Music therapy is the use of music-based interventions, by a board-certified music therapist, to work toward non-musical, clinical goals. Music therapy techniques and efficacy are backed by research, neuroscience, and clinical evidence. Music therapists frequently work in interdisciplinary teams including speech pathologists, behavioral specialists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, art therapists, and recreational therapists.

I like to say- if a person would benefit from any other type of therapy- it is likely they’ll benefit from music therapy as well. Music therapists work with neurodivergent children and adults including those diagnosed with ASD, learning disabilities, genetic disabilities, anxiety, depression, and ADHD. Music therapy is also beneficial for children and adults with medical needs including cancer, COPD, post-stroke, TBI, or neurodegenerative diseases.

There is no single formula to a music therapy session. Music therapy may look completely different depending on the client’s needs, attention span, and preferences. Sessions may include singing, moving to music, songwriting, lyric analysis, instrument playing, music and art activities, or improvising. Sessions are constantly adapting based on the client’s reaction at the moment- sometimes I write a new song or create a new activity on the spot because that’s what the client seems to need at that moment!

In the first few sessions, the music therapist will assess the client to determine goals. Sessions will focus primarily on these goals and will continue to be adjusted as needed. Music therapy is unique to other therapies because it covers goals across 5 domains. Communicative, cognitive, social, emotional, and physical/motor. Goals might include improving speech quality, expanding sentences, improving reading/writing, or strengthening executive function skills such as memory, attention, and impulse control. Other goals might include expanding the range of motion, strengthening fine motor skills, emotional expression, coping skills, and emotion regulation.