music therapy
music therapy
Music therapy is a research-based allied health profession in which music is used to actively support people as they strive to improve their health, functioning and wellbeing. Music therapists are musicians who have trained at university to understand how music can have an effect on behaviours, on how people feel and how people think.
In a music therapy session people might sing, play instruments, dance, write their own songs and record them, perform, listen and talk about music. Some of the places music therapists work include schools, day services, community centres, hospitals and in people’s homes. Music therapy sessions might be individual or in a group.
Informed by research but uniquely tailored, creative and motivational in approach, music therapy works in parallel with other allied health professions to improve language and communication, motivation, empowerment and esteem, self-concept and personal care, mobility and movement, social behaviours and interpersonal interactions.
Incorporating music therapy in their suite of allied health therapies, participants improve functional skills and build capacity to improve participation and independence in daily, practical activities, positively impacting community living.
Music therapy & the ndis
Music therapy has been recognised by the NDIA for inclusion in funded support plans under the support cluster of Therapeutic Supports – provided to assist the participant to apply their functional skills to improve participation and independence in daily, practical activities in areas such as language and communication, personal care, mobility and movement, interpersonal interactions and community living. In addition, where music therapy is not specifically identified as a support under capacity building, the NDIA has confirmed that participants are able to work with their budget to source the best therapy related supports to achieve their capacity building goals.