Music Therapists

To learn more about careers in music therapy, visit the Web site of the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), https://www.musictherapy.org. Talk with people working in the music therapy field and try to arrange to observe a music therapy session. Look for part-time or summer jobs, or volunteer at a hospital, clinic, nursing home, or any of a number of health care facilities. You might also consider becoming a college student member of the AMTA. As a membership benefit, you will receive association publications such as the Journal of Music Therapy and Music Therapy Perspectives.

A summer job as an aide at a camp for disabled children, for example, may help provide insight into the nature of music therapy, including both its rewards and its demands. Such experience can be very valuable in deciding if you are suited to handle the inherent frustrations of a therapy career.

Participate in information interviews with music therapists. In such an interview—which can be conducted in-person, on the phone, or through video-conferencing technology—you will get the opportunity to ask music therapists about their job duties, work environment, likes and dislikes about their careers, educational training, and other topics that will help you to learn more about the field. Ask your school counselor or a teacher to help you set up information interviews. Perhaps you could even job-shadow a music therapist to learn even more about the field.

Get involved in summer exploration programs in music and other fields that are offered by colleges and universities. Some schools, such as New York University, offer summer programs in music therapy for high school students.