Dr. Dena Register challenged some of her music therapy students in her Current Trends in Music Therapy class at the University of Kansas to explore music therapy from the international perspective. The resulting topics for their individual projects included, among others, eating disorders from a global perspective, music therapy trends in disaster response, instruments around the world, music therapy and environmental noise in ICU, and development of MT in three Asian countries. The students shared the results of their projects at the 2014 AMTA conference in Louisville, KY. Tune into this AMTA-Pro podcast featuring Fatima Chan, Emilyjane Eichman, Cole Eisenmenger, Bing Li, Katie Martin, Alison Smiley, Rachel Zarich as they overview the conference session touching on diverse topics of interest to music therapy professionals.

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International Perspectives from MT Students

Dena Register, PhD, MT-BC; Fatima Chan, MT-BC; Bing Li, MT-BC; Alison Smiley, Cole Eisenmenger, Emilyjane Pyle, and Rachel Zarich,

AMTA-Pro Podcast February, 2015

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This AMTA-Pro podcast overviews a presentation at the 2014 AMTA Conference by a group of students in a Current Trends in MT class at University of Kansas. The purpose of this class is to examine and evaluate the current trends in the clinical, theoretical and research practices and underpinnings of music therapy in the US and around the world. Goals identified for students in this course are to:
1) Identify, discuss and compare current trends in the theoretical and clinical practice of music therapy in the US, Europe and Asia.
2) Identify and discuss current trends in research practice of music therapy worldwide.
3) Develop, refine, and articulate personal position statements consistent with some value orientation regarding clinical, theoretical and research issues.
4) Engage directly with other music therapy professionals and students from other countries in order to discuss clinical, theoretical and research issues in music therapy.

1. Music Therapy: A Collaborative Approach
with Cole Eisenmenger, a senior undergraduate student at the University of Kansas.
This segment overviews the benefits of collaboration with music therapy colleagues, with students and interns, with colleagues in related professions, and across borders.

2. Instruments Around the World
Rachel Zarich a senior undergraduate student at the University of Kansas, who is currently completing her internship at Giant Steps in Lisle, Illinois.
Rachel discusses the rationale behind music therapists being aware of cultural preferences for different instruments, timbres, and other aspects of music from cultures. She focused on musical preferences unique to countries and cultures in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Mediterranean.

3. Music Therapy and Board Certification
with Katie Martin, a senior undergraduate student at the University of Kansas.
Katie shares the results of her project  xamine the awareness and understanding of music therapy students about the MT-BC credential in different states in the United States.

4. Music Therapy in Three Asian Countries
with Bing Li, MT-BC,  a board certified music therapist who completed her internship in Chicago, IL. She plans to return to China to teach upon the completion of her Master’s degree in music therapy in summer 2015.
Bing researched the development of the music profession in Japan, mainland China, and Thailand from the aspects of history of music therapy as well as the required education, training, and certification in the three countries.

5. Using Music Therapy to Address ICU Environmental Noise
with Fatima Chan, MT-BC, a board certified music therapist who completed her internship at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City and is completing her Master’s degree in music therapy at KU.
Recognizing that environmental noise in Intensive Care Units is a worldwide issue, Fatima explored the benefits and challenges of the intentional use of musical elements to modulate the component sounds, to transform noise into meaningful sound in an ICU.

6. Impact of Culture on Eating Disorders
with Emilyjane Eichman a senior undergraduate student at the University of Kansas.
The focus of Emilyjane’s project is to increase awareness of differences of presence, perception, and treatment of eating disorders in various cultures. Although there are certainly differences in individuals within any given culture, this discussion provides an overview of the general cultural differences and make connections with trends in literature about food and about eating disorders.

7. Trends in Disaster Response in Music Therapy
with Alison Smiley, a graduate equivalency student at the University of Kansas.
Alison provides information about disaster response and preparedness, particularly services to music therapists and to the communities offered by the American Music Therapy Association and World Federation of Music Therapy. She also discusses factors music therapy professionals should consider if they are responding to a disaster.

NOTE: If a listener of this AMTA-Pro podcast is interested in receiving a pdf of the powerpoint used during students’ presentation at the 2014 AMTA conference, they can send an inquiry to <CathyKnoll@gmail.com>.