Music Therapy

Consolidating the many components of music therapy, this completely updated edition of A Comprehensive Guide to Music Therapy covers everything students, teachers and practitioners of music therapy need to know. Building upon the work of Tony Wigram and developments within the field of music therapy over the last 15 years, this second edition looks at the theoretical foundation of music therapy, selected models and interventions, how it can be applied in clinical practice, and the recent progress made in research and evidence-based practice. Giving a complete picture of the multifaceted world of music therapy, it is a must-have for music therapy students, teachers and practitioners.

The third edition of this book is the culmination of a 25 year project aimed at conceptualizing music therapy in a critically inclusive and integrative way. To be critically inclusive, the definition must provide an umbrella that embraces all professional practices and concepts that have been deemed viable in the refereed literature, while also excluding those concepts and practices: that do not rely on music; that occur outside of a professional therapist-client relationship; and that are not concerned with addressing the client's health. To be integrative, the definition must offer myriad options for using music to address the client's health concerns--as indicated by client need rather than therapist orientation.The resulting definition is a working and provisional one, based on over 100 existing definitions. It has been co-constructed by the author (who is situated in American music therapy), experienced colleagues, and authors and associations around the world who have crafted their own definition of music therapy. Its relevance is clearly situated with Western cultures that use the English language for scholarly purposes.

The authors show that where neuro-degenerative disease restricts movement, communication and thought processes and impairs the sense of self, music therapy is an effective intervention in neurological rehabilitation, successfully restoring the performance of identity within which clients can recognise themselves.

As the use of music therapy becomes more widespread so too does the need for detailed assessment. Standardised assessment tools, and knowledge of how to integrate assessment into clinical practice, are needed for teaching, research and clinical purposes all around the world. Based on the findings of members of the International Music Therapy Assessment Consortium (IMTAC), this comprehensive anthology collects the latest research and clinical practice methods about music therapy assessment. Looking at the available assessment tools holistically, the book covers the major assessment models currently used in clinical practice, and details each model's setting and motivation, development, theoretical background, and how to implement it in a clinical setting.

The use of music therapy in children's hospices has burgeoned since its introduction by Jessie's Fund in the mid-90s. This moving and extremely helpful text brings together the experiences of eleven music therapists working with children who are in the final stages of life-limiting illness. The contributors adapt music therapy to hospice environments and explore key concerns for all practitioners, including how to empower ill children and their families, how to help bereaved siblings, and how the therapists themselves find support. The book celebrates the communities created through an inclusive music therapy practice with children, their families and hospice staff. This text is essential reading for all music therapists working in palliative care and for health care professionals considering introducing music as a therapy.