FAQ What Do Music Therapists Do? Music therapists  assess emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities, and cognitive  skills through musical responses; design music sessions  for individuals and groups based on client needs using  music improvisation, receptive music listening, song writing, lyric discussion, music and imagery, music   performance, and learning through music; participate in   interdisciplinary treatment planning, ongoing evaluation, and follow up. Who can benefit from music therapy? Children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly with mental health  needs, developmental and learning disabilities,   Alzheimer's disease and other aging related conditions,   substance abuse problems, brain injuries, physical disabilities, and acute and chronic pain, including  mothers in labor. Where do music therapists work? Music therapists work  in psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitative facilities, medical hospitals, outpatient clinics, day care treatment  centers, agencies serving developmentally disabled  persons, community mental health centers, drug and  alcohol programs, senior centers, nursing homes, hospice  programs, correctional facilities, halfway houses,   schools, and private practice. What is the history of music therapy as a health care profession? The idea of music as  a healing influence which could affect health and behavior is as least as old as the writings of Aristotle  and Plato. The 20th century discipline began after World  War I and World War II when community musicians of all  types, both amateur and professional, went to Veterans   hospitals around the country to play for the thousands of   veterans suffering both physical and emotional trauma  from the wars. The patients' notable physical and emotional responses to music led the doctors and nurses  to request the hiring of musicians by the hospitals. It was soon evident that the hospital musicians needed some  prior training before entering the facility and so the  demand grew for a college curriculum. The first music therapy degree program in the world, founded at Michigan State University in 1944, celebrated its 50th anniversary  in 1994. The American Music Therapy Association was  founded in 1998 as a union of the National Association  for Music Therapy and the American Association for Music therapy. Who is qualified to practice music therapy? Persons who complete one of the approved college music therapy curricula (including an internship) are then eligible to sit for  the national examination offered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists. Music therapists who successfully complete the independently administered examination hold the music therapist-board certified credential (MT-BC). Is there research to support music therapy? AMTA promotes a vast  amount of research exploring the benefits of music as  therapy through publication of the Journal of Music  Therapy, Music Therapy Perspectives and   other sources. A substantial body of literature exists to   support the effectiveness of music therapy. How is music therapy utilized in hospitals? Music  is used in general hospitals to: alleviate pain in   conjunction with anesthesia or pain medication: elevate   patients' mood and counteract depression; promote   movement for physical rehabilitation; calm or sedate, often to induce sleep; counteract apprehension or fear;  and lesson muscle tension for the purpose of relaxation,  including the autonomic nervous system. How is music therapy utilized in psychiatric facilities? Music  therapy allows persons with mental health needs to:   explore personal feelings, make positive changes in mood   and emotional states, have a sense of control over life   through successful experiences, practice problem solving,   and resolve conflicts leading to stronger family and peer relationships. How is music therapy utilized in nursing homes? Music  is used with elderly persons to increase or maintain   their level of physical, mental, and social/emotional   functioning. The sensory and intellectual stimulation of  music can help maintain a person's quality of life. How is music therapy utilized in schools? Music therapists are often hired in schools to provide music therapy services listed on the Individualized Education  Plan for mainstreamed special learners. Music learning is  used to strengthen nonmusical areas such as communication  skills and physical coordination skills which are important for daily life. What is the American Music Therapy Association? The American Music Therapy Association is the largest professional association which represents over 5,000 music therapists, corporate members and related  associations worldwide. Founded in 1998, its mission is  the progressive development of the therapeutic use of  music in rehabilitation, special education, and community  settings. AMTA sets the education and clinical training standards for music therapists. Predecessors to the American Music Therapy Association included the National Association for Music Therapy founded in 1950 and the  American Association for Music Therapy founded in 1971. What is a typical music therapy session like? Since music therapists serve a wide variety of persons with   many different types of needs there is no such thing as  an overall typical session. Sessions are designed and  music selected based on the individual client's treatment  plan. What is the future of music therapy? The future of music therapy is promising because state of the  art music therapy research in physical rehabilitation, Alzheimer's disease, and psychoneuroimmunology is documenting the effectiveness of music therapy in terms  that are important in the context of a biological medical model. (reprinted from the American Music Therapy Association website — www.musictherapy.org)