What is Music Therapy?

“Music therapy is an established psychological clinical intervention, which is delivered by HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) registered music therapists to help people whose lives have been affected by injury, illness or disability through supporting their psychological, emotional, cognitive, physical, communicative and social needs.”

(British Association of Music Therapy, www.bamt.org)

Music therapy can be helpful for a wide range of people including children or adults with autism, learning disabilities or social and emotional difficulties, children or adults suffering from the effects of trauma, children or adults with complex needs, children or adults with mental health issues, older adults with dementia or anybody who simply feels they need some extra support, for example due to the impact of illness, injury or bereavement. You do not need to have any musical experience.

Music therapy aims to be an interactive therapy: both therapist and client are actively involved together in music making (in whatever way this may be possible for the individual). A music therapy session could involve a variety of forms of music-making: improvising music together, playing and singing familiar songs, structured musical activities, song-writing, or listening to and talking about music. Sometimes the therapist might create a special musical improvisation or piece of music for the client, responding to the particular movements, sounds, body language or even breathing of the person. Every music therapy session is unique, and there are no expectations as to how a particular person will respond to music therapy (there is no “right” or “wrong” in music therapy).

It is rare to meet a person who has no connection with music at all, whatever their personal situation may be. Music can function as a universal form of expression, which can be especially helpful for those who struggle to express themselves through language, or for those who may have had an experience which they are not able, or feel unable, to put into words. Music therapy can also provide a safe “holding space” within which difficult feelings and emotions can be expressed, supported and responded to by the therapist. Music therapy is always adapted to the needs of each individual: the music therapist aims to provide a supportive presence, both personally and in the music, to enable those attending music therapy to use the music in whichever way is most helpful for them.