Resources & references

This audio podcast presents a conversation about music therapy. Prof. Mark Creamer receives Dr Jennifer Bibb and Dr Jason Kenner to discuss the clinical process of music therapy : referral, assessment, treatment, terminaison. Also, the content of music therapy session is discussed. Examples of music therapy experiences are heard. 

This transcription of a podcast episode presents a conversation about music therapy. Prof. Mark Creamer receives Dr Jennifer Bibb and Dr Jason Kenner to discuss the clinical process of music therapy : referral, assessment, treatment, terminaison. Also, the content of music therapy session is discussed. Examples of music therapy experiences are heard. 

This video narrates a young girl progress through her music therapy treatment at Primary Children's Hospital. She was referred to music therapy for an important head injury, and slowly finds her skills back with the help of Kayla Zickerman, Music Therapist. In the end of her two-month hospitalisation, the patient offers a recital that demonstrates the extent of what she was able to work on in music therapy at the hospital. 

This single-blinded randomized controlled trial compares the effects of 1) active group music therapy and 2) receptive group music therapy to group counseling in treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). The conclusion is that group music therapy, either active or receptive, is an interesting adjunctive treatment option for outpatients with MDD. 

Informed by personal experiences, queer autoethnographic research, and literature from the fields of speech-language pathology, vocal pedagogy and music therapy, this paper is an introduction to gender affirming voicework in music therapy, the training that it might involve, and several questions/issues that need further exploration. As a new holistic method grounded in a queer theoretical framework, the author envisions this work to be a therapeutic space focused on accessing and embodying affirming gender expressions by working with the intersections of the physical voice, the psychological voice, and the body as these each become relevant to an individual.

The Jamboree is an intergenerational music therapy program in which young children, typically between the age of 0-4, and their accompanying adults (e.g., parent, grandparent, guardian) take part in weekly music therapy sessions along with residents living in retirement or LTC. During each session, a certified music therapist leads the group in singing songs, moving to music, using instruments and props (e.g., drums, scarves, bubbles) and gently facilitates interaction between participants. Additional care providers (e.g., recreation team members) observe, support and can participate in the program alongside the residents.

This video features the story of a young patient's healing from leukemia, who benefitted from music therapy during her hospital stay. Testimonials from the child, the parents, the music therapist and a peadiatrician are shown. 

In 1997, a music therapy program was first piloted in a community mental health clubhouse and six months later expanded to five community mental health group homes, in British Columbia, Canada. An article published in 2000 described the predominantly song-based approach of that program and documented the participant's evaluation of it, concluding that the client-centred empowerment model of consumer inclusiveness appeared to contribute significantly to the rehabilitative effect of the program. In this article published in 2020, the authors report on the current status of the program, including new data.

This informational page from the Music Therapy Association of British-Columbia provides an overview of music therapy practices in a mental health context. It describes why music therapy may be effective in addressing mental health needs, lists examples of mental illnesses where music therapy can help, presents different approaches and activities that can be used, and provides literature supporting the use of music therapy for mental health.

This is a Cochrane Review (intervention) addressing music therapy for people with substance use disorders. The objective was to compare the effect of music therapy in addition to standard care versus standard care alone, or to standard care plus an active control intervention, on psychological symptoms, substance craving, motivation for treatment, and motivation to stay clean/sober. The review outlines the search methods, selection criteria, data collection and analysis, results, and the authors' conclusions.

Music therapy allows children with visual impairment to reach their goals and develop their motor, cognitive and communications skills. Children who are part of the group explain why they enjoy music therapy. 

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of music therapy support groups (MTSG) on physical, psychological, and social functioning of cancer patients and caregivers. A mixed-methods approach was used, including an experimental, randomized, controlled trial and qualitative data from participant comments. The experimental group demonstrated statistically significant changes pre- to post-session in (a) pain in three sessions; (b) mood, stress, and anxiety in all six sessions; and (c) quality of life in two sessions.