Music Therapist

You'll need:

• counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
• knowledge of psychology
• knowledge of the fine arts
• sensitivity and understanding
• the ability to work well with others
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• to be flexible and open to change
• customer service skills
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Depending on where you work, you may help clients:

• express themselves through sound and music
• develop insight and creating ways of relating to other people
• become aware of their feelings
• interact with other people more confidently
• bring about positive changes in their lives

You may work in group and one-to-one therapy sessions with clients who have:

• learning disabilities
• emotional, behaviour or mental health problems
• speech and language difficulties
• an injury or illness or are recovering from an addiction

You may also

• write case notes
• evaluate the effectiveness of therapy

You could work in a therapy clinic, in a prison, in an NHS or private hospital or at a school.

You'll need paid or voluntary experience of working in the community, in youth work, or with people with disabilities or mental health issues.

You could contact the voluntary services co-ordinator at your local NHS trust for further advice. Do-it also has information on voluntary opportunities in your area.

Registration

• you'll need to register with the Health and Care Professions Council

Career tips

You could try an introductory course in music therapy to get an idea of what this work involves. Some universities and music colleges offer these courses, as well as the British Association for Music Therapy.

Professional and industry bodies

You can join the British Association for Music Therapy, for professional recognition, career development and to make contact with other therapists.

Further information

You'll find more advice about careers and training in music therapy from the British Association for Music Therapy and Health Careers.

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks