What does a music therapist do?
A Music Therapist uses music within a therapeutic environment to treat those suffering from a variety of issues. They help clients develop an increased self-awareness and report their progress to families, bosses, or relevant agencies.
Music therapist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real music therapist resumes:
- Manage the entire SNF and Alzheimer's unit caseload.
- Provide individual music therapy services in coordination with in-house hospice organization and participate in hospice interdisciplinary team meetings.
- Provide individual music interventions for patients on sub-acute, rehabilitation to meet specific needs during short term hospital stay.
- Develop and implement music therapy interventions to patients of all ages and abilities in an ever-changing behavioral health setting.
- Design interventions to stimulate cognition, empower emotional expression, and promote engagement in group activities for clients diagnose with dementia.
- Participate in IEP meetings and quarterly evaluation meetings with parents.
- Work with individuals who have moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease
- Complete paperwork, as required, including assessment, MDS and care plans.
- Implement treatment plans for each client base on their IEP plans, diagnoses, and development needs.
- Provide adaptive equipment and techniques so all residents can participate.
- Adhere to Medicare and Medicaid regulations that ensure the facilities integrity.
- Provide therapeutic music experiences to elderly individuals with dementia and individuals undergoing rehabilitation
- Submit for authorization for all custom equipment order to all insurances including Medicare/ Medicaid.
- Provide individuals with autism and relate disorders comprehensive and science-base treatments through intensive individualize instruction.
- Complete assessments, progress notes, and develop individualized treatment plans in conjunction with the interdisciplinary team.
Music therapist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 32% of Music Therapists are proficient in Patients, Interdisciplinary, and Rehabilitation. They’re also known for soft skills such as Leadership skills, Speaking skills, and Adaptability.
We break down the percentage of Music Therapists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 32%
Provided individual music interventions for patients on sub-acute, rehabilitation to meet specific needs during short term hospital stay.
- Interdisciplinary, 15%
Provide individual music therapy services in coordination with in-house hospice organization and participated in hospice interdisciplinary team meetings.
- Rehabilitation, 10%
Perform intakes and coordinate expressive therapy treatment for each program: Partial Hospitalization, Psychiatric Rehabilitation, and Outpatient Mental Health.
- Music Therapy, 5%
Utilize psychodrama, psycho-synthesis, emotional release, gestalt, guided imagery, hypnotherapy, music therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.
- Mental Health, 5%
Administered individual and group sessions in a private, not-for-profit outpatient mental health facility.
- Adolescents, 3%
Provided in-service program for other staff on the use of Music Therapy to elicit self-expression and creativity in emotionally disturbed adolescents.
Common skills that a music therapist uses to do their job include "patients," "interdisciplinary," and "rehabilitation." You can find details on the most important music therapist responsibilities below.
Leadership skills. The most essential soft skill for a music therapist to carry out their responsibilities is leadership skills. This skill is important for the role because "recreational therapists must be engaging and able to motivate patients to participate in a variety of therapeutic activities." Additionally, a music therapist resume shows how their duties depend on leadership skills: "developed strategies with team for therapeutic intervention development, which used creativity and leadership elements. "
Listening skills. music therapist responsibilities often require "listening skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "recreational therapists must pay attention to patients’ concerns in order to determine an appropriate course of treatment." This resume example shows what music therapists do with listening skills on a typical day: "provided occupational therapy services and communicated with parents regularly regarding performance. "
Compassion. A commonly-found skill in music therapist job descriptions, "compassion" is essential to what music therapists do. Music therapist responsibilities rely on this skill because "recreational therapists may deal with people who are in pain, so they should be empathetic when providing support to patients and their families." You can also see how music therapist duties rely on compassion in this resume example: "worked with terminally ill patients providing compassionate touch therapy and massage to promote relaxation. "
The three companies that hire the most music therapists are:
- AccentCare20 music therapists jobs
- St. Croix Hospice10 music therapists jobs
- Houston Methodist9 music therapists jobs
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Compare different music therapists
Music therapist vs. Music therapist, public school system
A recreation therapist is responsible for supporting the patients' physical and mental wellness by organizing therapeutic programs and activities, depending on the patients' condition and existing treatment plans. Recreation therapists work with other medical health professionals for advice and medication needs. They also track the patients' progress, maintain a medical chart, and report any updates to the physicians and patients' family members. A recreation therapist manages the resources and materials for the activities and ensures the safety and security of the participants.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a music therapist are more likely to require skills like "patients," "interdisciplinary," "rehabilitation," and "music therapy." On the other hand, a job as a music therapist, public school system requires skills like "crisis intervention," "program development," "family therapy," and "occupational therapy." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
The education levels that music therapists, public school system earn slightly differ from music therapists. In particular, music therapists, public school system are 2.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a music therapist. Additionally, they're 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Music therapist vs. Director of music therapy
Each career also uses different skills, according to real music therapist resumes. While music therapist responsibilities can utilize skills like "patients," "interdisciplinary," "rehabilitation," and "mental health," directors of music therapy use skills like "group sessions," "individual sessions," "interventions," and "assessment procedures."
Directors of music therapy earn similar levels of education than music therapists in general. They're 3.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for music therapists in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Cheryl Stenmark Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Director, Industrial/Organizational Psychology Masters Program, Angelo State University
Music therapist vs. Recreation therapist
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, music therapists are more likely to have skills like "interdisciplinary," "adolescents," "music therapy interventions," and "music therapy sessions." But a recreation therapist is more likely to have skills like "ctrs," "patient care," "cpr," and "treatment programs."
Recreation therapists earn the highest salary when working in the education industry, where they receive an average salary of $55,011. Comparatively, music therapists have the highest earning potential in the health care industry, with an average salary of $56,421.recreation therapists typically earn lower educational levels compared to music therapists. Specifically, they're 7.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Music therapist vs. Board certified music therapist
Even though a few skill sets overlap between music therapists and board certified music therapists, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a music therapist might have more use for skills like "patients," "interdisciplinary," "rehabilitation," and "mental health." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of board certified music therapists require skills like "adaptive," "mt-bc," "ages range," and "individual sessions. "
Board certified music therapists reach similar levels of education compared to music therapists, in general. The difference is that they're 3.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.9% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of music therapist
Updated January 8, 2025
