped my understanding of the particular power of music and prevalence of spiritual care in this population.         Hospice/End-of-life care is palliative in a physical sen

Music therapists often incorporate music-based interventions that reflect the current seasons. As the calendar turns to November, I often find myself struggling to integrate the concept of gratitude into sessions. On one hand, practicing gratitude has been shown to positively impact health and wellbeing by improving sleep, mood, and immunity; and has also been shown to decrease depression, anxiety and chronic pain (American Heart Association, 2023). On the other hand, clients

In music therapy, accessibility is essential. Every client should have the opportunity to participate in music-making, regardless of physical, sensory, or cognitive ability. Adaptive instruments make that possible. These tools and modifications expand how clients can engage in musical experiences, supporting clinical goals through active participation. What Are Adaptive Instruments? Adaptive instruments are musical tools designed or modified to meet individual needs. They all

As music therapists, we are trained on guitar, piano, voice, and percussion. But many music therapists spend years cultivating a personal relationship to music by learning a different instrument long before pursuing a career in the field. Yet, many MT-BCs don’t use their primary instrument in clinical settings.  Music therapy interventions can be effectively facilitated on an instrument outside of those taught in music therapy curriculum. For instance, hearing a new sound ca

In our work as music therapists, we interact with individuals of all ages and abilities. It is important to consider the different ways...

Be honest. How many of you hear the word ‘ice-breaker’ and immediately feel panicked? You’re not alone. Ice-breakers can be anxiety...

Have you ever considered integrating nature into your music therapy practice? A recent study published in The Arts in Psychotherapy found...

When people hear that I am a music therapist, they often jump to the conclusion that my job entails playing sedative, atmospheric music...

These thoughts are inspired by Kayla Shafer’s post from July, in which she argued that what determines the success of a music therapy session is less about the therapist’s choices than one might expect–that in fact, an important element is the client’s belief  in music as a therapeutic medium. This idea had not occurred to me, but immediately felt true, and I’ve been thinking ever since about the nature of that belief: what does it mean to believe in the music, and what can t

What is Music Therapy? According to the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) Music Therapy is defined as “the clinical &...