Music therapy is an allied health profession that uses music interventions within a therapeutic relationship to address clients' individualized goals. A board-certified music therapist assesses clients, develops treatment plans involving music-based activities, implements interventions to work on goals like cognitive, social, or communication skills, documents progress, and evaluates outcomes. Case examples demonstrate how music therapy helped improve social skills and reading abilities in two clients.

1. MUSIC THERAPY

2. What is music therapy?
• An allied health profession like speech
therapy and occupational therapy
• Assessment-driven
• Practiced by a board-certified
professional
• Music-based interventions

3. Music Education
• Primary focus is music achievement of
student
• Secondary benefits may be therapeutic
• Sometimes provided by music therapist
but is not music therapy

4. Recreational Music
• Primary focus is pleasurable experience
of participants
• Secondary benefits may be therapeutic
• May be provided by music therapist but
is not music therapy

5. Music Therapy
• 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

6. Music Therapy Process
• Referral
• Assessment
• Treatment Planning
• Implementation and Documentation
• Ongoing Evaluation
• Termination

7. Case Examples
• W. was referred by his mother for music-based
interventions to improve social skills.
• Assessment indicated strong connections to
music, difficulty playing or singing with
others
• Treatment involved explicit instruction in
social skills and music-making with 2 peers

8. Results
• W. is now attending Starfire U and has
a girlfriend.

9. Case examples
• M. was initially referred to improve
reading skills
• Plays piano by ear. Learned to read
music notation as parallel process to
reading text.
• Received tutoring in addition to music
therapy

10. Results
• Now reads lyrics to songs she is
playing. Intervention continues to
increase vocabulary and
comprehension.
• Performs for nursing homes several
times a month.

11. Treatment Domains
• Cognitive
• Social/Emotional
• Physical
• Language/Communication
• Music

12. Goals
• Improve fine motor skills
• Increase attention to task
• Develop body awareness
• Decrease anxiety, tantrums,
hyperactivity
• Improve verbal/non-verbal
communication

13. Interventions
• Therapeutic Singing
• Therapeutic Instrumental Music
Performance
• Musical Mnemonics Training
• Auditory Perception Training
• Musical Executive Function Training

14. Training and Credentials
• Minimum bachelor’s degree in music
therapy from approved school
• 1200 hours clinical training including
supervised internship
• Pass national board certification exam
• Complete continuing education
requirements