Resources & references

In this podcast episode, Clinical Psychologist Professor Mark Creamer, and Registered Music Therapists: Dr Jason Kenner and Dr Jennifer Bibb explore what music therapy aims to achieve, treatment goals and why change occurs. Expand your knowledge by hearing about the difference between individual and group sessions, the ways in which music therapy can meet short and long-term goals, and how music therapists use their unique skills and methods to provide collaborative care.

In this transcription of a podcast episode, Clinical Psychologist Professor Mark Creamer, and Registered Music Therapists: Dr Jason Kenner and Dr Jennifer Bibb explore what music therapy aims to achieve, treatment goals and why change occurs. Expand your knowledge by hearing about the difference between individual and group sessions, the ways in which music therapy can meet short and long-term goals, and how music therapists use their unique skills and methods to provide collaborative care.

This study was an exploratory inquiry into the role of music therapy with pre-bereaved informal hospice caregivers. Engagement with resource-oriented music therapy mediates the risk of increased care burden and results in resilience fostering purposefulness and value in caregiving. Resource-oriented music therapy provides a unique clinical avenue for supporting caregivers through pre-bereavement, and was acknowledged by caregivers as a unique and integral hospice service. 

Read a master's thesis exploring the literature around the concept of using musical synchrony in music therapy to improve the social strengths of autistic individuals. Results find that while there has been very little written directly about synchrony in music therapy with autistic individuals, it has been found that autistic individuals process music at the same level as their non-autistic peers, and that synchrony increases through music therapy for non-autistic individuals. Thus, the thesis posits that targeting synchrony in music therapy may be useful for assisting autistic people in building social relationships.

Read a case study about the use of improvisational music therapy for an adolescent with intensive support needs. Themes discussed include choices around structure, multi-sensory approaches, and the musical material.

Read an article exploring the use of the Differentiated Didactic Approach to Teaching the Arts (D.D.A.T.A) framework to bridge the gap between clinical music therapy and social inclusion, particularly in using community music therapy approaches to facilitate inclusion of disabled individuals in cultural arts experiences.

Read an article exploring the ways that a music therapist uses music therapy sessions to support families to engage with music-making with their multiply disabled preschool children outside of the music therapy space. Specific characteristics of the resources and tools provided are discussed.

Click here to read another study on the same research project by the same author.

Read an article exploring two case studies of the interdisciplinary collaboration between music therapists and medical social workers in end-of-life periods for patients in intensive care units (ICUs). The ways that each professional complements the other are highlighted. 

Read an article exploring the use of narrative songwriting into family music therapy sessions. Results suggest that the final product of a song supports sustained positive changes beyond the therapy space.

Read an article discussing an intergenerational music therapy group, led by music therapist Hayley Cann, aiming to bridge gaps and forge social connections between school children and seniors.

The DRUMBEAT program uses drumming to engage at-risk youth in musical expression and discussions on healthy relationships. Findings support its theory that integrating music therapy with cognitive–behavioural principles promotes emotional control, better relationships, and higher self-esteem.

Watch how 3 music therapists — John Mews, Cristin Bostrom, and Nam Kyo Kim — work with children with developmental disabilities and their families.