Reflecting on the growth of music therapy across a lifetime: Past, present and future insights

It is often challenging to find information about the details and development of clinical music therapy programs in other parts of the world. This article addresses a gap in the literature by describing the evolution of a neurological rehabilitation program over the past two years in Melbourne, Australia. After providing some local details on the development of rehabilitation music therapy in this part of the world, a brief rationale is offered for the place of music therapy in clinical rehabilitation services. This is followed by a detailed description of the implementation, operation and evaluation of the music therapy program established at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre in 2004. Music therapy in adult neurological rehabilitation is still an emerging area of practice in Australia. Although the first music therapy service for adult rehabilitation was piloted and developed here over 13 years ago, few rehabilitation facilities currently employ music therapy as a standard part of rehabilitation service. Although research and practice of music therapy in rehabilitation internationally is relatively new, it has been practiced for around 20 to 30 years in the United Kingdom and the United States of America respectively. The scarcity of music therapy positions in rehabilitation facilities in Australia is possibly a reflection of the lack of understanding of music therapy on the part of funding bodies and the shortage of rigorous music therapy research in this field. The establishment of new music therapy positions in rehabilitation facilities reflects the development of music therapy in neurorehabilitation internationally in terms of research, clinical practice and publications.

Creativity and partnership

Current and retrospective information on The First International Symposium on Music Therapy Training, held in Herdecke, Germany, in October 1978, is presented in this essay. The symposium brought music therapists and music therapy educators from around the world together to search for ways in which international cooperation in music therapy education could be beneficial. This was one of the earliest gatherings of music therapists from around the world and, in the view of some of the participants, an important precursor of later international cooperation in music therapy. Input was sought from the original participants, from their perspectives 23 years later, as to the impact of the symposium on them and on the development of music therapy in their countries. These recent views of participants, along with excerpts from a paper that was written about the symposium shortly after it occurred, are presented. Themes that emerged are also discussed.

Simultaneously with the establishment of music therapy training courses in London and Vienna in 1958/1959, the article by the doctor and founder of the Camphill movement Karl König on Music Therapy in Curative Education was published. König dealt with basic musical elements such as melody, harmony and rhythm and their therapeutic effect on children with severe contact disorders, motor- and hearing impairment. He contributed to the development of anthroposophical music therapy and gave impulses for further research into the effect of music with regard to life, to vitality. In particular, Paul Nordoff, Hans Heinrich Engel, Hermann Pfrogner and Maria Schüppel took up these and advanced them further in their phenomenological research. Thus the work of König and the Camphill Movement seems to have had a historical influence on the development of music therapy. The qualitative approach of internalizing elements of music is relevant again today.

Welcome to this special feature of Approaches: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Music Therapy. Edited by Giorgos Tsiris and Enrico Ceccato, this edition is inspired by the 1st Mediterranean Music Therapy Meeting, which took place in Padua, Italy, on 22nd September 2018. I want to congratulate and thank the organising team of this event, Scuola di Musicoterapia Giovanni Ferrari de Padova, with the patronage of the Italian Association of Professional Music Therapists (AIM) and the Italian Confederation of Associations and Music Therapy Schools (CONFIAM), for their initiative and efforts to create a space for music therapy professionals from different Mediterranean countries to meet, share and exchange experiences. The title of the meeting, ‘Dialogue on Music Therapy Interventions for Dementia and End-Of-Life Care: Voices from Beyond the Sea’ illustrates clearly the focus of the event. The programme incorporated a beautiful balance of theoretical presentations, workshops and music performances. It was certainly a unique opportunity for me to participate in this meeting as an expert in music therapy with PWD and as President of the World Federation of Music Therapy (WFMT).
 I have worked as a clinician, teacher, and researcher within the field of music therapy for over 30 years, and have had the opportunity to be a part of, and witness, the development of music therapy in different parts of the world. These experiences have taught me to celebrate two things. Firstly, that it is important to praise the many layers of diversity that exist among all of us, such as the various theories and approaches to research, cultural intricacies, training backgrounds, therapeutic methodologies, and the many languages through which we express ourselves. To embrace all these layers of diversity requires openness and an ability to listen, connect, and work together. Secondly, it is important to celebrate the oneness that we have together. Many commonalities exist across the eight regions of the globe encompassed by the WFMT; many more than we often perceive.
 The WFMT was established in 1985 by a team of dynamic, pioneering music therapists to strengthen international links and promote the profession of music therapy globally. The awareness that the establishment and recognition of the music therapy profession is varied across countries calls for a delicate balance between global and local aspects of professional development. To this end, the growth, organisation and professionalisation of music therapy continues across the world. At the various conferences, meetings and symposia held to further our profession, practice examples are shared and we can all learn from one another. Subsequently, topics related to training, current situation, future prospects and viability for professional regulation are addressed in many countries from different perspectives.
 The Mediterranean countries fall into two of the WFMT regions: Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. Each region has a dedicated member of the WFMT Council, a Regional Liaison, who establishes contact with representatives from professional associations or individual music therapists in relevant countries, and who presents regular reports of local news via the WFMT website and social media. The WFMT members are a mixture of professional bodies, music therapists, students and allied organisations from around the world. In Europe, many of the Southern countries bordering the Mediterranean have qualified, practising music therapists with considerable years of experience and professional associations who are actively contacting and communicating with their governmental institutions to promote and/or improve the recognition process of music therapy. Both the European Music Therapy Confederation (EMTC) and the WFMT play a part in promoting collaboration and exchange between therapists, helping to equip them for this task.
 The Eastern Mediterranean Region of the WFMT extends to the continents of Africa and Western Asia, containing countries set within diverse cultural and political contexts, and where our profession is, in many cases, barely represented. We hear of widely differing attitudes towards the recognition of the psychosocial needs of individuals within healthcare systems, and such diversity is also reflected in the music therapy profession. This presents itself at different stages of development in each of the countries in regard to: number of professional music therapists, training courses, professional associations, number and type of facilities which offer music therapy services, populations served by music therapists, recognition of the profession, research activity/production and music therapy-specific publications. These variations highlight another issue: the challenge of diversity, tensions and contradictions in the field of music therapy. However, these challenges can also be looked as an opportunity for current as well as future music therapists in these countries. Certainly, the field is in the very pioneering stages in this huge region, with very few professional music therapists. However, the hard and continuous work of those who are there contributes to raising awareness about the possibilities and benefits music offers to people with specific needs and helps to create job opportunities. On the other hand, the current challenges and struggles music therapists face in these countries, where the profession is in its infancy, are the overall lack of awareness of what music therapy is, sustainability of practice, and having no standardised guidelines to support practice. It is enlightening for the WFMT to learn from those stories in order to help promote the field in the best way possible in the Eastern Mediterranean, in liaison with national and other international associations and professional bodies.
 Events such as the 1st Mediterranean Music Therapy Meeting are always enriching and motivating, since they foster collaboration and welcome dialogue. In addition, it is an opportunity to meet professionals from other countries and learn about their work while highlighting some common elements and patterns. Meetings, working group discussions, coffee breaks, walks and dinners – all have offered opportunities for exchange, debate, and mutual support. The international professional group who gathered on this occasion certainly highlighted the diverse landscape of music therapy across cultures; bringing to the fore varied histories and paths of professional development, as well as financial and political priorities and needs. I hope this is the beginning of many more in this region of the world, and that they allow diverse voices to be heard. Research, theory development and dialogue are essential components for maintaining a reflexive stance while revisiting music therapy’s histories and envisioning its future development in relation to the changing needs and resources of society.
 As President of the WFMT, attending and presenting at these types of events, it is a great opportunity to talk about the WFMT and to share the work of the Council and of our members. This reaffirms why the WFMT exists, and what it can offer to assist all the music therapy professionals and pioneers who work persistently to advance the development and growth of the profession in their own countries. When we work together, we can accomplish much. Thank you for hosting an amazing educational, networking, cultural and social event! It was an honour to represent the WFMT and to support the continued efforts to foster communication between therapists and countries within the Mediterranean region.

Welcome to this new issue of Approaches. Although published with some delay, we hope that this issue will stimulate dialogue and offer new perspectives to practice, theory and research. Some articles were included in Approaches’ First View section one or two years ago but their content remains relevant to contemporary developments in the music therapy field. In her article, Saville focuses on outcome measurement with specific reference to the ‘East Kent Outcomes System’ (EKOS). The application of EKOS, as a means of identifying and tracking outcomes of participation in music therapy, is illustrated through a case example with an adult with intellectual disability. Saville’s work adds to the expanding interest in outcome measurement in music therapy (Spiro, Tsiris & Cripps 2018a, 2018b). Similarly, Pasiali, Schoolmeesters and Engen present a detailed analysis of measures of resilience. They outline various ways music therapists may look into assessing resilience and use the results as a way to inform their clinical practice. Silverman and Baker turn the spotlight on the notion of flow. They explore its meanings and its potential as a possible mechanism of change that can explain research outcomes in music therapy. On the other hand, Neudofer presents a metatheoretical perspective of music therapy through the lens of Baier’s anthropological theory of spirituality. Through patient narratives emerging from an action research study, she explores how patients with cancer identify their unique stories and find a sense of identity and meaning. Based on an ethnographic study in two homes for the elderly, the final article offers an experiential description of tango during the interwar period in Greece. Koufou explores people’s experiences of tango from a socio-cultural point of view, weaves oral history snippets together, and presents the potential impact of tango on the current sense of identity and wellbeing of the participants. In addition to these five articles, in this issue you will find an interview with Barbara Wheeler, a prominent figure and author of multiple music therapy textbooks. Interviewed by Daphne Rickson, Wheeler reflects on music therapy research, using the publication of the third edition of Music Therapy Research as a springboard. Some of the historical perspectives offered in Wheeler’s interview resonate with those in Suzanne Hanser’s report. Through the account of the establishment and development of music therapy at Berklee College of Music in the USA over the past 20 years, Hanser outlines some broader issues pertaining to the contemporary training of music therapists (see also: Coombes & Etmektsoglou 2017). This journal issue also includes seven book reviews, nine conference reports, as well as a tribute to Mary Priestley, who died on 11th June 2017. Since the last journal issue in 2017, the team of Approaches has been busy improving the journal’s infrastructure and streamlining its reviewing and publication procedures. This work that happens behind the scenes is essential for the sustainability of the journal as we are gradually entering the second decade of its life. Among other developments, a five-year service period has been introduced for all Advisory Editorial Board members. As such, some longstanding members stepped down and some new members joined the team. With this opportunity we would like to warmly thank Catherine Carr, Theo Dimitriadis, Ioanna Etmektsoglou, Panagiotis Kabilis, Panagiotis Kanellopoulos and Evangelia Papanikolaou for their service over the past years. At the same time, we have welcomed Bolette Daniels Beck, Kjetil Hjørnevik and Mike Silverman. The voluntary work of all team members has played, and continues to play, a decisive role in ensuring the quality of the publications appearing in Approaches. With the ultimate goal of advancing music therapy knowledge and practice, our editorial team has collaborated with over 400 contributing authors and 100 reviewers to date. A full list of their names has been made available online: https://approaches.gr/editorial-board In closing, we warmly thank the sponsors of Approaches and we are pleased to announce two new sponsors: ‘echo’ Music Psychotherapy Center, and Music Therapy New Zealand. The support of all sponsors provides the essential means to continue our work and maintain Approaches as an open-access journal. References Coombes, E., & Etmektsoglou, I. (2017). Glimpses into the challenges and opportunities of a new training programme: The MA Music Therapy programme at the University of South Wales. Approaches: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Music Therapy, 9(1), 120-127. Spiro, N., Tsiris, G., & Cripps, C. (2018a). A systematic review of outcome measures in music therapy. Music Therapy Perspectives, 36(1), 67-78. Spiro, N., Tsiris, G., & Cripps, C. (2018b). “Sounds good, but… what is it?” An introduction to outcome measurement from a music therapy perspective. Approaches: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Music Therapy, First View (Advance online publication), 1-19. Suggested citation:Tsiris, G., & Pasiali, V. (2018). Behind the scenes. Approaches: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Music Therapy, 10(1), 5-6.

ABSTRACT: This article reports on the Symposium of Experiential Learning in Music Therapy, the second symposium of the World Federation of Music Therapy (WFMT) Commission on Education, Training, and Accreditation, held as part of the 10th World Congress of Music Therapy in Oxford, England, in July, 2002. The symposium focused on approaches, research, and issues surrounding experiential learning in music therapy education. Thirty-four music therapy educators and supervisors from 12 countries participated in the symposium. This paper summarizes the 12 presentations as well as the dialogue and debate that followed. The article concludes with a summary of the issues related to experiential learning that were identified. The Symposium on Experiential Learning in Music Therapy, the second symposium of the World Federation of Music Therapy (WFMT) Commission on Education, Training, and Accreditation, was held as part of the 10th World Congress of Music Therapy in Oxford, England, in July, 2002. The topic of experiential learning was selected as an outgrowth of the first symposium of the same WFMT commission, held in 1999 during the 9th World Congress of Music Therapy in Washington, DC, where many issues about experiential learning emerged (Wheeler & Grocke, 2001). The program included presentations on various aspects of experiential learning and was organized around four themes: broad views, approaches, research, and issues. Group discussion followed each set of presentations. Thirty-four music therapy educators and supervisors from 12 countries participated in the symposium. The presenters included Barbara Wheeler (USA); Lia Rejane Barcellos (Brazil), Rachel Darnley-Smith (England), Cheryl Dileo (USA), Denise Grocke (Australia), Nigel Hartley (England), Connie Isenberg-Grzeda (Canada), Mechtild Jahn-Langenberg (Germany), Kathleen Murphy (USA), lnge Nygaard Pedersen (Denmark), Benedikte Scheiby (USA), Chava Sekeles (Israel), and Elaine Streeter (England). Barbara Wheeler, chair, opened the symposium by providing a context for the day's program. She noted that this was the second symposium sponsored by the WFMT Commission on Education, Training, and Accreditation. The First Education Symposium, held in 1999, led to the development of WFMT Guidelines for Music Therapy Education and Training. Experiential learning was chosen as the topic for this second symposium as it is an important issue in music therapy education and had received the most spirited discussion at the first symposium. This symposium also recognized the importance of experiential learning in music therapy and the many unresolved issues that surround it. While Bruscia's (1998) definition of experiential learning2 was provided as a reference, the term was used broadly to include all the various models and approaches that were to be presented. Broad Views This section opened with Self-Experiencing of the Music Therapy Student, presented by Chava Sekeles, who discussed her rationale for including self-experiences as a component of music therapy education. She believes that self-experiences should be used to help students develop careful listening and empathy. They also help students understand that their imprinted musical memories will impact their work as a music therapist. Sekeles suggested that self-experiences should be combined with other forms of therapy, experiential training, and education. These include: (a) individual and/or group therapy, in class or in a private setting; (b) formal and nonformal music studies; (c) peer activities outside the official program-attending concerts, improvisation groups; (d) studies of specific music therapy models through simulation and role plays; (e) the interrelation between music and words, individual and group observations, and supervised internship; (f) nonfrontal seminars; (g) workshops-music, self-experiences, vocal improvisation; (h) movement for self expression; (i) visits to therapeutic settings; and (j) giving concerts in therapeutic settings. …

Journal Article A Survey of Online Courses in Music Therapy Get access Victoria P. Vega, Victoria P. Vega Loyola University New Orleans Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Douglas Keith Douglas Keith Georgia College and State University Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Music Therapy Perspectives, Volume 30, Issue 2, 2012, Pages 176–182, https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/30.2.176 Published: 01 November 2012

Music therapy has been internationally recognized as a health-promoting profession since the end of World War II, and music therapists have been conducting research in neonatal intensive care since the 1990s. Music therapy professional training was established in Poland in 1973 at the Music Academy in Wrocław, and Polish music therapists have recently begun to seek specialization to work within neonatal intensive care. The commencement of the multi-site international randomized controlled trial LongSTEP, Longitudinal Study of music Therapy’s Effectiveness for Premature infants and their caregivers, has provided the impetus for Polish music therapists to begin offering music therapy services in neonatal intensive care. Thus, engagement in research marks the critical first step in the development of music therapy in neonatal care in Poland. This perspective article examines the current state of experimental research on music therapy in neonatal care and explores its implications for future research in Poland by (1) presenting the clinical aspects of prematurity; (2) summarizing experimental research on music therapy in neonatal intensive care; (3) identifying gaps in the related evidence base; (4) discussing recent developments in international music therapy research; (5) contextualizing music therapy in the Polish neonatal health care system; (6) presenting advanced training in neonatal music therapy, and (7) discussing how culturally relevant aspects of neonatal settings in Poland might impact future research. There is preliminary evidence that music therapy plays a beneficial role for preterm infants and their primary caregivers during the neonatal period; however, research examining long-term impacts and longer-term intervention is needed. Researchers in Poland are poised to make a significant contribution to the international evidence base related to music therapy in neonatal care, and further exploration of particular facets of the Polish neonatal health care system that will impact the delivery of music therapy is warranted.

2015 has been a year of key changes and developments in Approaches bringing the journal into a new cycle of its life. In the summer of this year, the special issue on ‘Music Therapy in Europe: Paths of Professional Development’ was published. This issue of Approaches, as outlined in the respective editorial (Ridder & Tsiris 2015), brought many ‘firsts’: in addition to being published not only in online but also in print format, this issue was the first collaborative publication of Approaches together with a partner organisation – the European Music Therapy Confederation (EMTC). This has set the ground for future collaborations with other professional and disciplinary bodies. In the months after the publication of the 2015 special issue, two key changes took place. Firstly, Approaches became a fully autonomous publication and launched its new, independent website (www.approaches.gr). Secondly, the name of the journal changed to ‘Approaches: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Music Therapy’, ISSN: 2459-3338 (formerly known as ‘Approaches: Music Therapy & Special Music Education’, ISSN: 1791-9622). By becoming an independent publication with its own website, Approaches has gained full autonomy and managerial responsibility, including the required website administration throughout the whole publication process: from submission to online publication of manuscripts. This contributes to speeding up the publication process by drastically reducing the waiting time between submission and publication of papers on First View, the journal’s advance online publication section. At the same time, the new name of the journal reflects with greater accuracy its focus and vision: Approaches is a peer-reviewed music therapy journal that, in addition to texts that relate directly to music therapy (in its diverse applications and guises as a practice, profession and discipline), invites interdisciplinary approaches and perspectives from the broader field of music, health and wellbeing, to include music education, community music, psychology of music and medical ethnomusicology. As we enter this new cycle of the journal’s life, we would like to seize the opportunity and thank everyone who has supported Approaches to date: editorial board members, authors, reviewers and, of course, our readers. We would like to particularly acknowledge and express our gratitude to the Greek Association of Primary Music Education Teachers (GAPMET). From 2008 until mid-2015, and under the chairmanship of Maria Argyriou, GAPMET served as an affiliated partner and publisher of Approaches. In addition to generously hosting the journal on their website and providing the required website administration, GAPMET offered a community within which initial ideas were tested and developed. Their support was vital during the formative years of the journal’s development, and the team of Approaches is enormously thankful for their support. With this opportunity we would also like to revisit the journal’s vision. As the first peer-reviewed journal of music therapy in Hellas, Approaches was established in 2008 in the spirit of contributing not only to the Hellenic, but also to the global scene of music therapy, promoting the dialogue between different disciplinary as well as cultural communities. This remains true and at the heart of Approaches’ work and its endeavour to respond to the changing needs of the diverse communities it serves. Inevitably, its interdisciplinary and intercultural interests constantly pose questions regarding the ‘local’ and the ‘global’ in terms of discipline, language and culture. These questions remain relevant and inform the vision of Approaches which has four main pillars: bilingualism: as a bilingual (Hellenic-English) publication, the journal is addressed both to the international community and to the Hellenic-speaking readership. The team of Approaches argues that the development of indigenous academic reasoning and language contributes significantly to the advance of scientific knowledge and professional practices within each cultural context. interdisciplinarity: as an interdisciplinary publication, the journal invites diverse perspectives and approaches not only from the field of music therapy but also from related disciplines from the broader field of music, health and wellbeing. Interdisciplinary dialogue and mutual exchange is at the core of our vision. peer-review: as an academic publication, the journal follows a thorough review process for all submissions. Apart from ensuring the high standard of publications appearing in Approaches, the review process is an essential ingredient of our commitment to dialogue. Remaining sensitive to different ‘local’ criteria (in terms of discipline, language and culture) and to the nature of different submission genres, Approaches offers different review routes. open access: in Approaches we believe that free access and dissemination of knowledge is highly important, giving the opportunity to everyone to have access to knowledge and the opportunity to co-create such knowledge. The latter point reflects the journal’s commitment to free knowledge building and sharing. As a fully open access journal, contributing authors publish their work free of charge and all its contents are freely available online. In addition, all editorial board members offer their expertise on a voluntary basis. The sustainability of Approaches and its open access policy, however, relies on its capacity to raise a modest amount of funds through donations to cover website-related expenses. In the past, most of these costs were generously covered by GAPMET, but as part of the journal’s development we currently seek new partners and sponsors. We invite you to read more on our website about how you as an individual or your organisation could support our work. Our first sponsors will be announced in mid-January 2016. On that note we warmly welcome you to this new issue of Approaches. The contents reflect the diversity of submission genres accepted in the journal. The issue opens with two articles authored by Becky White and Victoria Churchill respectively. Through a case study of group music therapy, White explores how psychodynamic music therapy combined with TEACCH could provide opportunities for social interaction and communication. On the other hand, Churchill focuses on the role of assessment in music therapy and offers an overview of documented concepts and definitions. These two articles are followed by an interview with Rolando Benenzon who talks about his journey in music therapy and the development of ‘Benenzon Psychotherapy’. Then, four book reviews are followed by two conference reports and three tributes. The latter celebrate the lives of three individuals who made a significant contribution to the field nationally and internationally: Helen Leith, Margaret Murray and Richard Graham. Looking ahead, Approaches aspires to continue welcoming a range of submission genres and enable different voices and approaches to be heard. In this context, two special issues are currently in preparation: ‘Music, Drama, Dance Movement and Art Therapy: Interdisciplinary Dialogues’ (guest editor: Vicky Karkou) and ‘Dalcroze Eurhythmics in Music Therapy and Special Music Education’ (guest editor: John Habron). We are also pleased to announce that Approaches serves as a partner of the International Society for Music Education (ISME) Commission on Special Music Education and Music Therapy and is supporting the organisation of the Commission’s seminar which will take place on 20-23 July 2016 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Co-hosted by Drake Music Scotland and Edinburgh’s Reid School of Music at the University of Edinburgh, this is a pre-conference seminar happening just a few days before the 32nd World Conference of ISME. In closing, we encourage you to follow Approaches on Facebook and keep up-to-date with the new publications appearing on the journal as well as other key developments and news of Approaches and its partners. Together with Hermes, our official newsletter, the Facebook page of Approaches provides opportunities for sharing and community building. We look forward to keeping in touch with you. References Ridder, H. M., & Tsiris, G. (2015). ‘Thinking globally, acting locally’: Music therapy in Europe. Approaches: Music Therapy & Special Music Education, Special Issue 7(1), 3-9 Suggested citation: Tsiris, G., & Carr, C. (2015). Key changes and developments. Approaches: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Music Therapy, 7(2), 194-196.

The chapters in this current book reflect current and/or necessary changes in music therapy training that come about because of history, society, economy, generational shifts and the workplace. Although the subject matter in these chapters may appear disparate, it is not. The subject matter invites comparison in the following ways: 1) questions the nature of music therapy itself; 2) examines challenges to education and training; 3) suggests critical thinking (vs repetition or repackaging of information) for students, educators, clinicians, researchers and supervisors in the field of music therapy; 4) respects the past but looks to the future; 5) offers perspective from others in the field through such vehicles as surveys, interviews and/or reviews of literature. Part I is titled ‘New Frameworks and Content for Music Therapy Education and Training’ Part II of the book, ‘Online Formats for Music Therapy Education and Training’ offers two chapters which have become increasingly urgent information due to the emergence of the COVID-19 epidemic throughout the world (March 2020), now in its third year, coupled with the explosion of technological resources and demand for online and hybrid learning. Part III of the book, ‘Inclusivity in Music Therapy Education and Training,’ presents two vital chapters to remind educators of pressing issues. Part IV of the book, ‘Professional Opportunities in Music Therapy Education, Training and Development,’ present four uniquely different chapters, yet each focuses on opportunities that any student or educator should consider. Part V, ‘Ongoing issues and Possibilities in Music Therapy Education and Training,’ considers two more developing topics in the field. Readers will enjoy and profit from this book, reflecting on how to continue to move on in music therapy education and training.

Critical pedagogy in the undergraduate music therapy curriculum: A grounded theory study of music therapy educators

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic thrust telehealth practices, education, and clinical training into the professional conversation. However, regulations for telehealth practice are lagging. We sought to assess how music therapy (MT) educators include telehealth training in their curriculum. Method We globally distributed a cross-sectional online survey with 32 questions to MT educators covering four sections: (a) demographic information, (b) Telehealth Music Therapy (TMT) education and training at participants’ institution, (c) educator training/perspectives/perceptions on TMT, (d) resources participants use to teach TMT. We used descriptive statistics and correlation analysis for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative responses. Results Sixty-one music therapy educators responded to the survey. Most respondents (n = 51, 85%) do not require students to practice TMT as part of their training nor offer opportunities for telehealth placements (n = 36, 60%), yet the majority believe TMT should be taught in all programs and therapists should offer accessible services for clients in isolated contexts. Several respondents reported that technology was the largest challenge in teaching TMT. Respondents also noted the complexities of building online relationships, along with balancing a busy curriculum. Finally, culture was highlighted, with differing perceptions and relevancy of TMT across the globe. Discussion While the professional music therapy associations responded quickly with guidance for clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic, we found that education and training vary between institutions and across countries, which points to the need for TMT to be formally included in music therapy training and education programs.

<p>This PhD research explored perceptions about the integration of research and practice in the Masters’ training of music therapists. Using constructivist case study methodology, the study analysed viewpoints of international educators, researchers and students about how research could helpfully be integrated into the practical and conceptual learning of music therapy trainees. The synthesis of research and practice in the professional music therapy field has regularly been advocated but recent studies and reviews suggest there is significant need for development of pedagogical theory and guidance for educators and students in the interface between placements and university-based learning in key areas, including research. Participants included a purposeful sample of 19 music therapy practitioners, researchers, educators and students in the wider international profession of music therapy and at music therapy training programmes in Europe and Australasia. Data sources included focus groups of professionals, two site visits to training programmes (comprising interviews, observations, field notes and concluding improvisation session) and a researcher reflective journal. Core themes identified in the thematic analysis concentrated on cherishing students’ fire and curiosity; facilitating the acknowledgement and management of change; and helping students embrace complexity in their music therapy education. Evidence from this study indicates that moving beyond ‘research competency’ and the development of individual academic skills towards collaborative, engaged learning with peers and supervisors, has potential to nurture sustainable, practice-based researchers of the future. Devising integrative strategies for learning and assessment, undertaken in diverse ways and to suit varied contexts for training, was perceived to be inspiring for students and educators and rehearsed significant professional tasks. These strategies - despite tensions experienced in their development - had potential to deepen personal learning, develop creative and critical skills that characterise graduate attributes of University Masters’ courses, and prepare graduates for evidence-based practice in health and education workplaces. An integrative model for a more holistic approach to learning, combining individual and collaborative approaches and using opportunities inside and outside the programme was developed, allowing for differences in culture and approach of the institutions which host music therapy training. The challenges and solutions explored in this research, while being particular to this qualitative music therapy study, have potential relevance to other applied areas of professional practice and research, such as arts therapies, allied health disciplines, education and nursing.</p>

<p>This PhD research explored perceptions about the integration of research and practice in the Masters’ training of music therapists. Using constructivist case study methodology, the study analysed viewpoints of international educators, researchers and students about how research could helpfully be integrated into the practical and conceptual learning of music therapy trainees. The synthesis of research and practice in the professional music therapy field has regularly been advocated but recent studies and reviews suggest there is significant need for development of pedagogical theory and guidance for educators and students in the interface between placements and university-based learning in key areas, including research. Participants included a purposeful sample of 19 music therapy practitioners, researchers, educators and students in the wider international profession of music therapy and at music therapy training programmes in Europe and Australasia. Data sources included focus groups of professionals, two site visits to training programmes (comprising interviews, observations, field notes and concluding improvisation session) and a researcher reflective journal. Core themes identified in the thematic analysis concentrated on cherishing students’ fire and curiosity; facilitating the acknowledgement and management of change; and helping students embrace complexity in their music therapy education. Evidence from this study indicates that moving beyond ‘research competency’ and the development of individual academic skills towards collaborative, engaged learning with peers and supervisors, has potential to nurture sustainable, practice-based researchers of the future. Devising integrative strategies for learning and assessment, undertaken in diverse ways and to suit varied contexts for training, was perceived to be inspiring for students and educators and rehearsed significant professional tasks. These strategies - despite tensions experienced in their development - had potential to deepen personal learning, develop creative and critical skills that characterise graduate attributes of University Masters’ courses, and prepare graduates for evidence-based practice in health and education workplaces. An integrative model for a more holistic approach to learning, combining individual and collaborative approaches and using opportunities inside and outside the programme was developed, allowing for differences in culture and approach of the institutions which host music therapy training. The challenges and solutions explored in this research, while being particular to this qualitative music therapy study, have potential relevance to other applied areas of professional practice and research, such as arts therapies, allied health disciplines, education and nursing.</p>