Which settings use music therapy across a person’s lifespan?

Music therapy is a versatile clinical discipline applied across the human lifespan in a wide variety of settings to address nonmusical goals, such as improvements in cognition, speech, movement, and mental health.1

Because music is a powerful and familiar medium, it is utilized in diverse environments, including:

• Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU): Used to support premature infants, for example, by improving feeding and potentially reducing hospital stays.1
• Medical and Psychiatric Facilities: Employed in hospitals for patients preparing for surgery or childbirth, as well as in psychiatric hospitals to address mental health needs.1
• Rehabilitation Centers: Utilized in drug rehabilitation centers and for neurorehabilitation to assist with cognitive, sensorimotor, or speech recovery.1
• Long-term Care: Applied in nursing homes and hospice facilities to provide comfort, relaxation, and support for individuals with dementia or those nearing the end of life.1
• Correctional Institutions: Used within the justice system to support therapeutic goals.1

By working within a professional relationship, music therapists leverage their training in psychology, biology, and neurology to deliver these services to patients of all ages.1