GOALS & OBJECTIVES!
Those are two key words in the realm of music therapy! GOALS is even an essential word in the AMTA definition of music therapy:
“Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.”
After an assessment, music therapists create individualized goals for each client. One of the biggest misconceptions I deal with is the thinking that these goals are music oriented, like learning to play an instrument, when in fact nearly all of the goals are non-musical. Major goal areas include, but are not limited to, the following:
- emotional well-being
- physical health
- social functioning
- communication abilities
- cognitive skills
- motor skills
These goals can then be addressed through music-based interventions such as:
- music improvisation
- instrument playing
- receptive music listening
- song writing
- lyric discussion
- music and imagery
- music performance
- learning through music
MTs continually re-evaluate their clients’ needs, assess their progress, and modify goals as needed. MT interventions and interactions are all directly based on the clients needs/goals.
This article from the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania states some of the specific goals of Music Therapy and Art Therapy in a pediatric hospital setting
Coast Music Therapy has several resources pertaining to MT goals when working with Children in Special Education
This article by Dorita S. Berger in a 2009 edition of “Voices” gives advice On Developing Music Therapy Goals and Objectives