AMTA Advanced Competencies

Preamble

In November 2005 the Assembly of Delegates adopted the “Advisory on Levels of Practice in Music Therapy.” This Advisory, which was developed by the Education and Training Advisory Board, distinguishes two Levels of Practice within the music therapy profession: Professional Level of Practice and Advanced Level of Practice.

Following the adoption of the Advisory, AMTA appointed a Task Force on Advanced Competencies, which was charged with developing competencies for the Advanced Level of Practice as outlined in the Advisory. The Advisory describes four domains for the Advanced Level of Practice: Professional Growth, Musical Development, Personal Growth and Development, and Integrative Clinical Experience. The following proposed list of advanced competencies is categorized according to these four domains. However, many of these competencies apply to more than one domain and have been listed according to the content area most applicable. The Task Force acknowledges that the advanced therapist may not demonstrate competence in each of these areas, but would instead demonstrate acquisition of the majority of these competencies, with most, if not all, in the area(s) of his/her practice (e.g., clinical, supervisory, academic, research). The Advanced Competencies were approved by the Assembly of Delegates in November of 2007 and adopted as an official AMTA Document.  

The Task Force gratefully acknowledges the previous work of Kenneth Bruscia (1986) in identifying “Advanced Competencies in Music Therapy.” The ideas Bruscia expressed served as a basis for these competencies.

A. PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

1.  Theory

1.1       Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the foundations and principles of music therapy practice.

1.2       Demonstrate knowledge of current treatment theories and their implications for music therapy practice and/or research.

1.3       Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of current theories of music therapy and their implications for clinical practice and/or research.

1.4       Demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical or treatment orientations of current models of music therapy.

1.5       Identify theoretical constructs underlying various clinical practices.

1.6       Identify theoretical constructs underlying various research approaches.

1.7       Analyze music therapy procedures in terms of current treatment theories.

1.8       Demonstrate knowledge of emerging models and trends in music therapy.

1.9       Demonstrate knowledge of the current literature in music therapy and related fields relevant to one’s area(s) of expertise.

2.  Clinical Supervision

2.1       Demonstrate knowledge of current theories of clinical supervision and related research.

2.2       Demonstrate knowledge of current literature on music therapy supervision.

2.3       Apply various theories and research findings on supervision from other disciplines to music therapy.

2.4       Demonstrate understanding of the role, boundaries, and responsibilities of a supervisor.

2.5       Demonstrate understanding of the supervisory needs of music therapy students and professionals at various levels of advancement and at various stages in the supervisory process.

2.6       Establish and maintain effective supervisory relationships.

2.7       Design and implement effective methods of observing and evaluating supervisees that have positive effects on the supervisees. 

2.8       Analyze the supervisee’s music therapy sessions in terms of the effects of specific interventions, including those that are musical, verbal, and nonverbal in nature.

2.9       Analyze the supervisee’s music therapy sessions in terms of the musical and interpersonal dynamics and processes of the client(s)-therapist relationship.

2.10     Use music to facilitate the supervisory process.

2.11     Assist the supervisee in recognizing his/her strengths as a clinician.

2.12     Assist the supervisee in setting appropriate goals for improving his/her clinical work.

2.13     Promote the professional growth, self-awareness, and musical development of the supervisee.

2.14     Evaluate the effects of one’s own personality and supervisory style on the supervisee and the supervisory process.

2.15     Evaluate the effectiveness of various approaches and techniques of supervision.

2.16     Demonstrate understanding of the ethical issues, problems, and procedures involved in the supervision of students and professionals.

2.17     Recognize limitations as a supervisor and seek consultation when appropriate.         

2.18     Demonstrate knowledge and abilities in multicultural aspects of supervision.

3.  Clinical Administration

3.1       Demonstrate knowledge of laws and occupational regulations governing the provision of education and health services, particularly with regard to music therapy.

3.2       Demonstrate knowledge of legislative issues affecting music therapy.

3.3       Demonstrate knowledge of accreditation requirements for clinical agencies, particularly with regard to music therapy.

3.4       Demonstrate knowledge of music therapy reimbursement and financing options, including the process involved in seeking coverage in a variety of treatment settings.

3.5       Demonstrate knowledge of management theories and their application to music therapy service delivery.

3.6       Demonstrate understanding of the role and responsibilities of an administrator in educational institutions or clinical agencies.

3.7       Communicate to other departments and staff the rationale for music therapy services and the role of music therapy staff.

3.8       Develop effective staffing patterns for the provision of music therapy services.

3.9       Develop effective recruiting and interviewing strategies for students and professional applicants for the provision of music therapy services.

3.10     Develop policies and procedures for staff evaluation and supervision.

3.11     Utilize management strategies to establish and maintain effective relationships and a high level of motivation among staff.

3.12     Integrate music therapy staff and programs into the agency’s service delivery systems.

3.13     Design methods for evaluating music therapy programs and service delivery.

3.14     Apply current technology to the provision of music therapy services when indicated.

3.15     Demonstrate understanding of ethical issues, problems, and procedures in the provision of services to clients.

3.16     Demonstrate understanding of ethical issues, problems, and procedures in employee relations.

4.  College/University Teaching

4.1       Demonstrate knowledge of theories and research on music therapy education and training. 

4.2       Demonstrate knowledge of issues involved in recruitment, admission, financial assistance, curriculum development, and retention in higher education.

4.3       Demonstrate knowledge of accreditation and approval standards and procedures for undergraduate and graduate degree programs in music therapy.

4.4       Demonstrate knowledge of educational resources in music therapy (e.g., equipment, audio-visual aids, materials, current technology).

4.5       Demonstrate knowledge of reading materials for teaching music therapy.     

4.6       Demonstrate breadth and depth of knowledge of clinical practice in music therapy.

4.7       Establish and maintain effective student-teacher relationships.

4.8       Communicate with other faculty, departments, and administration regarding the music therapy program and its educational philosophy.

4.9       Formulate educational objectives for undergraduate and graduate degrees in music therapy.

4.10     Design academic courses and programs to meet specific competency objectives.

4.11     Develop standards and procedures for admission and retention that support educational objectives consistent with the policies of the institution.

4.12     Demonstrate understanding of the role and responsibilities of a music therapy professor, including that of assuming responsibility for clinical training.

4.13     Teach core courses in music therapy, utilizing various methods of teaching (e.g., lecture, demonstration, role-playing, group discussion, collaborative learning).

4.14     Develop clinical training programs to meet educational objectives.

4.15     Supervise and mentor students in clinical training, supervision, teaching, and research.

4.16     Integrate the student's academic and clinical learning experiences in a developmental sequence.

4.17     Advise and counsel students with regard to academic and professional matters.

4.18     Design means of evaluating student learning, both internal (e.g., proficiency exams) and external (e.g., evaluations from clinical training supervisors).

4.19     Evaluate student competence at various stages of the program. 

4.20     Design methods of evaluating one’s own teaching method and style.

4.21     Evaluate the effectiveness of academic courses and programs in meeting educational objectives.

4.22     Apply current technology to teaching and supervising music therapy students as indicated.

4.23     Demonstrate understanding of ethical issues, problems, and procedures involved in music therapy education and training.

5.  Research  

5.1     Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of scholarly sources for music therapy.

5.2     Perform comprehensive literature searches using various indices to identify gaps in knowledge.

5.3     Translate theories, issues, and problems in clinical practice, supervision, administration, and higher education into meaningful research questions.

5.4     Demonstrate knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research designs and their indicated uses.

5.5      Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of one or more research approaches (historical, philosophical, qualitative, quantitative).

5.6     Demonstrate awareness of one’s biases and personal limitations related to research.

5.7     Formulate research problems and hypotheses or guiding questions.

5.8     Demonstrate knowledge of sources of funding for music therapy research and skill in writing grant proposals

5.9     Demonstrate knowledge of ethical principles for protection of human participants and their application to informed consent, assessment of risk and benefit, and participant selection.

5.10     Collect and analyze data using appropriate procedures to avoid or minimize potential confounds.

5.11     Demonstrate understanding of roles and working relationships involved in collaborative research.

5.12     Demonstrate knowledge of methods of data analysis and their applications.

5.13     Present and interpret research results consistent with established standards of inquiry.

5.14     Write research reports according to established guidelines for content, format, and style.

5.15     Demonstrate knowledge of and skill in fulfilling the roles and responsibilities of consultant to others’ research projects.

5.16     Apply research findings to music therapy practice, supervision, administration, and higher education.

5.17     Evaluate scholarly and student research regarding research questions or problems, methods, procedures, data collection, analysis, and conclusions.

5.18     Apply current technology to music therapy research as indicated.

B.  MUSICAL AND ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT 

6.  Musical and Artistic Development

6.1     Demonstrate skill in reproducing, notating, and transcribing musical responses of clients.

6.2     Compose music, including songs, in various styles to meet specific therapeutic objectives.

6.3     Provide spontaneous musical support for client improvisation.

6.4     Demonstrate skill in improvising in a variety of musical styles.

6.5     Demonstrate skill in a wide variety of improvisatory techniques for therapeutic purposes.

6.6     Demonstrate skill in designing music listening programs for therapeutic purposes.

6.7     Demonstrate knowledge of different methods of musical analysis for client assessment and evaluation.

6.8     Demonstrate in-depth understanding of different musical cultures and sub-cultures and their implications for music therapy.

6.9     Demonstrate advanced skills in the clinical use of at least two of the following: keyboard, voice, guitar and/or percussion.

6.10   Maintain extensive and varied repertoire of popular, folk, and traditional songs.

6.11   Apply current technology to musical aspects of clinical practice as indicated.

6.12   Demonstrate knowledge of the different uses of various music media (e.g., voice, instruments, percussion) for therapeutic purposes.

6.13   Demonstrate basic understanding of one or more other artistic forms (e.g., dance, drama, art, poetry).

6.14   Demonstrate understanding of the music therapist's own personal relationship to music.

C. PERSONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 

7.  Personal Development

7.1     Develop self awareness and insight through personal experiences in music therapy, other creative arts therapies, verbal therapy, and/or personal growth work. 

7.2     Identify, confront, and work through one's own personal issues.

7.3     Demonstrate understanding of the principles of effective leadership.

7.4     Demonstrate understanding of the importance of personal reflection (e.g., journaling, artistic involvement, meditation, other spiritual pursuits).

7.5     Recognize limitations in competence and seek consultation.

7.6     Demonstrate understanding of the importance of and strategies for self care.

8.  Multicultural Development

8.1     Demonstrate awareness of one’s cultural heritage and socio-economic background and how these influence the perception of the therapeutic process.

8.2     Demonstrate knowledge of and respect for diverse cultural backgrounds.

8.3     Demonstrate understanding of the roles and meanings of music in various cultures.

8.4     Demonstrate skill in working with culturally diverse populations, including knowledge of how culture influences issues regarding identity formation, concepts of health and pathology, and understanding of the role of therapy.

8.5     Demonstrate knowledge of how music therapy is practiced in other cultures.

8.6     Demonstrate commitment to the treatment of all persons with dignity and respect, regardless of differences in race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender.

D.  Integrative Clinical Experience

9.  Advanced Clinical Skills

9.1     Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of current methods of music therapy assessment, treatment, and evaluation, and their clinical applications.

9.2     Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of diagnostic classifications, etiology, symptomatology, and prognosis for a wide range of client populations.

9.3     Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the contraindications of music therapy for various client populations.

9.4     Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the dynamics and processes of therapy from a variety of theoretical perspectives.

9.5     Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of human growth and development.

9.6     Demonstrate knowledge of the major neuroanatomical structures of the brain, their functions, and their respective roles in the processing of music.

9.7     Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of theory and research on musical development and the attendant implications for music therapy assessment, treatment, and evaluation.

9.8     Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the dynamics and processes of individual, dyadic, family, and group therapy.

9.9     Demonstrate advanced skills in leading individual, dyadic, family, and group music therapy sessions.

9.10     Implement individual, family, and group music therapy using various theoretical models of treatment as indicated.

9.11     Design or adapt assessment and evaluation procedures for various client populations.

9.12     Utilize and adapt current methods of music therapy with a variety of client populations.

9.13     Demonstrate advanced skill in assessing and evaluating clients using music therapy methods (e.g., listening, improvising, performing, composing).

9.14     Assess and evaluate clients through music within one or more theoretical frameworks (e.g., psychodynamic, gestalt, behavioral, humanistic, transpersonal).

9.15     Demonstrate understanding of the diagnostic implications of client musical behaviors.

9.16     Design treatment programs for emerging client populations.

9.17     Employ one or more models of music therapy requiring advanced training.

9.18     Utilize advanced verbal and nonverbal interpersonal skills within a music therapy context.

9.19     Assume the responsibilities of a primary therapist.

9.20     Relate clinical phenomena in music therapy to the broader treatment context.

9.21     Analyze the dynamics of musical and interpersonal relationships that emerge at different stages in the therapy process.

9.22     Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the clinical roles and responsibilities of a music therapist within a total treatment milieu and in private practice.

9.23     Demonstrate advanced skills in co-facilitating treatment with professionals from other disciplines.

9.24     Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of client rights.

9.25     Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of ethical standards, issues, and procedures related to clinical practice.

9.26     Apply current technology to music therapy assessment, treatment, and evaluation as indicated.

9.27     Demonstrate understanding of the differential uses of the creative arts therapies and the roles of art, dance/movement, drama, psychodrama, and poetry therapy in relation to music therapy.

9.28     Demonstrate understanding of creative processes within therapy.

9.29     Demonstrate understanding of the roles of imagery, ritual, and nonverbal communication in the arts therapies.

9.30     Demonstrate understanding of the role of music therapy in interdisciplinary treatment programs with other creative arts therapies.

9.31     Demonstrate understanding of professional boundaries and ethical issues involved in using the other arts therapies.

9.32     Demonstrate understanding of potential risks to client health and safety, both physical and psychological.

Reference

Bruscia, K. (1986). Advanced competencies in music therapy. Music Therapy, 6A, 57-67.
 

Glossary

advanced level of practice - the practice of music therapy wherein the therapist, applying the integration of in-depth theories, research, treatment knowledge, musicianship, clinical skills, and personal awareness, assumes a central role using process-oriented or outcome-oriented music therapy methods to address a broad spectrum of client needs.

advanced training - learning of a comprehensive approach to, or model of, music therapy intended for broad and in-depth clinical application. The training occurs over an extended period of time; includes both didactic instruction and extensive, supervised clinical application; and results in the acquisition of a number of advanced competencies. Advanced training typically requires the master's degree as a prerequisite or co-requisite of the training program. Examples include, but are not limited to, Analytic Music Therapy, Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music, Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy.

construct – a working hypothesis or concept.1

dynamics - forces that interplay in the mind as a manifestation of purposeful intentions working concurrently or in mutual opposition. These forces can include the patterns of actions and reactions within the music, therapist and client triangle, as well as within groups.2

in-depth – comprehensive, thorough.3

knowledge - facts or ideas acquired by study, investigation, observation, or experience.4

model - a. comprehensive approach to assessment, treatment, and evaluation which includes theoretical principles, clinical implications and contraindications, goals, methodological guidelines and specifications, and the use of procedural sequences and techniques.5

musical behaviors – the musical actions or reactions of a person in response to external or internal stimuli and the physiological, affective, motor, cognitive, or communicative responses to musical stimuli.

primary therapist - whether in an individual private practice or working within a team approach, the person who facilitates the therapeutic work of the highest importance.

process - a sequence of conscious and unconscious events leading to some change or alteration in the state of a dynamic system that includes the client, the music, and the music therapist.6

supervision - usually referred to as clinical, or music therapy, supervision. This educational relationship consists of an on-going consultation with another health care professional about the supervisee’s emerging role or continued growth as a clinician. Clinical supervision provides support for the supervisee for the purpose of development as a music therapist.

understanding – knowledge of or familiarity with a particular thing; skill in dealing with or handling something.7 Perception and comprehension of the nature and significance of.8

Current as of 1/08

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