Getting Ready for National Music Therapy Month
I’m a big fan of music therapy because I’ve seen what it can do for people. March is National Music Therapy Month and the Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund is getting ready for their third annual march across Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal March 20. From the press release:
Music Therapy in Action
After some time working with a certified music therapist, a young boy with autism began to verbally express his feelings, thoughts and concerns. He moved on to graduate from elementary school reading, writing, and, most importantly, having made one friend. Music therapy provided a bridge for this boy’s success.
A middle-aged man was living in palliative care with lung cancer that spread to his brain. As a result, his cognitive functioning was intact; however, he had a great deal of difficulty expressing himself verbally. No longer able to verbalize his thoughts and feelings clearly, he was living the last days of his life in frustration. After the addition of music therapy to his care routine, he discovered that while he couldn’t speak his thoughts and feelings, he could sing. With the support of a certified music therapist he was able to express himself through music and, as a result, he was able to sing his hopes, fears, and desires.
What is Music Therapy?
Music therapy is the skillful use of music and musical elements by an accredited music therapist to promote, maintain, and restore mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Music has nonverbal, creative, structural, and emotional qualities. These are used in the therapeutic relationship to facilitate contact, interaction, self-awareness, learning, self-expression, communication, and personal development.
Canadian Association for Music Therapy / Association de Musicothérapie du Canada Annual General Meeting, Vancouver, British Columbia, May 6, 1994
Music therapists are university educated professionals who complete an undergraduate and / or graduate degree in music therapy. Further, these professionals complete a 1,000-hour clinical internship before taking an exam administered by the Certification Board of Music Therapists in the United States (www.cbmt.org). After providing proof of successful completion of the exam, the professional signs a statement of adherence to Canadian Association for Music Therapy’s (CAMT) (http://www.musictherapy.ca/en/) Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice and then CAMT grants the credential of Music Therapist Accredited (MTA). MTAs use the power of music to promote, maintain, or achieve goals related to health, well-being, and quality of life. From pre-natal to palliative care, certified MTAs work in areas including: mental health; developmental disabilities; and dementia care, among many others. There are currently 653 MTAs practicing in Canada as of January 2016.
3rd Annual March for Music Therapy
The March for Music Therapy is a grassroots, family and community focused national event. The March happens on Sunday March 20th, 2016, across Canada in 4 major cities – Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montréal. Participants march up to 5 km to raise funds and awareness for music therapy. All Marches end with a fun community event in celebration of the Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund’s efforts to provide music therapy services to underserved populations. Online registration for individuals and teams can be found at www.musictherapytrust.ca.
The Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund is a national registered non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians through the therapeutic use of music.
The Canadian Association for Music Therapy creates strong certified Music Therapists (MTAs) and fosters awareness of professional music therapy services throughout Canada. With an aim to increase access to music therapy services for Canadians, CAMT works to ensure MTAs receive the training and support they need.
Media Contact Information:
Christine Lever
Administrative Manager
Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund
416.535.0200 ● 1.888.689.9545
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