Abstract
Multicultural experiential learning is an approach that offers a unique way for music therapy students and professionals to learn, develop, and maintain multicultural skills that are necessary when working with any client. This approach may help music therapists and students, particularly those that identify as White and female in gaining a greater awareness of themselves in relation to diverse clients. Multicultural learning is a process that involves three steps: self-examination, learning about other cultures, and developing clinical skills. Because of the varied experiences and training of music therapists, this approach offers opportunities for music therapists to take initiative in their own multicultural learning. It also provides new developments in university and college curriculums. Examples of multicultural experiential learning and the process of the author and music therapist are discussed to provide insight into how these tasks impacted her and her awareness of multicultural issues.
Highlights
There has been an increased interest of multicultural topics in music therapy as seen in conference programs, continuing music therapy education courses, and changing higher education curriculums (10th European Music Therapy Conference, 2016; American Music Therapy Association, 2016; Mid-Atlantic Region of the Music Therapy Association, 2017; The World Federation of Music Therapy, 2017a; The World Federation of Music Therapy, 2017b). These topics are being integrated into professional development and training for music therapists and music therapy students at the local, regional, national, and international levels
Mistakes are necessary and cultural humility must put into action multicultural learners at all levels (Whitehead-Pleaux & Tan, 2017)
The three-part process of examining the self, learning about other cultures, and developing clinical skills discussed by several researchers must become a non-sequential process that includes multicultural experiential learning (Orozco et al, 2014; Ratts & Pederson, 2014; Sue, Arrendodo, & McDavis, 1992)
Summary
There has been an increased interest of multicultural topics in music therapy as seen in conference programs, continuing music therapy education courses, and changing higher education curriculums (10th European Music Therapy Conference, 2016; American Music Therapy Association, 2016; Mid-Atlantic Region of the Music Therapy Association, 2017; The World Federation of Music Therapy, 2017a; The World Federation of Music Therapy, 2017b). Some music therapy programs at institutes of higher education have adapted their curriculum to encourage student understanding of other cultures. Music therapists can explore their cultural identity and the cultures of others using multicultural learning. It is unclear if these traditional learning experiences prepare music therapists to meet multicultural needs of clients.
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