The Selection of Music Experiences in Music Therapy

Music therapists select, design, and facilitate music experiences with clients’ primary health needs in mind. The focus of this article is the first step in this process—the selection of music experiences. The four music therapy methods, as defined by Bruscia (2014) (re-creation, composition, improvisation, and receptive or listening experiences), provide myriad variations through which a therapist might engage clients in musicking for therapeutic benefit. To determine which particular type of music experience will most benefit a client’s treatment process at any given time requires thoughtful consideration of a variety of factors and issues, including ethics, clinical efficacy, contraindications, orientation of the therapist and/or treatment facility, cultural awareness, and client preferences and readiness. The article concludes with a series of questions that therapists may find useful toward thinking through the general considerations presented as well as others specific to the needs of one’s clientele