What is Music Therapy?

What is Music Therapy?

"Music therapy is a discipline in which Certified Music Therapists (MTAs) 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
September 2020

Accredited Music Therapists (MTA):

•  use music-based interventions such as singing, improvising, music listening, playing of instruments or song writing within the therapeutic relationship to accomplish musical and/or non-musical goals.

•  conduct assessments, develop treatment plans, implement treatment, and continually evaluate progress. 

• complete a Bachelor Degree or Graduate degree in music therapy and a 1000-hour supervised clinical internship.

Who Can Benefit From Music Therapy?

Music Therapy is used in a variety of health care settings, and with individuals with various abilities, strengths and backgrounds. The following are examples of common medical or living conditions that might find benefit from music therapy:

• Geriatric Care including Alzheimer's and Dementia

• Acquired Brain Injury

• Autism and other Pervasive Development Disabilities

• Developmental Disabilities

• Physical Disabilities

• Speech and Language Impairments

• Hearing Impairments

• Mental Health

• Pain Control

• Palliative Care

Do I, or my loved one have to "be a musician" to participate in music therapy?

Absolutely not!

You don't need to master an instrument or be a master musician to experience the benefits of music. Music is meant to be a communicative tool within therapy rather than something we have to "be good at" to participate in. We all have a personal relationship with music that can include listening to, making or appreciating music depending on the individual's wants and needs.

For more information about music therapy, please visit the Canadian Association of Music Therapists (CAMT) website.