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Music Therapy for Children with Selective Mutism A research report on the process of music therapy as an alternative non-pharmacological treatment for children with selective mutism Though selective mutism has a low prevalence, it can be debilitating for children and contribute to poor mental health outcomes for years to come. Common forms of treatment include Behaviour and Speech Therapy, as well as pharmacological interventions. Currently, clinicians and researchers are exploring music therapy as another form of treatment for selecti

Soothing, Sucking, and Songs Exploring growth in music therapy for infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Canada and new research on music therapy as care for infants and their families For infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Grand River Hospital (GRH) in Kitchener, Ontario, change is in the air; they can hear it. Certified Music Therapist (MTA) Tyler Reidy, recently initiated a NICU music therapy program at the GRH, making it the third NICU music therapy program in Ontario. Reidy works wi

The Meaning of Music Therapy A music therapist’s reflections on the relevance of music therapy as an essential service in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic For many, the COVID-19 pandemic was a time for reflection as individuals, workforces, and society. It is through these reflections and active responses we grow as people, workplaces, and society. In a recently published article for the Canadian Journal of Music Therapy, Certified Music Therapist (MTA) Taylor Kurta, exemplifies the value of reflection as she o

Authenticity as Music Professionals Examining overlaps and intersections in the practice of authenticity among music therapists and other music professionals How do you experience authenticity as a professional? This was one of the questions researchers asked a music therapist, music educator, and music performer in their study, “The Experience of Authenticity Across Three Music Disciplines; Music Therapy, Music Teaching and Music Performance.” Recognizing that the interpersonal dimension of authenticity is central to

Spotlight on Music Therapy and Cancer On February 4th, 2023, individuals across the globe will join to commemorate World Cancer Day (https://www.worldcancerday.org/) to spread awareness and increase support for individuals suffering from cancer. As this day of recognition approaches, we take time in this issue to shine a spotlight on current research in music therapy and clinical stories of music therapy practice in caring for individuals with cancer. The Research Highlighting recent research findings and reviews summariz

Music Therapists and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Why We Are Integrating Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion into All Aspects of CAMT by the CAMT EDI Committee The Canadian Association of Music Therapists (CAMT) has a proud history of incorporating positive social developments into our processes and practices. In harmony with this tradition, CAMT is moving forward with an agenda of embracing the core values of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).  What does this mean?   CAMT is reviewing and updating our policies and processes to reflect these values, such as equanimity, justice, and community,

The Gift of Music Therapy How musician and popstar Shawn Mendes is using his success to bring the gift of music therapy to others “I wonder what it’s like,” a lyric from Shawn Mendes’ hit song Wonder, is likely a query of many young children staying in the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, Ontario who are curious about music therapy. Thanks to Mendes, now more children will get to find out just what music therapy is like. Mendes has donated $1 million to the hospital, launching the “Wond

The More we Come Together… Reviewing “Addressing issues of mental health in schools through the arts: Teachers and music therapists working together” as a music therapist and teacher For many years, music has been incorporated into classroom learning in various capacities. More recently, music therapy has played an increasingly important role in fostering social, emotional, and academic skills among school children. But what would the impact be on student mental health if teachers and music therapists came tog

Language Matters Addressing the use of systemic language in music therapy practice in Canada As an allied health profession, music therapy in Canada has predominantly embraced the language and views towards individuals and health that are well-established within Western healthcare. A consequence of this relationship is the adoption of Euro-centric and ableist perspectives that become apparent in music therapy literature, research, and practice. Canadian music therapists Amy Clements-Cortés and Joyce Jin

Collaboration is Key Exploring music therapy research and music therapy practice and why they need to work together For Kyurim Kang, postdoctoral research fellow at the Johns Hopkins Center for Music and Medicine, music therapy research is her passion. She is driven by a desire to understand the scientific basis for the effectiveness of music therapy. In this blog post, Kang shares with readers some of the foundational research on how music activates the brain. She highlights the connection between resear

Focusing: An Internal Knowing Sarah Bell, MA, MTA, RCT-C Focusing is a type of self-awareness discovered and developed by psychotherapist and philosopher, Eugene Gendlin. His explorations on the subject began in the 1950’s when Gendlin was researching at the University of Chicago as a student of Carl Rogers. Gendlin and his team of researchers were interested in the effectiveness of therapy. They asked questions like: How do we know therapy is working or not? How does it make a difference in people’s lives? He fo

Music Therapy in the Middle East A conversation with a music therapist, psychotherapist, and advocate on practicing music therapy in the Kingdom of Bahrain In the early 2000s, no one in the Kingdom of Bahrain had heard of music therapy. Then along came Aksana Kavaliova-Moussi, a Belarus-born music therapist, trained in Canada, who changed this narrative. As the first music therapist in Bahrain, she spent ten years building up a music therapy practice from scratch. From small beginnings with local schools to eventually e

Stories from Slovakia An account of the current landscape and future directions for music therapy practice in the European nation of Slovakia Jana Halmo, music therapist, doctoral student, and researcher, is passionate about the history of music therapy in Central and Eastern Europe. This passion is evident in her well-researched and written account of music therapy in Slovakia. In her article, Halmo begins by chronicling the origins and development of music therapy practice in Slovakia, noting key leaders an

Music and Healing in China – From Ages Past to Supporting the Aging in the Present A glimpse into music therapy practice on the rise in China In this article, readers are introduced to Lin Sisi, a music therapist practicing in Beijing, China. It is a delightful summary of Sisi’s reflections and insights into her experience working with a post-stroke patient. Readers discover that thousands of miles away, in a different language and culture, music therapy continues to make a personal impact, improving the quality of life for older adults. In addition to this case e

Instrument Inspiration From the building of custom instruments for music therapy in Germany to auctioning off famous instruments in the United Kingdom, instruments are inspiring new innovations in music therapy in Europe German instrument maker, Gotz Rausch, is not in the business of making ordinary instruments. He specializes in creating therapeutic music instruments designed to make playing instruments a creative activity that is accessible to all. Each instrument is uniquely crafted from wood and strings an

Experiences of Working in Long Term Care During the Coronavirus Pandemic: Challenges, Adaptations, and Reflections Christine Naguib, MTA There is no doubt that the ongoing pandemic has brought many challenges and changes for everyone, but it has been an especially stressful and challenging time for healthcare providers working in long-term care, long-term care residents and their family members. In June 2020, I got a unique opportunity to experience these challenges firsthand when I got offered a full-time position at a long-term care home that greatly needed support. Before receiving this offer, I w

The Singing Field: A Performance of Environmental Vocal Exploration Nicola Oddy, MA RP MTA, PhD Candidate, Carleton University How many times have you heard people say, “The lock-down conditions of COVID-19 have been beneficial for my progress”? I know – I might be a bit of an anomaly. The fact is, that last year around this time, when everything stopped, I suddenly had all the time I could dream of, to do the research that I had been planning for so long. At the end of April 2020, my graduate committee accepted my dissertation proposal, and