READERS TOPIC
This month's newsletter will address a question we received from one of our readers. Rika is a high school student who writes to us all the way from New Zealand. She would like to know more about the Music Therapy major and if it becoming increasingly popular in the United States.
Rika,
For those who are unfamiliar with Music Therapy I would like to give a brief background. Music therapy was developed during WWII when musicians were asked to visit veterans hospitals and play for the patients. It was clear that the patients were responding to the music, and there was a need for more formal training. Since then music therapy has developed into a clinical solution for many problems such as mental health issues, physical disabilities or acute and chronic pain. Music therapists can work in nursing homes, medical hospitals, daycare centers, drug and alcohol facilities or schools. To become a music therapist you must enroll in an undergraduate Music Therapy program* and obtain a bachelors degree in addition to 1,000 hours of internship. Once you have completed that, you can sit for the Music Therapy-Board Certified (MT-BC) exam.
Currently, the American Music Therapy Association (founded in 1998) is conducting much research to support music therapy and documenting its' effectiveness. It has now become a legitimate way of easing pain emotionally and physically. It is a rather new means of therapy but gaining much popularity because of its benefits, as shown through many studies. Recently, however, because of the state of the economy, more and more schools are cutting the Music Therapy program. There are only 59 colleges in the United States that provide an undergraduate program in Music Therapy, so many students may not have the opportunity to be exposed to the program.
*Please note that Music Therapy typically would fall under health care professions, not the Arts.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS?
If you have any questions or comments about American culture, history, language, etc., please feel free to submit your questions and comments anytime and I will answer them in the next newsletter!
ヨシカへの質問を募集しています。いまいち使い方が分からない英語や文法、理解に苦しむアメリカの文化や習慣など。
今後のメルマガでお答えしていきます。 質問はこちら→news@weexchange.com