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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Taken from the AMTA website.
For more information see
www.musictherapy.org
What does a music therapist do?
Who can benefit from music therapy?
What are some of the benefits of
music therapy?
What are some common misconceptions
about music therapy?
What does a music therapist do?
Music therapists work with a variety
of clients, from individuals with
everyday life challenges to those
with emotional, social and physical
special needs. The therapist will
assess the client, then tailor a
music therapy program to each
individual’s needs. A music
therapist will do some or all of the
following:
• Assess the emotional state,
physical health, social functioning,
communication abilities and cognitive skills of the client.
• Design a program for clients based
on their individual needs,
using a variety of tools: music improvisation, receptive listening,
song writing, lyric discussion, music and imagery discussion and
music performance.
• Participate in interdisciplinary
treatment planning, ongoing
evaluation and follow-up. (Music therapy can be incorporated into
any therapeutic modality as well as methods developed by
Orff-Shulwerk, Nordoff and Robbins, Helen Bonny and Mary
Priestly.)
The music therapist is often link
that connects the client and the
music. When needed, the music
therapist adapts the music or
creates the music to make it
accessible to the client. The music
therapist uses the knowledge of
music, psychology, physical,
emotional and mental health issues,
client issues and needs to
facilitate music therapy.
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Who can benefit from music therapy?
Music therapy is used for
individuals of all ages from young
children to the elderly to treat a
variety of physical, emotional, and
mental health issues, or to promote
personal and spiritual growth. Music
therapy has proved especially
effective for individuals
experiencing:
• Developmental and Learning
Disabilities
• Brain Injuries/Stroke
• Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
• Autism
• Mental Health Issues
• Substance Abuse Problems
• Terminal Illness
• Physical Disabilities
• Acute and Chronic Pain
• High-level Anxiety and Stress
• Sleep Disorders
• Labor and delivery
• Grief and Loss
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What are some of the benefits of
music therapy?
All of the following benefits can
result from the therapeutic use of
music:
• Increase relaxation
• Reduce pain
• Decrease anxiety, depression and
stress
• Increase self-esteem
• Increase eye-hand coordination,
fine motor,
gross motor and
oral motor skills
• Provide a means for expressing
emotion
• Facilitate speech and language
rehabilitation
• Increase verbal and non-verbal
communication and expression
• Improve social interaction with
verbal and non-verbal clients
• Improve overall quality of life
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What are some common misconceptions
about music therapy?
• The client or patient must have
some particular music ability
to benefit from music therapy—This is false.
• There is one particular style of
music that is more therapeutic
than all the rest—this is not the case. All styles of music can
be useful in effecting change in a client or patient's life.
The individual's preferences, circumstances and need for
treatment, and the client or patient's goals help to determine
the types of music a music therapist may use.
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