In this AMTA-Pro podcast, Dr. Deforia Lane shares the compelling story of her career as a music therapist, a journey that actually began when she was in kindergarten. After a rather shaky and uncertain start during her college years, Deforia went on to develop new music therapy programs for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. When she was diagnosed with cancer in the 1980’s, Deforia’s exposure to hospitals during treatment revealed the need for music therapy in the medical setting. She began volunteering, then, in 1984, started a program at University Hospitals Case Medical Center that continues to thrive and grow today. Tune in and be inspired.


Deforia Lane: Winding MT Career Path

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AMTA-Pro Podcast

June, 2012

Deforia Lane, PhD, MT-BC, is Director of Art & Music Therapy at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, OH, where she began the program twenty-eight years ago.  With early intentions of a career in opera, she graduated from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music in vocal performance and spent a year at the Curtis Institute of Music.  While earning a masters degree at Cleveland State University Deforia was introduced to music therapy.  She found this profession compelling and captivating and in 1991 completed her doctorate in music education from Case Western Reserve University.  Her dissertation investigated the effect of a single music therapy session on the immune function of hospitalized children.  Dr. Lane worked in a developmental center for seven years before being hired at University Hospitals.  She has been honored by Sesame Street Workshop with their “Sunny Days Award” for her work with children, served as consultant with the National Endowment of the Arts, and the Society of Arts in Healthcare.  She has trained over 70 music therapy interns, is a prolific speaker, and has consulted with corporations, hospitals, hospices, universities, and foundations nationally and internationally.  She has made presentations on music therapy in Africa, Japan, China, Taiwan, Barcelona, Australia, Alaska, Canada and in over 30 states.  Dr. Lane is married to Cleveland architect, Ernest Lane, has two sons, engineers Martin and Curtis, and a brilliant grandson, Moses.

Type  “Music Therapy” in the search box of the website for University Hospitals Case Medical Center to find 949 results, each of which leads to a description of music therapy services in a specific area of the University Hospitals system.  http://www.uhhospitals.org

Deforia Lane-2012 Resume