Music Therapy

A Brief Explanation of Music Therapy

Music therapy, in short, is the use of music to aid individuals in the relief or recovery from various ailments. In addition, music therapy is also the term used when music is used in a controlled fashion in educational classrooms to enhance learning. A music therapist is a trained individual who uses various musical techniques such as hands on instrument playing, active listening, music and imagery exercises, and discussing song lyrics- amongst many others.

Various research has shown that music therapy can be effective in reducing and managing stress, increasing an individual’s overall well being, strengthen the memory, and even relieve pain and increase recovery time from illness and physical injury.

Training to Become a Music Therapist

Training to become a music therapist often begins before an individual is even aware of it. This is because the first music lesson a person takes is actually the first step to becoming a music therapist. In Canada, music therapists complete a 4-year bachelor’s degree at a university approved by the Canadian Association for Music Therapy. The degree usually requires the student take traditional music courses but also includes health and physiology courses. The degree is followed by a 1,000-hour internship, which usually takes about six months of full time commitment to complete. More more information on Music Therapy MusicTherapy.org is a great resource.

Music Therapy Schools