A New Year for Music Therapy: Dragging It Forward

Monday, Dec 30, 2013
One year ends, another begins, and what a year it has been for the world of music therapy!
Have you noticed?!

The amount of media coverage continues to increase as those listening ears out there catch word of the work being done with music and its healing affect on humanity. Music therapists, those in music therapy related professions, and those touched by music therapy around the globe continue to advocate for the profession, striving to share its benefits with others. We desire to see music therapy grow in recognition and its professionals grow stronger and even more insightful in their understanding of the work they do. I have seen news story after news story shed light on the question, “What is music therapy?” We are continually gaining ground in being more recognized thanks to the dedicated efforts of many individuals around the world committed to this common goal. Our deepest thanks and most thoughtful encouragement goes out to you, the world’s music therapists. Continue doing your best work. Continue building your network of support so you can spur each other on this journey to be better and to think more critically about what you are doing in your work and why. This is how growth happens.

Sometimes reflecting on the past helps to motivate us to move forward into a better future. While I was attending classes at Capilano University, Canadian music therapy pioneer Nancy McMaster often said to us in our lectures, “Drag it forward!” These words have stayed with me. We are to take our past learnings and let them inform our present and future, dragging our knowledge and experiences forward. To remind us of what has been done, here is a collection of news articles relating to the effects of music and music therapy that have come up over the last year. This is only a fraction of the material that is out there in cyberspace, but it will be a start that will hopefully spark in you a new curiosity and eagerness to explore further and dive deeper into the stories, insights, and research studies that are surfacing all over the globe. Look for those little gems in these articles to remind you why you love music therapy and why you want to continue doing your best work this year.

Pep talk over. Now go enjoy browsing through these links and have the happiest of New Years!

Harmoniously,

Julia

Music Heals Blog Editor
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http://www.medicaldaily.com/music-eases-chronic-pain-simon-garfunkel-fleetwood-mac-songs-among-most-relaxing-260923

http://www.connectsavannah.com/savannah/mozart-music-and-magic/Content?oid=2320753

http://www.12newsnow.com/story/23310593/playing-for-time-can-music-stave-off-dementia

http://www.freep.com/article/20131230/NEWS05/312300017/music-therapy-dementia-hospice

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-sound-of-music-and-other-techniques-to-help-kids-deal-with-pain-at-the-doctors-office/2013/09/16/41ab9f4a-14b2-11e3-880b-7503237cc69d_story.html

http://www.womenofchina.cn/html/womenofchina/report/168391-1.htm

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20131205/andersonville/program-helps-terminally-ill-children-write-songs-for-therapy-funerals

http://www.looktothestars.org/news/11163-emeli-sande-features-in-nordoff-robbins-music-therapy-video

http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/making-music-together-rehabilitates-wounded-warriors-112913

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/dec/03/choir-hiv-positive-voices-music-prejudice

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/nov/05/music-therapy-palliative-care

http://voxxi.com/2013/11/20/sound-therapy-brain-music/

http://blog.oup.com/2013/11/evolution-music-therapy-research/

http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/maryland-family/bal-music-therapy-for-preemies-20131030,0,1339422.story

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-littlefield/music-creativity-potential_b_4118737.html

http://www.mcgilldaily.com/2013/10/taking-advantage-of-good-vibes/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vanessa-contopulos/my-6-year-old-teacher_b_4086377.html

http://www.dailytribune.com/general-news/20131012/blind-autistic-mans-music-his-gift

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/all-together-now/story-e6frg8h6-1226735620655

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