Music therapy has become increasingly popular in recent years, and for good reason. Music is known to be therapeutic and has been used to help people with mental and physical health issues for centuries. But what exactly is music therapy, and how can you become a music therapist?
Music therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses music as its medium. Music therapists are trained professionals who use music to help clients address their emotional, physical, cognitive, and social needs. Music therapists are typically certified through the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) and must have a bachelor’s degree or higher in music therapy or a related field.
The primary goal of music therapy is to improve a person’s overall quality of life through the therapeutic properties of music. Music therapists use a variety of techniques to assess, plan, and implement music-based interventions to help clients achieve their goals. These interventions often include active and receptive music listening, musical improvisation, songwriting, lyric analysis, and playing musical instruments.
There are a few key steps you need to take in order to become a music therapist.
1. Get a degree: The first step is to get a degree in music therapy or a related field, such as psychology, music education, or music performance. A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement for most music therapy jobs, but you may want to consider earning a master’s degree for more advanced positions.
2. Get certified: Once you’ve completed your degree, you’ll need to get certified by the CBMT. This certification process involves an exam and a professional portfolio.
3. Get experience: After getting your certification, you should gain experience as a music therapist. This can be done through clinical internships, volunteer work, and working as a music therapy assistant.
4. Find employment: Once you’ve built up experience, you can start looking for jobs as a music therapist. You can apply for positions at hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other organizations.
Becoming a music therapist requires dedication and hard work, but the rewards are well worth it. Music therapists play an important role in helping people with mental and physical health issues, and they can have a meaningful impact on the lives of their clients. If you’re looking to pursue a career in music therapy, these steps can help you on your journey.
