The main goal of this paper is to demonstrate the developing practice of music therapy as an allied health profession using the Australian model as an example of this development. Allied health implies a multidisciplinary team approach, an add-on treatment to standard medical care. Current practice successfully applied in a childrens hospital in Melbourne and a psychiatric hospital in Adelaide will illustrate music therapy as an allied health prefession. Some historical background and clinical examples will be presented.  

   Introduction

    Music therapy has developed into a respected and firmly established discipline in Australia. As an allied health profession it is practiced throughout Australia and in more than 40 countries around the world. Catherine Threlfell, a keynote speaker at the 33 National Music Therapy Conference in Australia (2005), presented the following vision, “Australia will be a place where music therapists are respected and sought out for their unique perspective on the place of the arts and culture in human development. Music therapists will feel confident to work in many sectors, in collaboration with a range of other professionals, and will understand the role that the arts may play in building community partnerships and healthy relationships”.

    Music therapy focuses on meeting therapeutic aims, which distinguishes it from music education or musical entertainment. People of any age or ability may benefit from a music therapy program regardless of musical skill or background. Music therapists are also creators of music – composers, songwriters, musicians and singers – within their daily practice of music therapy. In Australia a Registered Music Therapist (RMT) has completed an accredited course of training at university. RMTs must keep their registration current with the Austra - lian Music Therapy Association Incorporated (AMTA) and are bound by the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics.

    General information

    The Australia Music Therapy Association began in 1975. Its purpose was to promote music therapy as a profession to the Australian general public, and that is how Registration and the Code of Ethics were established. Since 1975 the Association has organised an annual National Music Therapy Conference, and in 2005 Brisbane was the host city for the World Congress of Music Therapy bringing together about 500 delegates from 40 countries around the globe. The Australian Journal of Music Therapy is considered a valuable resource of current research and practice in this field and since 2005 a week long annual national program called Making Music, Being Well promotes and celebrates well-being through initiatives taken on by music therapists, musicians, concert masters, hospital public relations and educators.

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Music Therapy as a Developed Allied Health Profession in Australia - Vineta Lazdina - Australian Music Therapy Association, Latvia/Australia