Resources & references

This systematic review indicates that music interventions compared to standard care may have beneficial effects on anxiety, depression, hope, pain, and fatigue in adults with cancer. The results of two trials suggest that music interventions may have a beneficial effect on anxiety in children with cancer. For several outcomes, music therapy interventions delivered by a trained music therapist led to consistent results across studies. The abstract is available in many languages. 

This video presents music therapy sessions at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital in the Tertiary Palliative Care Unit led by Sheila Killoran, certified music therapist.

This video features an individual who was paralyzed due to a motor vehicle collision and participated in music therapy sessions. The video includes clips of music therapy sessions, testimonials from the patient, and interviews from certified music therapists.

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. 

Watch a video demonstrating some of the uses of music therapy at the Montreal Chinese Hospital. Music therapist Josephine Lee sings in both Cantonese and Mandarin. Interviews are also featured in French, English and Mandarin about both the music therapy services and the Montreal Chinese Hospital Foundation in general.

Watch how music therapist Jessie Habluetzel supports children in a pediatric hospital setting. Two case examples are shared, including one child undergoing a bone marrow transplant, and another with both Down Syndrome and leukemia. 

Read an article exploring a research study on the benefits of music therapy for brain health in normal ageing. Findings report that in both the individual and group conditions there were significant improvements in cognitive function and a reduction in depressive symptoms. Comments from researchers, the music therapy lead where the study took place, and a participant are also included.

Click here to read the research article discussed.

This article explains how music therapy can help people cope with grief in a variety of ways. It can help create connection with a deceased loved one. It can help those grieving to explore spirituality (hope and meaning in life) and deal with challenging emotions. Many people have an intimate connection to the songs that have helped them through bereavement.

Watch a video on how music therapist Loghan Puhach uses music therapy to support residents at the Riverview Health Centre.

Mental health dementia wards in the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom provide specialist care for people with dementia experiencing acute levels of distress. This study tested the feasibility of delivering a standardised music therapy protocol on these wards and the suitability of the research methods.

This fact sheet from the American Music Therapy Association provides information about music therapy practices for adults with mental health and substance use challenges. This page provides information on relevant definitions and statistics, the types of mental health settings in which music therapists work, potential outcomes of music therapy, contraindications for music therapy, the clinical process, and effectiveness research.

Watch music therapist Erica Santiago explain what music therapy is and how it can support patients in hospice care.