On February 4th, 2023, individuals across the globe will join to commemorate World Cancer Day (https://www.worldcancerday.org/) to spread awareness and increase support for individuals suffering from cancer. As this day of recognition approaches, we take time in this issue to shine a spotlight on current research in music therapy and clinical stories of music therapy practice in caring for individuals with cancer. The Research Highlighting recent research findings and reviews summarizing the benefits of music therapy for individuals with cancer For adults living with cancer, the illness and t ..read more

by the CAMT EDI Committee The Canadian Association of Music Therapists (CAMT) has a proud history of incorporating positive social developments into our processes and practices. In harmony with this tradition, CAMT is moving forward with an agenda of embracing the core values of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).  What does this mean?   CAMT is reviewing and updating our policies and processes to reflect these values, such as equanimity, justice, and community, EDI and all future work is being viewed through this lens. Why does this matter?  Research and the voices of ..read more

Addressing the use of systemic language in music therapy practice in Canada As an allied health profession, music therapy in Canada has predominantly embraced the language and views towards individuals and health that are well-established within Western healthcare. A consequence of this relationship is the adoption of Euro-centric and ableist perspectives that become apparent in music therapy literature, research, and practice. Canadian music therapists Amy Clements-Cortés and Joyce Jing Yee Yip recognize these systemic issues in music therapy and are ready to see a change. In this article, C ..read more

How musician and popstar Shawn Mendes is using his success to bring the gift of music therapy to others “I wonder what it’s like,” a lyric from Shawn Mendes’ hit song Wonder, is likely a query of many young children staying in the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, Ontario who are curious about music therapy. Thanks to Mendes, now more children will get to find out just what music therapy is like. Mendes has donated $1 million to the hospital, launching the “Wonder of Music” music therapy program. Quoting Mendes, a recent Billboard Music article shares his hopes that through th ..read more

Sarah Bell, MA, MTA, RCT-C Focusing is a type of self-awareness discovered and developed by psychotherapist and philosopher, Eugene Gendlin. His explorations on the subject began in the 1950’s when Gendlin was researching at the University of Chicago as a student of Carl Rogers. Gendlin and his team of researchers were interested in the effectiveness of therapy. They asked questions like: How do we know therapy is working or not? How does it make a difference in people’s lives? He found that successful patients had a shift in perception following an internal process. This process was observed ..read more

Reviewing “Addressing issues of mental health in schools through the arts: Teachers and music therapists working together” as a music therapist and teacher For many years, music has been incorporated into classroom learning in various capacities. More recently, music therapy has played an increasingly important role in fostering social, emotional, and academic skills among school children. But what would the impact be on student mental health if teachers and music therapists came together to create and facilitate a program? According to book reviewer Eleni Tsolka, this is the question that dr ..read more

An account of the current landscape and future directions for music therapy practice in the European nation of Slovakia Jana Halmo, music therapist, doctoral student, and researcher, is passionate about the history of music therapy in Central and Eastern Europe. This passion is evident in her well-researched and written account of music therapy in Slovakia. In her article, Halmo begins by chronicling the origins and development of music therapy practice in Slovakia, noting key leaders and advancements in the field dating back to the 18th century. Halmo then goes on to describe key figures and ..read more

Exploring music therapy research and music therapy practice and why they need to work together For Kyurim Kang, postdoctoral research fellow at the Johns Hopkins Center for Music and Medicine, music therapy research is her passion. She is driven by a desire to understand the scientific basis for the effectiveness of music therapy. In this blog post, Kang shares with readers some of the foundational research on how music activates the brain. She highlights the connection between research on music perception, production, and cognition and the practice of Neurological Music Therapy. For Kang, th ..read more

A conversation with a music therapist, psychotherapist, and advocate on practicing music therapy in the Kingdom of Bahrain In the early 2000s, no one in the Kingdom of Bahrain had heard of music therapy. Then along came Aksana Kavaliova-Moussi, a Belarus-born music therapist, trained in Canada, who changed this narrative. As the first music therapist in Bahrain, she spent ten years building up a music therapy practice from scratch. From small beginnings with local schools to eventually establishing a full-time caseload, Kavaliova-Moussi demonstrated unmatchable persistence, dedication, and ha ..read more

Christine Naguib, MTA There is no doubt that the ongoing pandemic has brought many challenges and changes for everyone, but it has been an especially stressful and challenging time for healthcare providers working in long-term care, long-term care residents and their family members. In June 2020, I got a unique opportunity to experience these challenges firsthand when I got offered a full-time position at a long-term care home that greatly needed support. Before receiving this offer, I was like many music therapists striving to convert my contracts to online and searching for creative ways to ..read more