Music therapy is the prescribed use of music by a qualified person to affect positive changes in the psychological, physical, cognitive, or social functioning of individuals with health or educational problems.

The idea of music as a healing influence which could affect health and behavior is at least as old as the writings of Aristotle and Plato. The 20th century discipline began after World War I and World War II when community musicians of all types, both amateur and professional, went to veterans' hospitals around the country to play for the thousands of veterans suffering both physical and emotional trauma from the wars. The patients' notable physical and emotional responses led the doctors and nurses to request the hiring of musicians. However, these musicians would need some prior training before entering the facility, so the demand for a college curriculum grew. The first music therapy degree program was launched at Michigan State University in 1944. The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) founded in 1998 as a union of the National Association for Music Therapy and the American Association for Music Therapy.

AMTA promotes a vast amount of research exploring the benefits of music as therapy through the publication of the Journal of Music Therapy, Music Therapy Perspectives and other sources. A substantial body of literature exists to support the effectiveness of music therapy.

Music therapist assess emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities, and cognitive skills through musical responses. They also 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. Moreover, music therapists participate in interdisciplinary treatment planning, ongoing evaluation and follow up.

Persons who complete one of 69 approved college music therapy curricula including 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).

Anyone can take advantage of the ability of music and other sounds to induce relaxation, with or without professional guidance. Music is not the only type of sound that has been found to have therapeutic value. For many years, enviroment sounds-the sound of a running stream, a waterfall, or bird songs, for instance-have been used by therapists and psychologists as a means of treatment. These sounds, it appears, can do much to relieve stress and lift depression.

Method:

Since music therapists serve a wide variety of persons with many different types of needs, there is no such thing as an overall typical music therapy session. Sessions are designed and music selected based on the individual client's treatment plan.

Health individuals can use music for stress reduction via active music making, such as drumming, as well as passive listening for relaxation. Music is often a vital support for physical exercise. Music therapy assisted labor and delivery may also be included in this category since pregnancy is regarded as a normal part of women's life cycles.

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

Common cures:

Music therapy benefits children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly who have the following problems, diseases, and/or conditions:  

Application:

Music therapists are often hired in schools to provide music therapy services listed on the Individualized Education Plan for mainstream special learners. Music learning is used to strengthen nonmusical areas such as communication skills and physical coordination skills which are important for daily life.

Music therapy is utilized in psychiatric facilities as well. Music therapy allows persons with mental health needs to explore personal feelings, make positive changes in mood and emotional states, have a sense of control over their lives through successful experiences, practice problem solving and resolve conflicts leading to stronger family and peer relationships.

Modern medicine's perspective:

The future of music therapy is promising because state of the art music therapy research in physical rehabilitation, Alzheimer's disease, and psychoneuroimmunology is documenting the effectiveness of music therapy in terms that are important in the context of a biological medical model.

Canadian Association for Music Therapy http://www.bmts.com/~smacnay/camt/camt.html

Massachusetts Music Therapy Association http://www-public.ftp.com/u/d/dfrost/mmta.html

INSTITUTE FOR MUSIC RESEARCH Music Research Information Service http://imr.utsa.edu/

Byung Choi's Music Therapy Homepage http://falcon.cc.ukans.edu/~memt/mt.html

Dirk Cushenberry's Home Page http://falcon.cc.ukans.edu/~dirkcush/

Daniel Leopold's Home Page http://erols.com/leopold

Rainbow Mental Health Musc Therapy Program http://www.kumc.edu/rainbow/mt.html

Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Page http://www.nyu.edu/education/music/mtherapy

MMB Music http://www.mmbmusic.com/cat_links.html "MMB music carries music therapy and creative arts publications."