The following are some frequently asked questions. Click on each to learn the answer:
Music therapists assess, via a client’s musical responses, all aspects of a client’s being- including their emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities, and cognitive skills. Once an assessment has been made, the music therapist designs and implements music sessions for individuals and groups based on client needs using music improvisation, receptive music listening, song writing, lyric discussion, music and imagery, music performance, and learning through music. Music therapists engage in interdisciplinary treatment planning, ongoing evaluation, and follow up.
In order to practice music therapy, one must have first completed an American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) approved college music therapy curricula (including an internship of at least 900 hours) to then be eligible to sit for the national examination offered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists. Music therapists who successfully complete the independently administered examination hold the music therapist-board certified credential (MT-BC).
The National Music Therapy Registry (NMTR) serves qualified music therapy professionals with the following designations: RMT, CMT, ACMT. These individuals have met accepted educational and clinical training standards and are also qualified to practice music therapy.
Those with mental health needs, developmental and learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease and other aging related conditions, substance abuse problems, brain injuries, physical disabilities, and acute and chronic pain, including mothers in labor can benefit from music therapy. Healthy individuals can also benefit from the use of music therapy techniques to promote stress reduction and relaxation.
Music therapists work in psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitative facilities, medical hospitals, outpatient clinics, day care treatment centers, agencies serving developmentally disabled persons, community mental health centers, drug and alcohol programs, senior centers, nursing homes, hospice programs, correctional facilities, halfway houses, schools, and private practice.
A common misconception about music therapy is that the client or patient has to have some particular music ability to benefit from music therapy — they do not. Additionally, there is no one particular style of music that is more therapeutic than all the rest. 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.
A substantial body of literature exists to support the effectiveness of music therapy, including The Journal of Music Therapy and Music Therapy Perspectives published by the AMTA.
The future of music therapy is promising because state of the art music therapy research in physical rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s disease, and psychoneuroimmunology is documenting the effectiveness of music therapy in terms that are important in the context of a biological medical model.
(The above questions and answers were taken from the American Music Therapy Association website. More questions and answers can be found here.)
Transpersonal psychology holds a holistic, multidimensional view of people and includes the transpersonal, self-transcendent or spiritual aspects of the human experience. Influential practitioners and theorists in transpersonal psychology are: Carl Jung, Roberto Assagioli, Ken Wilbur, Charles Tart, Stanislav Grof, and Abraham Maslow.
Here are some additional resources that may be of interest to you:
In Longmont:
• Miller Music
• Mojo’s Music Academy
• Guitars Etc.
• Miller Music
• Mojo’s Music Academy
• Guitars Etc.
In Lafayette:
• Dog House Music
In Boulder:
• The Lesson Studio
In Longmont
• Miller Music
• Larry’s Guitar Shop, LLC
• Guitars Etc.
• Miller Music
• Larry’s Guitar Shop, LLC
• Guitars Etc.
In Lafayette
• Lafayette Music
In Boulder
• Robb’s Music
• HB Woodsongs
• The Drum Shop
While I try to keep things local as much as possible, sometimes my local music store doesn’t have what I’m looking for. When that happens, I order online through West Music in Coralville, IA.
Musicmakers in Stillwater, MN also make a wonderful and easily accessible instrument called the Reverie Harp. You can find these, as well as other handcrafted instruments and instrument kits here (for those of you who are handy DIYers!).
• The American Music Therapy Association- Learn more about music therapy at the AMTA website.
• The Certification Board for Music Therapists- Find a board-certified music therapist near you at the CBMT website.
• The Colorado Association for Music Therapy- If you live in Colorado, the CAMT website will help you find a music therapist near you.
• The Certification Board for Music Therapists- Find a board-certified music therapist near you at the CBMT website.
• The Colorado Association for Music Therapy- If you live in Colorado, the CAMT website will help you find a music therapist near you.
• Listen and Learn Music- Listen and Learn Music is the blog of Rachel Rambach, an MT-BC in Springfield, Illinois. A rich place to find information about the use of music to help children learn and grow.
• Mundana Music Therapy- Mundana Music Therapy is the music therapy practice of MT-BCs Megan Resig and Kimberly Thompson in Portland, Oregon. They work with a wide variety of people through their practice, and at their blog they offer thoughts and ideas for using music with adults and children, in addition to promoting wellness.
• Music Therapy Maven- This is the blog of Missouri-based MT-BC Kimberly Sena Moore. Here you’ll find a wealth of information about music therapy, music and neuroscience, and even how to go about starting a successful small business.
•The Music Therapy Show with Janice Harris- Janice Harris is an MT-BC in Dallas who hosts and produces this weekly online radio program that looks at the ways in which the planned use of music can be used to enhance human capabilities and brain functioning.
• Music Sparks- This is the blog of JoAnn Jordan, a Kansas-based MT-BC. Here you’ll find great information about the use of “music to spark a better life for older adults and preschoolers.”
• Music Therapy Tween- Music Therapy Tween is the blog of Florida-based MT-BC Michelle Erfurt, who offers the perspective, thoughts and tips of a traveling music therapist and business owner. You may also pick up some crafting tips there, too.
• Rhythm for Good- Rhythm for Good is the blog of San Diego MT-BC Kat Fulton. Kat blogs about music therapy and wellness that comes especially from the perspective of rhythm and drumming.
• Soundscape Music Therapy- Rachelle Norman is an MT-BC in Kansas City who works with a wide range of people. On her blog she writes about a variety of music and music therapy-related topics that include working with older adults with dementia, children, and groups.
• Mundana Music Therapy- Mundana Music Therapy is the music therapy practice of MT-BCs Megan Resig and Kimberly Thompson in Portland, Oregon. They work with a wide variety of people through their practice, and at their blog they offer thoughts and ideas for using music with adults and children, in addition to promoting wellness.
• Music Therapy Maven- This is the blog of Missouri-based MT-BC Kimberly Sena Moore. Here you’ll find a wealth of information about music therapy, music and neuroscience, and even how to go about starting a successful small business.
•The Music Therapy Show with Janice Harris- Janice Harris is an MT-BC in Dallas who hosts and produces this weekly online radio program that looks at the ways in which the planned use of music can be used to enhance human capabilities and brain functioning.
• Music Sparks- This is the blog of JoAnn Jordan, a Kansas-based MT-BC. Here you’ll find great information about the use of “music to spark a better life for older adults and preschoolers.”
• Music Therapy Tween- Music Therapy Tween is the blog of Florida-based MT-BC Michelle Erfurt, who offers the perspective, thoughts and tips of a traveling music therapist and business owner. You may also pick up some crafting tips there, too.
• Rhythm for Good- Rhythm for Good is the blog of San Diego MT-BC Kat Fulton. Kat blogs about music therapy and wellness that comes especially from the perspective of rhythm and drumming.
• Soundscape Music Therapy- Rachelle Norman is an MT-BC in Kansas City who works with a wide range of people. On her blog she writes about a variety of music and music therapy-related topics that include working with older adults with dementia, children, and groups.
As you can see, there are many great websites and blogs out there on music therapy. I hope you’ll take the time to check these out and learn more about what’s going on around the country and the world in the field of music therapy!
(And if there are any that I’ve missed that you would recommend, let me know what they are. This list is meant to be comprehensive, but is in no means exhaustive!)
Learn more about transpersonal and humanistic psychology by checking out the websites of the following Associations:
• The Association for Transpersonal Psychology
• International Transpersonal Association
• Association for Humanistic Psychology
• The Association for Transpersonal Psychology
• International Transpersonal Association
• Association for Humanistic Psychology
