What is Music Therapy? How can it help my neurodivergent child?
- Georgia Pitts
- May 4
- 4 min read
What Is Music Therapy?
“So… you just sing songs with kids?”
"Do you teach them an instrument?"
"Do you just sing to them?"
These are some of the questions I get when people hear that I am a Registered Music Therapist.
AND well, let's be honest, I hear this a lot "What is music therapy?". You are not alone!
Sometimes comparisons I never expected come up, such as "oh is it similar to how dog therapy go to people in hospital?"
And honestly, I understand why people ask.
For many families searching for autism support on the Sunshine Coast, it is something they only discover when looking for allied health services for their child . Perhaps their Occupational Therapist notices how much their participant engages when music is involved or their Speech Therapist notices how their participant sings more than they speak, have learned new vocabulary from songs or how they are highly responsive and active when "Old McDonald had a Farm" is sung.
But what looks like “just music” on the surface is actually a Masters trained allied health profession.
An evidence based allied health profession
Music therapy is an evidence based allied health profession that uses music intentionally to support:
Communication
Emotional regulation
Social connection
Development and engagement
You will find Registered Music Therapists (RMT) in
Hospitals
Schools
Disability Day Centres
Aged Care
Detention centres
Private Practice
Mental Health settings
RMT's plan and provide tailored musical experiences for their participants to improve particular aspects of their health and wellbeing goals. Every session is designed to support and meet their goals.
It can be highly beneficial for RMTs to speak with each participant's broader support team, including family members and allied health professionals such as:
Speech pathology
Occupational therapy
Psychology
Early childhood intervention
This makes space for unique, tailored and creative therapeutic strategies that can be used across different settings and environments to truly foster support for the child and family.
Goals
Families on the Sunshine Coast may seek support for their neurodiverse child to support the following areas for example:
Communication skills
Non-verbal and verbal communication
Joint attention
Early language development
Social interaction skills
Emotional regulation
Co-regulation support
Transitions between activities
Building emotional awareness and coping strategies
Social connection
Turn taking
Shared play
Engagement with peers or caregivers
Opportunities for children to express themselves in a safe and supportive environment that aligns with their interests and needs
Sensory regulation
Movement and rhythm based regulation strategies
This area can really well supported when an OT and RMT work together!
Ask us about Joint Sessions on the Sunshine Coast!
Music Therapy is not "new"
Music therapy is not a new or emerging practice.
Its roots can be traced back to wartime hospitals during World War I and World War II, where music was used to support soldiers experiencing physical and emotional trauma.
These early applications of music in medical settings contributed to the development of modern clinical music therapy training.
Over time, this evolved into formal university programs, research, and professional standards.
Today, music therapy is recognised internationally as a regulated allied health profession.
In Australia, only two universities offer a Master's of Music Therapy:
The University of Melbourne
Western Sydney University
Registered Music Therapists are then accredited with the Australian Music Therapy Association and are required to complete ongoing professional development each year
What does a session look like?
A range of Music Therapy methods are used such as:
Guided Original Songwriting or Song Parody (Changing the words of an existing song to suit a particular goal/theme/routine etc)
Listening to live music
Listening to recorded music
Active music making
Movement and Music
Music for relaxation
Playlist Creation
Music Production
Why Music Therapy is Often Misunderstood
Music is different to music lessons and music entertainment
The main goal is not musical
Music is the medium or tool used to support health goal. For example, a child is motivated to vocalise or engage in back-and-forth expressive communication when their favourite song is played live
Entertainment is a passive experience and is not tailored to suit an individuals goals
Music lessons has the focus of building musical skills
Sessions are intentional and guided by therapeutic goals, client preferences and interests and stakeholder input
Music Therapy on the Sunshine Coast
There are a handful of Registered Music Therapists on the Sunshine Coast
You can find an RMT near you here
Music Therapy IS covered by the NDIS
NDIS Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living
Funding depends on the participant’s plan and goals
Sessions MUST be delivered by a Registered Music Therapist who has accreditation with the Australian Music Therapy Association
Final Thoughts
Music therapy is not just about music.
It is about connection, communication, regulation, and relationship.
For many families on the Sunshine Coast, it becomes a meaningful part of their child’s allied health support team.
Not sure if Music Therapy is for your child? Reach out to me at Bloom and Flow Music Therapy by sending us an email or filling out the intake form
Comments