What is Music Therapy?
Music Therapy is an evidence-based practice rooted in research from psychology, neurology, musicology, and medicine.
As a certified music therapist, I use music to help each person achieve functional goals to improve their well-being and to guide each person towards a better quality of life.
The Canadian Association for Music Therapists (CAMT) defines it as:
“a discipline in which credentialed professionals (*MTA) use music purposefully within therapeutic relationships to support development, health, and well-being. Music therapists use music safely and ethically to address human needs within cognitive, communicative, emotional, musical, physical, social, and spiritual domains.”
Canadian Association of Music Therapists &nadash; June 2016
My simple definition is:
The planned use of music by a certified music therapist (*MTA) that helps people achieve goals towards a person’s health and wellbeing.
* Music Therapist Accredited
We always start with an assessment, and then a treatment plan that is agreed on to help direct and focus the purpose of music therapy sessions. Goals will be different depending on a persons needs. For more information on possible therapeutic goals that can be addressed through music therapy sessions.
If you would like more detailed information and research about music therapy and how it works in the mean time, here is alink to our resource page.