- The field of music therapy gained recognition following its use in VA hospitals after WWII to aid in the healing process.
RESOURCES

Music Therapy Pocket Guide
Music therapy is a well-recognized clinical intervention that uses music within a therapeutic process to assist the patient in identifying and dealing with social, cognitive, emotion or physical concerns. Additionally, a music therapist will assess the needs of a patient by the response he/she has to music played or how they respond to questions when using music to assess their mental/physical condition. They will then use the information gleaned from the assessment to design a therapeutic program. The therapeutic intervention is tailored to the individual’s needs and is constructed to help a patient achieve her/his therapeutic goals. The musical intervention may involve: music coming from the therapist or the patient playing a musical instrument and/or singing, the patient composing music, the patient listening to or dancing/moving to a piece of music. These interventions allow the patient to express feelings or thoughts in a more complex and multidimensional manner than with words only and can help the patient address traumatic or uncomfortable situations without the use of words. Music therapy is used to help with a variety of physical and mental health conditions and address symptoms related to chronic health concerns including: In the last 20 years, as patients increasingly integrate complementary and alternative medicine into their treatment plans, more and more literature is being published exploring and confirming the positive impact music therapy has on certain conditions. A sample includes: If you or your healthcare provider are seeking more in-depth research on the effectiveness or impact of music therapy on a particular health concern, visit https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=music+therapy Music therapy is widely considered a safe way of addressing physical and mental conditions when delivered by a well-trained certified music therapist. Please note that any form of therapy can unearth uncomfortable emotions and may cause you to experience increased levels of psychological discomfort. How often and for how long you will attend a music therapy session depends on why you are seeking the help of a clinician and the program the music therapist has developed to address your physical or psychological condition. Typically, classes or an individual session with a practitioner can run anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. The most common certified and nationally recognized music therapist designation is the MT-BC (Music Therapist-Board In addition to specific coursework mandated by AMTA, to qualify for certification, music therapists in training will have to complete 1,200 clinical hours before they are allowed to take the certification exam. The Certification Board for Music Therapists is responsible for overseeing the exam and subsequent certification process of becoming an MT-BC. In addition to the MT-BC, there are three other music therapy designations that are nationally recognized as demonstrating adequate qualifications to practice music therapy: ACMT, CMT or RMT. These certifications are no longer awarded, but people who received them previously and continue to maintain their certification are included in the National Music Therapy Registry. Whether your insurance company covers music therapy depends on your individual coverage. Most insurance companies will cover some of the costs of music therapy services. The best way to find out whether your insurance company covers music therapy is to contact your insurance provider. Individual or group music therapy can be used alongside any conventional treatments you are receiving. Music therapy is not meant to take the place of a proven conventional treatment. Any decisions regarding treatment plans should be discussed with your doctor(s) prior to making changes to your treatment plan.Fast Facts
WHAT IS MUSIC THERAPY?
WHAT CONDITIONS DOES MUSIC THERAPY TREAT?
Is there evidence that music therapy works?
Are there precautions, side effects or safety concerns I should be aware of before I start music therapy?
How often should I seek treatment from a music therapy practitioner? How long is each session?
What training/certifications do music therapy clinicians need to have in order to practice?
Certified). To practice music therapy a therapist will have received a bachelor’s degree or higher from one of the 70 programs recognized by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA).How do I find a music therapist near me?
Will my insurance company cover the cost of seeing a music therapy practitioner?
Should I inform my primary care physician that I am seeing a music therapist?
Endnotes:
Topics: Anxiety | Depression | Palliative Care
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