How did work with war veterans lead to professional music therapy training?

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Following World Wars I and II, the field of music therapy experienced a significant surge in activity. During this period, veterans' hospitals in the United States began employing musicians to work with soldiers suffering from what would today be diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder.1

These clinical experiences with veterans were instrumental in demonstrating the efficacy of music as a therapeutic tool, which directly spurred the development of a formal, professional music-therapy practice. This evolution led to the creation of structured, college-level curricula to train practitioners in the field.1