What is Music Therapy?

What is Music Therapy?

Music therapy uses music to engage people in self-exploration, growth, and development of meaningful skills in their daily life. Music therapists support people across the life span in emotional, interpersonal, communicative, cognitive, and physical domains.

What Makes a Music Therapist?
Music therapists complete education in human development, psychology, and wellness across the lifespan, 1200 hours of supervised clinical practice, and develop clinical musicianship skills on guitar, piano, and percussion instruments. They take a national certification exam and complete continuing education credits. Most importantly, music therapists are compassionate, caring, creative, provide unconditional positive regard and acceptance, and work towards justice.

How does The Sonatina Center support their clients and community?

We practice through a culturally and contextually-aware lens that honors lived experiences. We respect our client’s autonomy over their own lives by co-creating goals, musical experiences, and safe environments. Our therapists take part in active reflection and action to confront racism, ableism, heteronormativity, and sexism in their professional and personal lives. As a practice, we provide reparations to Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latinx, and other communities of color through no-cost therapy services.

We are so proud of our profession, grateful for the relationship-building and trust our clients give us, and excited to see where music therapy will grow in the future!