Both music therapists and therapeutic musicians provide services in health care settings. In 2015, there were 5,000 hospitals with over 1 million beds, 16,000 nursing homes with over 2 million beds, and 5,800 hospices serving 1 million people. Given there are currently about 6,500 board certified music therapists and 1,200 therapeutic musicians, and because we all want music available to all these people, it is advisable to recognize the continuum of services and to collaborate rather than compete to increase overall access. This AMTA-Pro podcast features representatives from both groups – Dee Sweeney of the National Standards Board for Therapeutic Musicians (NSBTM) and Judy Simpson of the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) – conversing about the similarities and differences between music therapy and therapeutic music, and encouraging their colleagues to learn more about both professions. Judy and Dee offer solid recommendations for educating colleagues, administrators, and clients about both music therapy and therapeutic music, and for facilitating conflict resolution when misunderstandings arise. They also discuss specific ways to foster cooperation and explore possible collaborative projects between the two professions.

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AMTA-Pro Podcast

January, 2016

Therapeutic Musicians and Music Therapists: Collaboration and Cooperation

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Judy Simpson and Dee Sweeney

Both music therapists and therapeutic musicians provide services in health care settings. In 2015, there were 5,000 hospitals with over 1 million beds, 16,000 nursing homes with 2 million beds, and 5,800 hospices serving 1 million people. Given there are currently about 6,500 board certified music therapists and 1,200 therapeutic musicians, and because we all want music available to all these people, it is advisable to recognize the continuum of services and  to collaborate rather than compete to increase overall access.

Dee Sweeney, CCM, is an active member of the NSBTM (National Standards Board for Therapeutic Musicians.) The NSBTM website is www.nsbtm.org. You can find an informative brochure here: http://www.nsbtm.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/01b-nsbtm-brochure.pdf

FAQ about Therapeutic Musicians
http://www.nsbtm.org/faq/

What is Therapeutic Music?
Therapeutic music is live acoustic music, played or sung, and specifically tailored to the patient’s immediate need. It is an art based on the science of sound.

What Does a Therapeutic Musician Do?
A therapeutic musician uses the inherent healing elements of live music and sound to enhance the environment for patients in healthcare settings, making it more conducive to the human healing process.

Who is Qualified to Practice Therapeutic Music?
Musicians who complete an approved therapeutic musician curricula with supervised internships from an accredited training program are qualified to practice as therapeutic musicians. Certified graduates are encouraged to enhance their proficiency with Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) obtaining credits through participation in conferences, workshops, lectures and webinars on a variety of approved topics relevant to the field of Therapeutic Music.

What is the National Standard’s Board for Therapeutic Musicians (NSBTM)?
The National Standards Board for Therapeutic Musicians is a governing body for accredited programs that graduate therapeutic musicians. Its purpose is to develop and advance the profession of bedside therapeutic music. The organization’s Website includes information about the field of therapeutic music, certified training programs and resources and events related to therapeutic music. Affiliated NSBTM memberships are available in categories of education, service placement and healthcare.