Resources & references

Read a research study on the impact of music therapy during burn care in a pediatric setting for the medical professionals providing the care. Results indicated that survey respondents felt more relaxed, less stressed, better patient compliance  and a better overall experience when music therapy was present than when it was not.

This case study explores a music therapy assessment of an autistic child in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It presents the stages of the assessment, assessment tools, and assessment findings.

Read about a group music therapy program in Spain for adults with visual disabilities and blindness, targeting psychomotor and socio-emotional domains.

Music-based interventions (MBIs) are emerging as a new potential treatment strategy for neurologic and psychiatric patient populations, as they are safe, economic, and can be creatively tailored to meet specific functional goals. MBIs are typically selected and delivered by a credentialed music therapist based on empirically supported models and can involve active (improvisation, singing, clapping, or dancing) and/or receptive (purposeful music listening to identify emotional content emerging from music) techniques. Mechanistically, MBIs appear to engage both cortical and subcortical areas governing attention, working memory, planning, and flexibility and can modulate these areas over time.

This article analyzed hello songs composed by music therapists to identify best practices in their composition and use. 

Watch interviews with music therapists Carla Navarro, Pedro Vinuesa, Maria Martinez-Gil, and Paula Ramirez describing what music therapy is, who it can benefit, and how it can help. Client testimonials are also included. 

Listen to music therapist Marcela Lichtensztejn describe music therapy, including its therapeutic benefits, how it can be applied clinically, who it can benefit, and how it can affect the brain. 

Music therapist Natalia Garbarets explains what music therapy is, how it differs from musical education, and what are its benefits.

Read about a therapy program by an art and music therapist for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-questioning youth, supporting gender identity exploration and learn about the challenges and opportunities encountered during its pilot implementation.

Music therapist Kevin Kirkland explains how he uses rapping to help persons with mental health and substance use issues to process their experiences and express themselves. 

This article explores how music therapy can serve as a self-care management resource for improving self-efficacy and mediating the relationship between vulnerability factors and health outcomes for patients with sickle cell disease. Accordingly, it is important for appropriate patient reported outcomes to be used within practice and research to capture these important domains and improve our understanding of how music therapy can help individuals with chronic pain achieve meaningful outcomes.

The Canadian Music Therapy Podcast celebrated two years of episodes in February 2023. Hosted by music therapist Adrienne Pringle and business leader Cathy Thompson, the bi-weekly podcast shines a bright light on the impact and work of music therapists across Canada. This reflective article features Adrienne’s and Cathy’s personal explorations of themes and ideas that emerged from a close examination of the podcast transcripts from the first 40 interview-based episodes.