Music therapy is a healthcare profession and one of the four specializations within arts therapies.

Music therapy is the scientific use of music for therapeutic purposes. It involves the use of music and its expressive elements (sound, rhythm, melody, harmony, dynamics, etc.) within an individual or group relationship process between a music therapist and a client/patient. The aim is to promote and facilitate communication and relationships, learning and cognition, activation, expression, and organization—that is, physical, mental, and social health—thereby supporting the development of an individual’s potential and/or restoring their functions to achieve a better quality of life.

Music therapy includes both passive (receptive) methods—such as listening to music – and active (creative) methods, such as singing, instrumental and vocal improvisation, songwriting, composing, and other forms of musical expression.

THEORETICAL FOUNDATION
In practice, there is no single form of music therapy; rather, the concept represents a synthesis of various music therapy approaches (Kassel Theses, 1998, Thesis 2).
The theoretical foundations of music therapy are rooted in depth psychology, learning and behavioral theories, humanistic psychology, musicology, biomedicine, and neuroscience. Different music therapy approaches are based on different scientific foundations.

For example: Creative music therapy developed by Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins is grounded in humanism, musicology, and biomedicine.
Analytical, Integrative/Gestalt, and Morphological music therapy approaches are based on depth psychology.
Orff-based, Anthroposophical, Tomatis, and Regulatory music therapy approaches draw on musicology as well as cognitive-behavioral learning and behavioral theories.

APPLICATIONS OF MUSIC THERAPY
Music therapy methods are applied in healthcare for a wide range of physical and mental developmental disorders and illnesses in both children and adults, successfully complementing classical medical treatments.
Specific therapeutic goals may relate to the client’s/patient’s current areas of difficulty:

Physical domain

• Development of gross and fine motor skills
• Improvement of hand–eye coordination
• Development of organized rhythmic movement
• Head movement control

Communication domain

• Development of listening skills and conscious hearing
• Development of vocalization and verbal expression
• Improvement of language comprehension, articulation, imitation, and gesture understanding

Social domain

• Understanding relationships and interactions with therapists, staff, and other patients
• Learning skills such as giving and receiving, listening, staying regulated
• Developing play skills, independence, and motivation

Emotional domain

Reducing aggression, fear, anxiety, obsessive behavior, antisocial habits
Developing emotional expression and emotional regulation

Additional goals may include:

• Expanding the use of the client’s/patient’s voice
• Stimulating language development and speech motor coordination
• Developing turn-taking skills
• Creating musical dialogues through shared music-making
• Enhancing body awareness and identity formation
• Encouraging imagination in thinking and music-making
• Creating a structured therapeutic space where clients can experience and express different emotions

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM MUSIC THERAPY?
Music therapy can help anyone who needs improvement in mental and/or physical health. The objective and subjective effects of music on the human body and psyche make it possible to use music therapeutically in the treatment of various illnesses or as a complementary therapy alongside other treatments for organic diseases.
Music therapy can be beneficial in cases of:

• Physical and intellectual disabilities
• Developmental and behavioral disorders
• Brain injuries
• Neuroses and psychoses
• Speech and hearing impairments

During music therapy sessions, specific musical–therapeutic activities take place between the client/patient and the therapist. The appropriate application of music therapy methods can help address various physical and emotional problems, such as anxiety, nervousness, chronic pain, cardiovascular issues, sleep disorders, eating disorders, depression, low mood, and more.
Music therapy is also highly effective in rehabilitation after physical or psychological trauma, surgical procedures, stroke, and in supporting cancer patients before and after surgery or chemotherapy.

MUSIC THERAPY FOR CHILDREN
For children, music therapy is particularly helpful in addressing behavioral and concentration difficulties. Hyperactive children or children with autistic traits, emotionally unstable, aggressive, or depressed children can learn to express themselves in socially appropriate ways without harming themselves or others.

Music therapy can significantly improve the quality of life for children with cerebral disorders. It stimulates language development, dialogue formation, and motor coordination, promotes faster physical and psychological development in premature infants, enhances communication skills, and strengthens body awareness and identity development in children with autism and Down syndrome.

Music therapy is also very helpful in adapting to a new auditory environment after cochlear implant placement. Through specially developed methods, music therapists help clients more quickly distinguish sound direction, differentiate frequencies, and recognize variations in timbre within the new sound environment created by the implant.

Additionally, in certain skin diseases and allergy-related conditions where psychological factors may play a role—particularly asthma—symptoms may decrease or even disappear after several music therapy sessions.

For adults without pronounced health disorders but with a desire for deeper self-exploration and understanding, music therapy—both individually and in groups—offers a powerful opportunity to discover unseen, unheard, and unexplored aspects of themselves, and to release accumulated talents, abilities, emotions, and inner strength.

This summary is based on principles developed by the German Music Therapy Association and the European Music Therapy Confederation (EMTC).

1. Neuropediatrics

• Developmental coordination and mixed developmental disorders (F83, F82)
• Early cerebral disorders (G80–G83)
• Hemi-, para-, and tetraplegia (G82)
• Speech and motor impairments after stroke (G83.9)
• Hyperkinetic syndrome / ADHD (F90.0)
• Neuromuscular diseases (G70–G73)
• Autism spectrum disorder (F84.0)

2. Pediatric Audiology

• Hearing impairment
• Conductive hearing loss (H90.2)
• Sensorineural hearing loss (H90.5)
• Auditory processing disorders; receptive and expressive language disorders (F80.1, F80.2)
• Delayed speech development and speech disorders (R47.8)
• Rehabilitation after cochlear implant surgery

3. Oncology

• Leukemia and other oncological diseases (C20–C95)

4. Neonatology

• Premature birth (P07)
• Respiratory adaptation disorders in newborns (P22)

5. Psychosomatic Disorders

• Asthma (F45.3)
• Anorexia nervosa (F50.0)
• Bulimia nervosa (F50.4)
• Gastrointestinal psychosomatic disorders (F45.8)
• Abdominal pain of psychosomatic origin (F45.3)
• Enuresis (F98.0)

6. Psychiatry

• Intellectual developmental delay
• Depression (F32)
• Exogenous and endogenous psychoses (F25.9, F30–F39)
• Phobias and anxiety disorders (F40, F41)

Music therapy can be used as a primary or complementary therapeutic approach, depending on the individual’s needs and the treatment context.

Music therapy is a structured therapeutic process that unfolds in several stages.

1. Initial Phase of Arts Therapy Work

The collaboration begins with getting acquainted with the music therapist, the therapy room, and the musical instruments and other materials available.
An agreement is established that defines the format of cooperation, the type of sessions, and payment terms (if applicable). The agreement includes basic rules, boundaries, and expectations.

During this stage:

• A music-based assessment is conducted
• Therapy goals and a treatment plan are agreed upon
• The therapeutic relationship is established and gradually developed
• Building trust and a safe therapeutic environment is central to this phase.
  

2. Therapeutic Process and Interim Evaluation Phase

This stage involves the active creative music therapy process.
Music therapists combine various approaches, methods, and techniques using an integrative–eclectic approach. This means integrating different therapeutic directions in order to adapt to the unique needs and circumstances of each individual.
The use of musical instruments and compositions in music therapy differs from using music for entertainment or educational purposes. The music-making and listening process, as well as the intended outcomes, are therapeutically focused.
Whenever possible, reflection on the creative process and its results plays an essential role. Reflection helps the individual consciously work through and overcome difficulties.
If necessary, interim evaluations are conducted to assess progress and adjust goals or methods.

3. Evaluation and Closing Phase
The collaboration concludes with a music-based evaluation of therapy outcomes.
The client/patient receives a summary or professional conclusion regarding the therapy process and recommendations for further development or support

No prior musical experience or instrumental skills are required to participate in music therapy.
The focus is not on performance quality, but on the creative and therapeutic process and the experience gained through it.