The profession of music therapy has recently grown by leaps and bounds in KY, thanks to the pioneering work of Dr. Barbara Wheeler, who came to the University of Louisville in 2000 and started the first degree program in the state of KY, at the University of Louisville School of Music. For decades before that, many professionals in music and in healthcare tried to start such a program but could never get it past the legislators in Frankfort. Apparently, they just didn’t understand that professionally trained musicians could work wonders with disabilities of all kinds; but they needed to be paid.
For centuries, probably, musicians have volunteered in their spare time, or perhaps full-time after retirement, in nursing homes, children’s homes, children’s hospitals, etc. But what if doctors and nurses were volunteers and did not get paid. Yes, they can help and bring lots of enjoyment and even distraction from pain, but with professional training in music therapy, they can actually bring about changes and healing in ways that volunteers might not know about or know how to implement. Music therapists take not only the basic music classes such as music theory, performance, and instrumental and vocal methods classes, they also take things like human anatomy, psychology of music, psycho-acoustics and music therapy research.
The field of music therapy in modern times, started shortly after World War II in the Veteran’s hospitals, where activity therapists noticed how profoundly some of the men responded to the Big Band volunteers that came in each week to play for wounded vets, suffering from such diagnoses as “shell shock” and “battle fatigue,” and in modern times, PTSD.
The video below shows a music therapist in a VA hospital and she used her skills to make a real difference in the patient’s life. One of the many things that music therapists also do is write songs with patients that bring out feelings that need to be expressed, often feelings of anger, loss, grief, emotional pain, and abandonment by the people who were supposed to be protecting them. Healing can begin once these feelings are acknowledged and expressed. Music therapists also need to have excellent counseling and interviewing skills.
The national conference of the American Music Therapy Association will be this Thursday-Sunday, November 6-9 right here in Louisville, KY. In addition to concerts, and wonderful exhibits and keynotes, there will be:
Special intensive learning events for students, the future of our profession, featuring leading expert speakers and facilitators scheduled during concurrent sessions and designed specifically for students and interns.
- Starting Your Own Music Therapy Program or Music Therapy Business with DeForia Lane, Jamie George, & Amber Weldon-Stephens (3 Hours)
- Exploring the Nordoff Robbins Approach with Live Music-Making & Case Studies presented by Alan Turry (3 Hours)
- State Advocacy & Reimbursement with Judy Simpson, Dena Register, & Kimberly Sena Moore (2 Hours)
- The Father of the Drum Circle — Arthur Hull’s Student Session (2 Hours)
- Songwriting with GRAMMY winners Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer (2 Parts – 3 Hours)
Many of the sessions are open to the general session for a small fee. I would highly recommend to any healthcare provider who is interested in learning more about the therapeutic uses of music!
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