Resources & references

This article describes how music therapy can be an anti-oppressive and affirmative service for LGBTQ+ individuals. It describes the benefits of music therapy in both group and individual settings, and describes an example of how one client benefited from a music therapy program.

This article explores a music therapy project for and by trans and nonbinary people called Phoenix Song Project. It explains what coproduction practices in music therapy are, summarizes the project's journey so far, and provides the authors' reflections.

Read an article on the knowledge of the LGBTQIA+ community by music therapists, and the perceptions of music therapy by the LGBTQIA+ community. Findings suggest a lack of knowledge and preparedness by straight and cisgender music therapists for working with this clientele, in spite of a commitment to an open and non-judgemental approach. Discussions around disclosure is also included.

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.

This paper conceptualizes songwriting as an ‘after-queer’ approach for exploring notions of gender and sexuality with young people. It draws on songs created by adolescents in music-based workshops in schools.

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.