Psychiatric forensic music therapy is one of the lesser known applications of music therapy. Since music therapy can be successfully used to treat all sorts of disorders from physical ailments to emotional disturbances, it logically follows that psychiatric forensic music therapy would have positive results. Musical tasks can help foster a person's ability to arrange their thoughts and can orient them with reality, something that many forensic psychiatrists work to accomplish. Other general benefits of music therapy that can easily be applied to the forensic psychiatric patient are enhanced interpersonal skills, positive self-expression, and improved ability to communicate one's feelings. Also, the anxiety-reducing effects of music therapy are also very helpful when used with forensic psychiatric patients.
Psychiatric forensic music therapy can also be used to assess a specific patient. Some forensic psychiatric patients are difficult to diagnose, and psychiatric forensic music therapy can often help the psychiatrist determine the patient's real disorder. Some forensic psychiatric patients are part of group sessions where music therapy is used, while other forensic psychiatric patients are better assessed and treated on a one-on-one basis.
While the average person may not have realized the practical applications of psychiatric music therapy, the music therapist and music therapy student is likely to not only be aware of these applications, but some will choose to go into this highly specialized field. Many students of psychiatric forensic music therapy have both a degree in music therapy and a degree in forensic psychology. This of course is necessary for the therapist to appropriately and accurately assess and treat the patient.
The students of psychiatric forensic music therapy have a lot of training, as do all music therapists and psychiatrists. They are also required to complete a fellowship or internship program. The purpose of the internship is to allow the student to get more experience with forensic psychiatry patients. Many state mental hospitals offer internships to psychiatric forensic music therapy students. These internships involve student participation in group and individual therapy sessions with mentally ill forensic psychiatry patients. Some students are allowed to participate in the assessment process, but others are required to be more passive students.
While the most common psychiatric forensic music therapy patient is the one in a state mental hospital, psychiatric patients in prisons are also often treated with music therapy. Incarcerated adolescents and adults have shown great improvement in their behavioral, social, and cognitive skills when they have been exposed to music therapy. Some of the music therapy methods commonly used in prison settings are repetition, improvisation, and composition. All of these therapies foster communication, relaxation, and creativity among the patients. But while group therapies are helpful to most forensic psychiatry patients, some still require unique therapy programs to develop the individual's specific skills set.
In today's fast-track world, there are many people who wish to change careers but find they do not have time to get the education they need to make that career change. Of course, most of these people choose online degree programs from accredited universities. Because of the popularity of online degree programs, an interested person can obtain almost any degree online. One of the degree programs with burgeoning popularity is the online Christian music therapy degree.
While finding a degree program that is specifically an online Christian music therapy degree program, potential students who are interested in this type of degree can get a general music therapy degree and then apply the techniques of Christian music to their personal music therapy practices.
If this is the type of degree you want to pursue, do not search for such a specific topic such as an online Christian music therapy degree. Instead, look at online universities that offer a music therapy program. Most universities have online undergraduate and master's programs available for students interested in any type of music therapy degree, including an online Christian music therapy degree.
An online Christian music therapy degree – or any music therapy degree – starts with an undergraduate degree in music or in music therapy. If an interested student has not achieved a degree from an accredited university, or if the student does not have music therapy background, he or she will want to start with an undergraduate music therapy degree. This degree will include education in major subjects like health, music, and behavioral studies as well as several degree-specific music therapy classes. When searching for a degree program, prospective students will want to be sure that the programs they are looking into have been approved by the National Association of Schools of Music, and also by the American Music Therapy Association. This will ensure that graduates of that university's music therapy program will be eligible to take the certification exam given by the Certification Board for Music Therapists.
For students who are continuing their music therapy education, some schools offer a master's degree online. This is very beneficial for those who want to further their current online Christian music therapy degree or general music therapy degree. As with most master's programs in other educational departments, a master's in music therapy focuses on theory, research, and practice. The master's courses expand on the knowledge obtained in the music therapy undergrad program, so it is essential for an incoming student to have general formal knowledge of music therapy, which is often limited to a bachelor's online Christian music therapy degree or other bachelor's in music therapy.
This website uses cookies that are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the privacy policy. By accepting this OR scrolling this page OR continuing to browse, you agree to our Privacy Policy