As compared to other related fields, music therapy is a relatively new, though rapidly growing, profession. Though music has been used within many cultures for the purpose of healing for hundreds of years, the actual practice of music therapy did not become widely recognized until the 20th century. The following information regarding the history of music therapy has been taken from the American Music Therapy Association webpage which can be found HERE. The History of Music Therapy “The idea of music as a healing influence which could affect health and behavior is as least as old as the writings of Aristotle and Plato. The 20th century profession formally began after World War I and World War II when community musicians of all types, both amateur and professional, went to Veterans hospitals around the country to play for the thousands of veterans suffering both physical and emotional trauma from the wars. The patients’ notable physical and emotional responses to music led the doctors and nurses to request the hiring of musicians by the hospitals. It was soon evident that the Read More