Towards an open dialogue: Contemporary developments in the field of music therapy in Greece

Abstract

The music therapy field in Greece has undergone important changes and advancements since 2016. These changes include the establishment of music therapy education programs, the development of new service provision models, as well as the emergence of new professional networks and of spaces for interdisciplinary dialogue (Tsiris & Kalliodi, 2020). These advancements have multifaceted implications for the way that the discipline and the profession of music therapy evolves within the country, as well as for the developing relation between the Greek music therapy community and the international one (Ridder & Tsiris, 2015). The changing ecology of the field includes emerging changes regarding the professional identity of music therapists, the awareness of the general public about the profession, as well as the possibilities for collaboration with other disciplines. However, the discourse regarding these changes and their repercussions is restricted within narrow intra-professional circles and it rarely features in public disciplinary reflections. Acknowledging the necessity and the benefits of such an open reflective discourse (Stige, 2014), this symposium attempts to outline contemporary developments in the field while raising questions and concerns in terms of three key dimensions: (a) music therapy practice and service development, (b) the importance and the role of professional networks, and (c) music therapists' education in terms of qualification, continued professional education and lifelong learning. These dimensions are explored multidimensionally drawing on the extensive experience of the speakers within different professional, educational and research contexts in Greece and internationally. With ramifications for issues pertaining to ideologies and sociopolitical values, this symposium aspires to promote a constructive dialogue with other professionals from the wider field of music, health and wellbeing, while taking into consideration the broader social context (Moss, 2021; Whitehead-Pleaux & Tan, 2019).