Resources & references

This fact sheet explains the benefits of music therapy for older adults with memory disorders including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It also describes the clinical processes and neurological impact of music therapy, and the importance of working with a professional music therapist. 

See an example of a music therapy session in action

Leticia Prieto Alvarez, a music therapist at Hebrew Senior Life, explains the benefits of music therapy for older adults and provides examples of active music therapy experiences in group and individual settings. 

This research article evaluated how music therapy can help children, teenagers, and young adults with cancer and blood disorders. It determined that music therapy is highly beneficial to have in an interdisciplinary team to manage symptoms and provide psychosocial care. 

A music therapist presents the use of Music Therapy in Substance Abuse Treatment. He starts by describing life experiences that led him to music therapy. Then, he goes on to discuss the 5 main clinical goals to use when working with this population (which work into the S.O.B.E.R. acronym). Suggested interventions and more are also covered.

This fact sheet, developed by the American Music Therapy Association, describes how music therapy is effective in supporting military service members and veterans. It describes how active and receptive music experiences can address physical, cognitive, communication, social, and emotional goals.

Les Impatients is an organization that helps people living with mental health problems, offering art-based services. With Dany Bouchard, a certified music therapist, and people participating in his group music therapy sessions, the reporter Alexandre Courteau explored this discipline and shared some participants' testimonies on how music therapy has changed their life.

An article about Katie Fitzpatrick, who has dedicated her education and career to music therapy and is blazing a trail in the treatment of chronic pain.

The objective of this study was to explore the effects of an interdisciplinary singing-based therapeutic intervention (ParkinSong) on voice and communication in people with Parkinson’s disease. The results show that ParkinSong is an engaging intervention with the potential to increase loudness and respiratory function in people with mild to moderately severe PD.

The aim of this study is to test the feasibility and acceptability of an online mode of delivery for a Parkinson’s singing intervention (ParkinSong) as well as remote data collection procedures. This mode of delivery aims to increase the accessibility of singing interventions.

In his studio at the Montreal General Hospital, music therapist Dany Bouchard uses music to connect with patients of the Mental Health Mission. Through regular sessions, Dany helps access their emotions, patients express their feelings, and open new doors to healing.

A music therapy program in the waiting room of a burn unit uses active music therapy experiences to support patients, by enhancing pain management and reducing pain perception.

This is a summary of a study, which reveals promising findings for the application of improvisational music therapy in assuaging the multidimensional acute pain of adult patients with sickle cell disease (SCD).