FAQs
Find answers to frequently asked questions about music therapy treatment.
Who is music therapy for, and related research?
A variety of populations may benefit from music therapy including children, adolescents, adults and the elderly with the following:
What's a music therapy session like?
A session is personalized around the needs and abilities of the client. An assessment is conducted regarding the client's emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities, and cognitive skills through musical responses, then sessions are designed to meet the needs with various musical interventions; treatment planning, evaluation and follow-up are ongoing. Based upon a client's specific needs, music therapy may be short-term for a specific issue, or lengthier, to deal with more long-term topics. Regardless, it is typical for regular sessions to occur weekly.
Who provides music therapy treatment?
Persons who complete an approved bachelors, equivalency, or equivalency masters college music therapy curricula (including an internship) are then eligible to sit for the national examination offered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists. To verify certification credentials of an individual, go to CBMT Search For Provider. Music therapists who successfully complete the independently administered examination hold the credential Music Therapist, Board Certified (MT-BC).
The National Music Therapy Registry (NMTR) serves qualified music therapy professionals with the following designations: RMT (Registered Music Therapist), CMT (Certified Music Therapist), ACMT (Advanced Certified Music Therapist). While new RMT, CMT, and ACMT designations are no longer awarded, individuals who have received and continue to maintain these designations have met accepted educational and clinical training standards and are qualified to practice music therapy.
