Resources & references

An online destination for discovery & deeper understanding.

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The purpose of our resources database is to provide an easy access to knowledge about music therapy and its application with a diverse array of clientele, and to help answer questions from a diversity of visitors seeking information about music therapy. We therefore propose a selection of pertinent* references, however not exhaustive, given that each week more research and other information are published around the world.  

If you wish to contribute to our database, click on the button below. The proposed references are submitted to an analysis and a selection process by a team of music therapists from the Institute. Thank you in advance!

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Note (*) : the Institute does not endorse any promotional content, publicity or donation requests that might be included in any of the references.

General search

Languages
Type of reference
Clients
Format
193 results Clear all
Musicothérapie et santé mentale : l’expérience de musicothérapeutes québécois
2017
Type of reference
Scientific publications
Author
Guylaine Vaillancourt
Language
French
Source / Publisher
Revue officielle de l’Association canadienne des musicothérapeutes
Country
Canada

This study explores the experiences of music therapists working with adults in mental health settings across Quebec, both in the community and in hospitals. It highlights their reflections and recommendations to support the expansion of music therapy services in mental health.

Musique et gestion de la douleur
2024
Type of reference
General information
Language
French
Source / Publisher
Canadian Association of Music Therapists
Country
United States (USA)
Ireland

Discover the benefits of music therapy in the treatment of chronic pain in adults, in this article about research projects from Dr Katie Fitzpatrick and Dr Joke Bradt.

Neurophysiological synchrony between children with severe physical disabilities and their parents during music therapy
2021
Type of reference
Scientific publications
Author
Ali Samadani, Song Kim, Jae Moon, et al.
Language
English
Source / Publisher
Frontiers in Neuroscience
Country
Canada
United States (USA)

Read an article exploring the neurophysiological synchrony between children with severe physical disabilities and their parents during music therapy sessions. Findings suggest that music therapy may facilitate cognitive-emotional connections between these non-speaking children and their caregivers.

New handbook to help music therapy choirs be more accessible
2026
Type of reference
General information
Language
English
Source / Publisher
RNZ
Country
New Zealand

Listen to an interview featuring Dr Alison Talmage, a music therapist who recently published a handbook for helping and establishing therapeutic choirs to be more accessible to individuals with neurologic conditions. She discusses the benefits of therapeutic singing, including the neuroscience underlying the approach, as well as providing anecdotes on some of the participants in her choir.

New University of Limerick graduate using music therapy to treat chronic pain
2024
Type of reference
General information
Language
English
Source / Publisher
University of Limerick
Country
Ireland

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.

Nordoff and Robbins: Jacob and Becky
2025
Type of reference
General information
Language
English
Subtitle
English
Source / Publisher
Nordoff and Robbins
Country
United Kingdom (UK)

Watch a certified music therapist and her client make music together to promote recovery from speech and physical impairments post-stroke. 

Outpatient group music therapy for the treatment of chronic tinnitus: A single group pre-experimental study
2026
Type of reference
Scientific publications
Author
Tobias Wilfer, Carsten Spitzer & Annegret Körber
Language
English
Source / Publisher
Nordic Journal of Music Therapy
Country
Germany

Read an article on the use of a group music therapy treatment protocol in patients with chronic tinnitus. Results found a reduction in the subjective burden of the condition in around 60% of participants,  and this effect persisted at 6 months post-treatment.

Overview of a Music Therapy Program at a Maximum Security Unit of a State Psychiatric Facility
2002
Type of reference
Scientific publications
Author
Melinda Fulford
Language
English
Source / Publisher
Music Therapy Perspectives
Country
United States (USA)

This article describes a music therapy program in a maximum security psychiatric state facility. Brief descriptions of the patient population, admission and discharge criteria, safety and security concerns, music therapy interventions, and behavioral strategies are given in order to provide a picture of the program and the concerns associated with this population.

Pain Management with Adults
2013
Type of reference
Scientific publications
Author
Joy L. Allen
Language
English
Source / Publisher
Barcelona Publishers
Country
United States (USA)

This book chapter examines the uses of music therapy for pain management in adults medical settings. It delineates criteria for referral and assessment, and an overview of methods and techniques.

Parent perspectives of telehealth compared to in-person family-centred music therapy for their autistic child in Hong Kong: A qualitative study
2025
Type of reference
Scientific publications
Author
Lesley Wan Sang Leung, Jinah Kim & Grace Thompson
Language
English
Source / Publisher
Nordic Journal of Music Therapy
Country
China
Hong Kong

Read a study exploring the perspectives of parents of autistic children in Hong Kong on family-centered music therapy for their children in both telehealth and in-person formats. Benefits and challenges of both formats are discussed, as well as suggestions for future research.

Parents’ Views with Music Therapy in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Cohort Study
2022
Type of reference
Scientific publications
Author
Vladimir L. Cousin, Hubert Colau, Francisca Barcos-Munoz, et al.
Language
English
Source / Publisher
Children
Country
Switzerland

This study examines parental perception of music therapy for children in a university hospital's pediatric intensive care unit (ICU). It found that the positive potentials of music therapy in pediatric ICU care reported in other studies could be used to promote the psychological well-being of parents and children, reduce anxiety, and manage pain.

ParkinSong: A Controlled Trial of Singing-Based Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease
2019
Type of reference
Scientific publications
Author
Jeanette Tamplin, Meg E. Morris, Adam P. Vogel
Language
English
Source / Publisher
Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair
Country
Australia

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.