What is Music Therapy?

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.

Music Therapy is an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. After assessing the strengths and needs of each client, the qualified music therapist provides the indicated treatment including creating, singing, moving to, and/or listening to music. Through musical involvement in the therapeutic context, clients’ abilities are strengthened and transferred to other areas of their lives. Music Therapy also provides avenues for communication that can be helpful to those who find it difficult to express themselves in words. Research in Music Therapy supports its effectiveness in many areas such as: overall physical rehabilitation and facilitating movement, increasing people’s motivation to become engaged in their treatment, providing emotional support for clients and their families, and providing an outlet for expression of feelings.

What do Music Therapists do?

Music therapists assess emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities, and cognitive skills through musical responses; design music sessions for individuals and groups based on client needs using music improvisation, receptive music listening, song writing, lyric discussion, music and imagery, music performance, and learning through music; participate in interdisciplinary treatment planning, ongoing evaluation, and follow up.

Who is qualified to practice Music Therapy?

Persons who complete one of the approved college music therapy curricula (including an internship) are then eligible to sit for the national examination offered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists. Music Therapists who successfully complete the independently administered examination hold the Music Therapist-Board Certified credential (MT-BC).

The National Music Therapy Registry (NMTR) serves qualified Music Therapy professionals with the following designations: RMT, CMT, ACMT. These individuals have met accepted educational and clinical training standards and are qualified to practice Music Therapy.

Where do Music Therapists work?

Music Therapists work in psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitative facilities, medical hospitals, outpatient clinics, day care treatment centers, agencies serving persons with developmental disabilities, community mental health centers, drug and alcohol programs, senior centers, nursing homes, hospice programs, correctional facilities, halfway houses, schools, and private practice.

Our Community Partners

The Music Therapists at MSM, Inc. have worked with community health care, education, and organizations that serve the critical needs of several populations in Pinellas and Hillsborough County communities, where they have introduced new Music Therapy programs and enriched existing ones. MSM, Inc. strives to educate health care professionals and different sectors of our community about Music Therapy and demonstrated how it can improve quality of life across many of its populations.

Music Sweet Music, Inc. has partnerships that include:

• John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Speech Language Pathology, St. Petersburg
• Shriners All Children’s Hospital, Tampa
• PARC Cottages, St. Petersburg
• University of Florida – Internship Program
• Morning Star School, Pinellas Park