We define Music Therapy as the use of music to achieve one’s current full health potential, whether physical, psychological, communicative, social and/or neurological.

The American Music Therapy Association defines music therapy as the following:

“Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.”

The World Federation of Music Therapy defines music therapy as the following:

“Music therapy is the professional use of music and its elements as an intervention in medical, educational, and everyday environments with individuals, groups, families, or communities who seek to optimize their quality of life and improve their physical, social, communicative, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual health and wellbeing. Research, practice, education, and clinical training in music therapy are based on professional standards according to cultural, social, and political contexts. Source: WFMT, 2011.”

These, and other definitions, have changed and evolved through the years with new understanding and knowledge gained through research and clinical trial.  However, the following lines from “An Introduction to Music Therapy” (Davis, Gfeller & Thaut, 1999) remain true:

“Given the various ways in which music is used as a therapeutic tool, it is difficult to articulate a brief yet comprehensive definition of music therapy.” (pg. 6)

“The effectiveness of music as a therapeutic tool that is applied for particular use depends on the skill and knowledge of the therapist.” (pg. 6)

Just as in any other profession Music Therapists have a wide range of skills (these include musical, clinical and adminstrative), use a wide range of tools (musical: such as instruments and genres/types of music, clinical: such as behavioral or humanistic approaches, administrative: such as particular assessments and documentation), and serve a wide range of populations using their skills to address a myriad of goals and objectives.