Resources & references

 Since late 2013, music therapist Tom Curry has provided individual and group based music therapy services at St. Martha's Regional in Antigonish, arranged through the Arts Health Antigonish (AHA!) community collaboration.

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). 

This study investigated the supervision practices of music therapy internship directors within the American Music Therapy Association. Supervisors filled out a survey and the results gathered information on their demographics, professional background, and the supervision techniques they employ.

Music therapist Lisa Martino explains and shows how she uses music therapy to support students, including those with multiple disabilities, at the Perkins School for the Blind.

One of the few controlled researches that focus on parental bonding and music therapy. Music therapists working with families address relationship and interpersonal communication issues; this research documents how music therapy supports mutuality and reciprocity in parent-child interactions.

Read a scoping review exploring the feasibility of telehealth music therapy (TMT) across various contexts. Findings suggest that TMT can be a complement to in-person therapy, when supported with structured approaches, adequate resources and thoughtful client selection. Challenges and innovations in the field are also discussed. 

This document describes how music therapy can benefit elderly and their caregivers. It explains what music therapy is, its affordability and accessibility in Australia, and how it can improve the quality of life among adults with dementia, anxiety, depression, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Read an article examining the body synchrony of autistic children with their therapists during music therapy sessions. Results of this video microanalysis showed that while there was no significant change in the autistic children's ability to synchronize with therapists at the end of their treatment period, there was a significant increase in the ability of therapists to synchronize with the autistic children. The potential implications of this finding for both future research and practice are discussed.

Read about the neuroscience supporting the use of music, and, more specifically, neurologic music therapy, to target non-musical tasks in neurorehabilitation and neurodevelopment.

Read an article about the potential harms of music, especially in the context of vulnerable people. Highlights include the importance of following the professional advice of music therapists to navigate and mediate these potential harms, as well as the importance of ensuring consent and/or control for individuals experiencing music in their environments.

This paper delineates the design and development of the mindfulness-based music therapy (MBMT) program implemented in a pilot study and includes clients’ narrative journal responses. Conclusions and recommendations, including recommendation for further exploration of the function of music in mindfulness practice are provided.

Read an article that discusses a pain assessment model for music therapists. The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in this domain is also discussed.