Exploring Canadian Music Therapy Graduates’ Experiences of Transitioning into Professional Practice

The transition to professional practice is a unique experience faced by every person who graduates from a pre-professional training program. While literature exists from other professions and countries on this topic, little is known about the triumphs and challenges that Canadian music therapy graduates experience as novice professionals. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative inquiry was to explore three Canadian music therapy graduates’ recent experiences of transitioning from pre-professional training environments into professional music therapist roles within Canadian employment contexts. Data were collected via individual Skype interviews, which were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. Three individual narratives emerged from the interview data and three global meaning units, each one containing themes, emerged through cross-case comparison. These global meaning units were: (a) navigating uncomfortable situations, (b) feeling a sense of commitment, and (c) establishing a foothold. Practical implications of the findings are presented for Canadian music therapy training programs, the music therapy profession in Canada, and future research. Through the identification of common obstacles faced by aspiring music therapists, as well as the identification of internal and external resources, the results of this research inquiry may help music therapy graduates, faculty, supervisors, and employers better understand and navigate this process of change