Resources & references

Learn about the development of a group music therapy program for autistic adult women targeting self-expression, communication, and impulse control.

Watch how music therapy is being used to help individuals with neurological conditions work towards their goals. It includes patient testimonies and perspectives from a music therapist.

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Learn how music therapy is being used to help individuals with neurological conditions work towards their goals. It also shows patient testimonies and perspectives from a music therapist (includes a video, 2:17).

This article explores the effects of both group and individual music therapy sessions on cancer patients in Spain. Findings indicate a reduction of pain as well as enhancing relaxation, physical comfort, and emotional well-being.

This research article presents a case study of an adult man with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who participated in music therapy sessions. The results determined that music improvisation improved affect regulation, exploration of trauma-related issues, and self-agency.

Read about music therapist Anne Lacourse's work at the Saint Raphaël Palliative Care Home and Day Center and watch a video (1m 6s) of her peforming a song composed by one of her clients.

Read an article exploring the feasibilty of incorporating mindful self-compassion into music therapy sessions for patients living with chronic pain. Results highlighted the need for future research to better interpret the results, but found a general increase in levels of pain acceptance following the treatment sessions.

Read how music therapy has helped an older adult living with Alzheimer’s disease, with benefits that extend into his home care. Learn what music therapy is and how caregivers can use music at home to support their loved ones (includes a video, 4:15).

 Elizabeth Stegemöller presents at the TEDx Iowa State University event on music therapy and its impacts on the brain. She is a music therapist and utilizes music therapy to treat people with Parkinson's disease.

This anthology of Carolyn Kenny’s works (1979–2006) showcases her writings and contributions to music therapy and Indigenous studies, revealing the deep interplay between these fields and integrating multiple disciplines that shape music therapy education, practice, and research.

Read a Cochrane review on the use of music interventions for acquired brain injury. Results indicate positive effects in motor and communication/speech rehabilitation, as well as on quality of life, and that interventions lead by a qualified music therapist were more effective.

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.