What is Music Therapy?
Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.
Music therapy interventions can be designed to:
- Promote Wellness
- Manage Stress
- Alleviate Pain
- Express Feelings
- Enhance Memory
- Improve Communication
- Promote Physical Rehabilitation
Research in music therapy supports its effectiveness in a wide variety of healthcare and educational settings. For further information, please explore the rest of this site including the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page and the 2014 press release, "Setting the Record Straight: What Music Therapy Is... and Is Not."
American Music Therapy Association Mission
The mission of the American Music Therapy Association is to advance public awareness of the benefits of music therapy and increase access to quality music therapy services in a rapidly changing world.
Check In to AMTA Membership in 2019!
Join or Renew Your AMTA Membership Today
We are checking in with members across the country and invite you to do so as well. Check in with a friend, a colleague, or a student... see how they are doing, share experiences, and build a strong network. Talk about why membership in AMTA supports our mission: to advance public awareness of the benefits of music therapy and increase access to quality music therapy services. Help us strengthen our music therapy community!
We invite you to join AMTA in 2019 and remember that we need your voice! Each one of us improves and enhances the music therapy family.
Read what others think at #CheckInChallenge on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds and check in to thoughts from our diverse and robust group of members! Learn about the long list of benefits that support you & your music therapy practice.
Need a few more reasons why membership is for you? Watch these videos:
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For a longer list of member benefits, click here.
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For information on paying your Professional membership in installments (available through March 31), click here.
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To join AMTA:
- Go to the Online store,
- Login with your email address and password
- Under "Shop for" choose "Membership" and click the "Go" button.
- Choose the appropriate membership type and add it to your shopping cart
- Click "check out" and follow the instructions you'll see.
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If you want to pay by mail:
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If you have questions or want to pay by phone:
- Call the AMTA national office at 301-589-3300 and staff will be happy to help you!
Benefits of Membership total over $3300 per year
- more than worth the cost!
Music Therapy Featured at Kennedy Center Event, "Sound Health: Music and the Mind"
During the 2017 Memorial Day concert (scroll down to watch!), noted soprano Renée Fleming mentioned an exciting event at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., “Sound Health: Music and the Mind.” This major national event, honoring the power of music and music therapy, was made possible by a partnership between the Kennedy Center; Renée Fleming, Artist Ambassador for the Kennedy Center; and the National Institutes of Health.
A concert with the National Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Edwin Outwater, alongside renowned neuroscientists Dr. Daniel Levitin, Dr. Nina Kraus, Dr. Charles Limb, as well as musician Ben Folds, singer/actor Jussie Smollett, and of course, the incomparable Renée Fleming, kicked off the weekend on June 2, 2017.
June 3, 2017 featured a full day of sessions with interactive presentations and shows, including one curated by Dr. Sheri Robb, “Breakthroughs with Music Therapy: Recovery, Resilience, Quality of Life.” Additional sessions featured music and child development (Dr. Nina Kraus), creative aging (Dr. Ani Patel), and jazz, creativity and the brain (Dr. Charles Limb).
If you missed the live stream of Dr. Robb’s excellent session, “Breakthroughs with Music Therapy: Recovery, Resilience, Quality of Life,” with the help of musician Ben Folds, other music therapists, researchers, and clients, you can watch below:
You can find recordings of this and other events in the Sound Health: Music and the Mind Saturday workshop series at the Kennedy Center's YouTube Channel.
Music Therapy Featured in 2017 National Memorial Day Concert
A star-studded cast performed for the PBS broadcast of the National Memorial Day concert Sunday, May 28, 2017. The National Memorial Day Concert honored Captain Luis Avila, a military policeman severely injured after an IED explosion. During the performance segment, featuring acclaimed singer Renée Fleming, a special moment was dedicated to the importance of music therapy services for Captain Avila and all veterans. Captain Avila and music therapist, Rebecca Vaudreuil, joined Ms. Fleming on stage to recognize the importance of music therapy in the rehabilitation of America's veterans. The concert was broadcast live on PBS as well as to our troops serving around the world on the American Forces Network. The American Music Therapy Association is appreciative for Ms. Fleming's support of music therapy. You can watch the segment on Captain Avila at the PBS website for the whole rebroadcast of this amazing concert and a section of the concert's website dedicated to music therapy.
And to all our veterans, thank you for your service.