What is Music Therapy?
Music therapy is the specialized use of music by a credentialed professional who develops individualized treatment and supportive interventions for people of all ages and ability levels to address their sensory, physical, cognitive, communication, social, emotional, and spiritual needs. Music therapists use music to address nonmusical areas; they assess client or patient music preferences, skills and abilities, and areas of need and design specific music interventions to meet those areas of need. Clients do not have to have any musical background to benefit from the therapeutic effects of music.
Examples of specific music interventions include, but are not limited to, movement to music, instrument playing, singing, relaxation to music, lyric analysis, lyric rewrite, and improvisation.
Post graduation, music therapy students are eligible for board certification. After obtaining the certification many of our students are employed at medical facilities, schools, hospice agencies, and private practices across the country.
Where Do Music Therapists Work?
Music therapists work with a variety of clinical populations, and in our program, we prepare students so they are able to be effective music therapists with all of their clients. Music therapists commonly work with
- Children and adults with cognitive disabilities
- Children and adults with physical disabilities
- Children and adults with sensory disabilities (e.g., vision and hearing loss)
- Children and adults with autism spectrum disorder
- Children and adults with emotional or behavioral disorders
- People with psychiatric needs
- People in alcohol or drug addiction recovery
- Children and adults receiving care in medical settings (including oncology, long-term care, and rehabilitation)
- Older adults with memory care needs
- People in hospice care
Our alumni are employed by school systems, hospitals, hospice organizations, and many have started their own music therapy private practices to serve a variety of local agencies.
Is This the Right Profession for You?
Many prospective therapy students wonder what personality characteristics are good indicators of success in this field. A real commitment to helping people, plus the musical and academic dedication necessary to complete a music major are essential, of course. Stability, objectivity, and a strong sense of humor are necessary for balance and perspective. The people with whom we work generally respond best to a person who has a strong sense of values, but who can refrain from judging others and focus on solutions.
What Should I Do to Prepare for a Music Therapy Degree Program?
A music therapy program is, first and foremost, a music program. Acceptance into a music degree program requires preliminary training in applied music (performance) and some knowledge of music theory and literature. Standards for acceptance may vary among different institutions, but these standards should be available in a catalog, online, or by conferring with a music therapy professor at a given school. The University of Alabama’s requirements and the additional School of Music admission requirements are listed in the catalog.
Many prospective therapy students wonder what personality characteristics are good indicators of success in this field. A real commitment to helping people, plus the musical and academic dedication necessary to complete a music major are essential, of course. Stability, objectivity, and a strong sense of humor are necessary for balance and perspective. The people with whom we work generally respond best to a person who has a strong sense of values, but who can refrain from judging others and focus on solutions.
Any music degree requires hard work from a student, and music therapy is no exception. Nevertheless, creatively using your musicianship to help someone get through a rough time can make the hard work seem more than worth the effort.
If you would like to learn more about what it would mean to be a music therapy major at The University of Alabama, please contact the program director, Dr. Andrea Cevasco-Trotter, amtrotter@ua.edu.