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Most of us have experienced music affecting how we feel. Whether it be an energizing song before a big interview, or a lullaby that settled us as a child, music has the power to change our emotional state. These effects are real and meaningful, but they don't automatically constitute therapy.

During the past 25 years, Music Therapy has been researched and used in clinical practice. While it is sometimes misunderstood as simply playing pleasant or familiar music for someone who is sick, it involves a trained professional using music intentionally toward an individualized therapeutic goal. A licensed music therapist considers the patient's medical or developmental needs, observes how that patient responds, selects specific musical elements and interventions, and continually adapts the experience toward defined therapeutic goals.

In other words, the question is not simply, "What music would this patient enjoy?" It is, "What does this patient need, and how might music support that goal?"

The Patient Comes Before the Music

While you might hop into your car and make a decision on what playlist to choose based on your mood, a music therapist takes a much more........

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