Music Therapists

Employers

Music therapists usually work as members of an interdisciplinary health care team that may include physicians, nurses, social workers, psychiatrists, and psychologists. Although often employed in medical and psychiatric hospitals, therapists also work in rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, day treatment facilities, shelters for battered women, pain and stress management clinics, children's homes, substance abuse programs, hospices, and correctional facilities. Others maintain their own private practices. Some music therapists work with children in grammar and high schools, either as therapists or as music teachers. Others teach or conduct research in the creative arts at colleges and universities.

Starting Out

Unpaid training internships (see the AMTA Web site at https://www.musictherapy.org for a list of internship opportunities) or assistantships that students complete during study for a bachelor's degree in music therapy often can lead to a first job in the field. Graduates can use the placement offices at their colleges or universities to help them find positions in the field. AMTA members can also access a list of job openings at the association's Web site.

Music therapists who are new to the field might consider doing volunteer work at a nonprofit community organization, correctional facility, or neighborhood association to gain some practical experience. Therapists who want to start their own practice can host group therapy sessions in their homes. Music therapists may also wish to associate with other members of the alternative health care field in order to gain experience and build a client base.