Perspectives on Building Momentum to Reach New Heights in Music Therapy Research.

Abstract

When I was invited to write about my perspective on music therapy research as an early-career researcher, I thought it would be a good opportunity to reflect on my own research experiences and share how those have shaped my view of music therapy research. I did not know how difficult and messy it would feel to put those perspectives on paper. Although I have been in the field for a number of years, I am new when it comes to the role of a full-time researcher, and there is a lot that I have yet to discover. It feels scary to share thoughts on the things I am just learning. I have also never written a publication like this. Figuring out how to write my exact thoughts about music therapy research has been a challenging process where I found myself reverting to the writing style of a literature review. Finally, the field of music therapy is amid a complex transformation that is necessary to build a future that is diverse and inclusive, including all aspects of research. I am mindful of the many privileges that have led me to the opportunity of writing this piece. I acknowledge I am only one perspective and that your experiences may be similar or vastly different from my own. It is my hope that what I share inspires new conversations and ideas, sparking momentum that can bring music therapy research to new heights in the next 60 years. After all the pondering and discarded drafts, I have settled on sharing how three experiences from my own research journey have contributed to my perspective on where music therapy research is today. Although these are my experiences, I do not believe they are entirely unique, so I hope that something from my story will resonate with you.