Music Therapy 101

Who do music therapists work with?

Home
What is music therapy?
History of music therapy
Who seeks help from music therapists?
Who uses music therapy for treatment?
Theory and Implementation
Education and Training
Music Therapy Links
Case Studies
Beat Stress Flyer
Feedback

image901.jpg
image907.jpg
Waterfalls
 
image903.jpg

image706.jpg

 Music therapist work with patients with various health conditions such as:
 
  • Elderly
  • Developmentally disabled
  • Mental health
  • Physically disabled
  • School age and early childhood
  • Substance abuse
  • Sensory dysfunctions
  • Neurological impairments
  • Terminally ill

Doctor

 A Music Therapist working with a group of patients with neurological impairments could collaborate with a Physical Therapist to reestablish gait patterns with the use of rhythmic beats (Davis, Gfeller, & Thaut, 1999).  Percussive music, utilizing heavy drums and repetitious bass lines, or music with fast tempos may work better in patients who have complications and/or pain with movement and walking (Using music listening in nursing, 2002). 

image632.jpg

The music therapist can have the kids sing the popular children’s song, “The Wheels on the Bus”.  As the children sing the phrase “The Wheels on the bus go round and round”, the children makes circles in the air with their fingers.  As the children sing the phrase “The people on the bus go up and down”, the children bounce up and down.  The children are unconsciously connecting language concepts via music (Davis, Gfeller, & Thaut, 1999).