Misconceptions
There are A LOT of misconceptions about what music therapy is and what it isn’t, which is totally understandable. If you didn’t go to school for music therapy, how would you know what it really is?
Music therapists not only have their full-time job of doing music therapy (and possible another part-time job), but they also have to constantly advocate for their profession, due to the many misconceptions. Here are a few comments/questions that music therapists frequently hear.
musical therapy (not a question or really a statement, but that’s just a pet peeve… it’s MUSIC therapy).
my grandpa got music therapy from a nurse at the nursing home. He loved it!
grandma really benefited from the music therapy with the iPod.
I have a major in ______ and a minor in music therapy.
company: “no we don’t need a music therapist, we already have a therapist who does music on the side.”
etc.
I’m not going to explain all that music therapy is, because that would take pages and pages. But here are some things that I would like to share.
Yes, you do have to go to college
as a major in music therapy (not as a minor or a double major in psychology and music)
at an AMTA approved school
you can even get a masters or doctorate in music therapy
You take TONS of classes (music theory, music history, multiple music therapy courses, multiple psychology courses, gen eds, musical groups, music lessons (voice/guitar/piano, practicum, and more)
a 6 month internship is REQUIRED
and it has to be at a site that is approved by the American Music Therapy Association
this could be in hospice, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, private practices, mental health facilities, adult day cares, schools for individuals with disabilities, NICUs, prisons, juvenile detention centers, etc.
There’s a test
the CBMT exam is tough. just like a nurse has to take the NCLEX, a music therapist has to take a board certification exam
There is continuing education
Music therapists are required to continue their education to keep their credentials.
these are called CMTEs and we need to complete 100 hours in 5 years.
For those of you who are not music therapists (majority of my readers right now), please keep this in mind…
Social media is a wonderful way to advocate for music therapy, BUT the videos that we see and the articles that we read are not always written about music therapy. There are tons of posts about how music has affected someone in some way, which is GREAT! But make sure, when posting, that you see MT-BC or board certified music therapist somewhere in the article or video.
It is so important for us as music therapists to advocate for our profession. Music therapy is not just listening to music as entertainment. Music therapy is evidence-based. There are goals that are being met. There was time put into the decision of the song being played. It is individualized, meaning that interventions were created specifically for our client. There is so much more that goes into music therapy than just “playing music.”
Here are some links that ARE NOT music therapy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyZQf0p73QM
Here are some links that ARE music therapy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEP0Wms_5Dg
Okay, I won’t overwhelm you with so many videos. But just remember.
Just because they call it music therapy, doesn’t mean that it’s actually '“music therapy.”
LET’S ADVOCATE!!
