Exploring how self-employed music therapists introduce their profession to stakeholders: an empirical study

Abstract

As the music therapy profession advances and supports a diverse range of health contexts, music therapists raise concerns that stakeholders need to be adequately informed about their service and its benefits. Research shows stakeholders do not accurately differentiate between ‘music therapy’ and ‘health musicking.’ Not being aware or informed about music therapy and its capabilities may lead to stakeholders missing out on a treatment option that may be invaluable to their overall well-being. With limited research on advocacy in the field, music therapists appear to struggle with their identity and how to describe their role in a workplace context effectively. To offer support to music therapists and their development of practice, this empirical study explores the process of music therapy introductions. It aims to determine what may be most beneficial for stakeholders to consider when conveying a meaningful music therapy introduction. Guided by structural elements of grounded theory, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with four self-employed music therapists from the United Kingdom and the United States. Thematic analysis uncovered three main themes in a music therapy introduction, (1) relevancy, (2) credibility and (3) vibrancy, along with considerations on approaching music therapy introductions and a working definition of how music therapy introductions in the profession transpire.