What is Music Therapy?
According to the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), “Music therapy is an established healthcare profession that uses music to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals of all ages. Music therapy improves the quality of life for persons who are well and meets all the needs of child and adults with disabilities or illness.”
What do Music Therapist do?
Music therapist use music to work towards individualized goals including:
- Songwriting, discussing lyrics and musical improvisation to improve self-esteem, encourage self-expression and personal insight.
- Playing musical instruments to establish communication, encourage self-expression, adopt positive forms of behavior, and improve concentration and attention span
- Listening to music to increase awareness of self and environment, to develop coping and relaxation skills
- Singing to encourage speech development, reinforce academic concepts and establish communication
Who Can Benefit from Music Therapy?
Individuals of all ages and levels can benefit from music therapy including individuals with:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Mental Retardation
- Mental Illness
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Developmental Disabilities
- Neurological Impairments
- Physical Limitations
- Downs Syndrome
Kelly Martin has been a board certified music therapist (MT-BC) for the past six years. In addition to an undergraduate degree in Music Therapy from Sam Houston State University, Kelly also holds a masters in Counseling Psychology from Bowie State University and is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).