What is Music Therapy?

Music therapy is a healthcare profession that uses music to support a patient’s therapeutic goals. Our board-certified music therapists (MT-BC) use music interventions to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs for individuals of all ages, cultures, backgrounds, and levels of functioning. Music therapists work closely with the treatment team to tailor interventions for each patient and family.

Music therapy sessions may be active (the patient engages in playing instruments, singing, or creating musical projects) or passive (the patient may listen to preferred music). Music therapists use evidence-based interventions like active music making, improvisation, therapeutic songwriting, lyric analysis, and music-assisted relaxation to work toward a patient’s individualized goals.

How music therapy can help patients and families in the hospital:

• Emotional expression
• Family bonding
• Relief from pain and other symptoms
• Positive coping
• Procedural support
• Quality of life
• Decreasing stress and anxiety

Music therapist education/certification

• Hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an approved college or university. Their studies are focused in three main areas: musical foundations, clinical foundations, and music therapy foundations.
• Must complete and pass a clinical internship of at least 1,200 hours prior to graduation.
• Successfully pass a Board Exam administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists to receive the credential MT-BC, Music Therapist Board Certified.
• Some of our music therapists possess specialized training that enables them to support goals such as enhancing rest and regulation, while fostering the neurodevelopment of infants in our NICU.

Music Therapy is currently offered on a referral basis in:

Inpatient acute care units.

Professional organizations

American Music Therapy Association

Certification Board for Music Therapists

Research

Music therapy research