Uncategorized Archives

Changing Things for the Better | Getting to Know Some of our MT-BC Volunteers in Regulatory Affairs

January 24, 2025/in Uncategorized/by Diane Morgan

We wanted you to learn a little more about a few of our current and former state activists who are committed to changing things for the better for all music therapists. Read on to delve a little deeper into their world and explore further why they do what they do. Megumi Azekawa, MS, MTL, MT-BC, Tacoma, Washington
Founder and Director, Puget Sound Music Therapy, LLC
PhD student, School of Nursing, University of Washington

After 16 years of countless emails and legislator visits, the big win finally came! The state of Washington finally passed a state licensure bill for music therapists. With her task complete, Megumi passed the baton and stepped away from the Washington State Task Force after eight years as its chair/co-chair then her final year as a consultant. Her focus is back on the practice of music therapy.

Her journey into regulatory affairs originally began for her in Colorado, years before, when she first observed the work CBMT Regulatory Affairs Associate Dr. Kimberly Sena Moore was doing and was inspired to help. It was contagious and she carried that inspiration back home with her to Washington state. 

“My co-chair, Evelyn Stagnaro, and I, along with our Task Force members, poured ourselves into galvanizing the community through emails, phone calls, in-person meetings, and social media campaigns,” Megumi recalls. “We also collaborated with college professors from our local university music therapy program to get music therapy students motivated for their future profession. Their presences and voices spoke a lot when meeting with the legislators for Hill Day.” 

It wasn’t easy, Megumi admitted, but they were determined. 

“During the legislative sessions, critical moments happen around the clock, and I don’t know how many texts my co-chair and I exchanged over the years! Asking for last-minute support work from other Task Force members or other music therapists from the community is always a challenge as they have their regular jobs and other commitments. At the end of all this work, why we are doing it is because we believe in music therapy.” 

She has a wish list a mile long that she’d still like to see happen. For instance, she’d like to see an inter-state licensure compact bill to allow music therapists from a licensed state to be able to carry their licenses to other licensed states. She dreams of seeing infrastructure to develop and sustain music therapist positions in Washington’s public school systems – and VA systems, too – like some other states already have in place. She dreams of the day all major hospitals have music therapy programs and also support and conduct music therapy research.

And that’s just for starters. 

The big legislative win was to pass the licensure bill in 2023, but more importantly, Megumi believes the even bigger win is that the Washington State music therapy community has grown more united along the way. At its core, Megumi believes: “This work is about the relationships you develop.”

Stephanie Johnson, MT-BC. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Neurologic Music Therapist – Fellow
CEO, Music Speaks, LLC (CA, NE, MN, IA, WI, IL, TN and NC)

In addition to operating Music Speaks in eight states, Stephanie has chaired the Iowa Music Therapy State Recognition Task Force since 2013. During their most active years, she sometimes visited the capitol building one to three times per week during sessions, advocating for recognition of music therapy. It was effective. In 2021, they achieved title protection for music therapy.

The big, public moment, Stephanie shares, was the unanimous vote for title protection of music therapy in the state of Iowa. The biggest non-public win for her was when she met with a legislator who was often against professional regulation. But when he saw an edited video of a music therapy session, he saw the momentous change from the client with dementia not being able to speak to being able to speak within 45 minutes. At that point, he became a champion for music therapy.

It all started when another music therapist asked her to get involved. From that first ask, Stephanie has always felt support, either from her local team or from the national team, so she’s never felt alone. She encourages people to say yes to help with the very next thing that needs help, and then take baby steps from there.

“Of the hundreds of interviews I’ve done over the years, one commonality I can always predict is that music therapists desperately want the public to understand what we do,” Stephanie explains. “I know the motivation is there, but fear of the unknown gets in the way of action. If I could share that it’s the small moments of advocacy that make the difference, not big moments, perhaps there would be less fear of stepping in.”

It’s a challenge being a volunteer on a volunteer team with everyone having jobs and personal lives outside of the volunteer work, but the more people who are involved and willing to help, the better.

“Many hands make light work,” she says. “If we, as music therapists, aren’t waking up every day thinking about how the mechanisms of music can help people, then who is? The ripple effect needs to start with us.”

Her favorite part of the work is seeing those “lightbulb moments” and changing people’s minds from music therapy being a nice-to-have, to a must-have.

“Music and music elements are processed in such a unique way in the brain, sometimes there is no substitute for music therapy when other therapies, professions, or medications are not helping.”

Nancy Swanson, MA, LPMT, MT-BC, Park Ridge, Illinois
Licensed Professional Music Therapist
Northshore Music Therapy, Inc.

Nancy has chaired the Illinois State Recognition Task Force since 2014 but started as a committee member back in 2007 – almost a quarter century of what she describes as failed attempts for state recognition. Countless hours of meetings, Hill Days, legislative meetings, letter writing campaigns, trainings for music therapists on legislative affairs, numerous Calls-To-Action, and more.

Now, they not only have licensure, but Illinois is the first state in the nation to have Music Therapy services covered by Medicaid. That translates to more people receiving music therapy and more jobs for music therapists.

“It never ceased to amaze me,” Nancy recalls, “all the hours each state’s government relations team put into ensuring forward progress of our profession through education and legislative action.”

Nancy also chaired the Government Relations Committee in the Great Lakes Region (GLR) for AMTA, which works in partnership with the CBMT Regulatory Affairs team.

When asked what motivates her, Nancy said she was taught the importance of service from a young age: “As a child, my grandmother would take me to the Red Cross with her every Sunday to set up the room for the week’s blood drive. She lived a life of service and instilled that in me.”

What did it take to get her started? “Another music therapist asked me,” she replied.

“You have to ask people to get involved, but I think that the success that other states are having with state recognition might help to motivate someone to want that same success in their state. Licensure = increased work opportunities.”

Every time she started to lose hope or energy to keep going forward to pursue licensure, she would think about all the amazing music therapists in Illinois (and around the country) doing such impactful work.

What she loves most is working as a team to accomplish such significant milestones: “The dedication that Judy Simpson, Dena Register, Kimberly Sena Moore and our Illinois team all possess inspires me and keeps me asking myself: What’s next?!”

What’s next is making sure all of the details of both the licensure and Medicaid inclusion are ironed out and completed – and that all Illinois music therapists are educated and well-informed on the nuances of the new legislative victories.

Paula Unsal, MM, MA, MT-BC, Teaneck, New Jersey
Adjunct Faculty, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ

Paula has been serving as a faculty observer for music therapy students at practicum sites since 2008. Clinically, over the years, she provided music therapy services in day centers and group homes for adults with neurodevelopmental needs, as well as people with dementia and traumatic brain injury.

It was 2012 when she first got involved in the New Jersey State Task Force (NJSTF). Within a year she was co-chair then chair and remains in that position today. Her task force, comprised of New Jersey music therapists, functions under the Mid-Atlantic Region of the American Music Therapy Association (MAR-AMTA) which consists of the seven states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Concurrently, she serves as liaison, in an appointed position, to the New Jersey Association for Music Therapy (NJAMT), which provides Paula a board seat as Government Relations Chair. In her multiple roles, she also works closely with AMTA and CBMT’s national legislative team.

NJSTF saw the New Jersey music therapist license signed into law January 21, 2020. In the following year, NJSTF supported the nomination and Senate confirmation of two music therapists for seats on the newly created State Board of Creative Arts and Recreational Activities. The license is now under this state board’s purview for the process of regulation writing/review and adoption in order to achieve the final goal of licenses in hand.

“What we can do is to monitor the process and keep everyone informed. There will be a period for public review in which we can provide input; but at that point, it is all but over,” Paula explains.

There were some hair-raising moments, though, as Paula describes it: “Seeing our bill signed into law one month after it had been mistakenly allowed to die in committee; a successful resurrection accomplished without the sponsor, by using contacts established through task force work.“

Keeping people informed and involved – from legislators to music therapists to the general public – has been at the heart of Paula’s work. But it will never be over. There’s so much more to be accomplished.

Once they achieved the license law, they began approaching NJ civil service to update title language and requirements. After two-plus years of persistence, they have been able to submit updated requirements for all the titles and those are now in civil service management review.

While NJSTF could not require the license, because it isn’t yet available, they did include the MT-BC credential as a requirement.

“In this manner, we feel that only qualified music therapists will be hired in the future and the means to ensure that a licensed music therapist is in the position is built in,” Paula said. “Remaining steadfast and trusting in the process through the inevitable disappointments,” Paula says, is the most important thing. “Persistence is what makes the difference.”

Melanie Wiseheart, MMT, MT-BC, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Assistant Professor of Music, Coordinator of Music Therapy
William Carey University

As a member of the Mississippi Music Therapy Task Force, Melanie plans and executes Hill Days, facilitates Hill Day trainings, and coordinates MT-BCs and WCU students connecting with their legislators and being the boots on the ground on Hill Day.

It all began for Melanie in Indiana around 2016 when she first began participating in advocacy work. In 2018, when she was on the executive board of the Association for Indiana Music Therapy (AIMT), first as treasurer then as president, her involvement deepened.

In 2022, when she relocated to Mississippi, she carried all that experience, commitment and excitement with her and was quickly welcomed by Katie Drake and the Mississippi task force. They organized the first music therapy Hill Day in 2024 and drafted the first bill for licensure in Mississippi – ever.

“I think a lot of people are intimidated by politicians and political processes,” Melanie says. “I like to remind my friends, colleagues, and students that our legislators are people just like us, that our legislators’ job is to listen to and represent us, that we are the experts in our field.”

When music therapists enter into conversations with that confidence, coupled with humility and an eagerness to learn from legislators, they can “build beautiful working relationships with their leaders.” Those relationships, Melanie believes, are the “cornerstone for progress in regulatory affairs.”

Melanie thinks it also helps to hear regular updates on the successes various states are experiencing.

Melanie would like to see more social media posts from AMTA and CBMT on major and minor wins across the states.

“We have legislation being introduced in around 10 states this year, right? I would love to know more about what is going on in those states! If I don’t live in that state, maybe I have friends or family in that state who can contact their legislators and encourage them to support the music therapy licensure bill.”

When music therapists have an established seat at the table, Melanie believes it reflects their value as professionals and the exceptional service they provide. Licensure lays the foundation for reimbursement opportunities, which means that more clients can access services and experience the benefits of music therapy.

When asked what she hopes to see in the future, Melanie had her wish list at the ready:

Music therapists would be licensed in every state and be able to bill insurance and Medicaid, just
like other therapies.
Music therapy would be included in disability and elder care waivers in every state.
Music therapy would be funded by school systems locally.
Music therapy would have reciprocity among states, so that we could be licensed in one state and still be able to see clients in neighboring states or via telehealth if clients are out of state while traveling, etc.

Presently, in Mississippi, none of that has happened yet. But, in March 2024, after their very first bill had received unanimous support in the House but then died in Senate committee, they already had their 2025 Hill Day booked. They pre-filed a bill in the House for 2025 and secured two authors for a companion bill in the Senate. There is clearly no stopping them now.

“I love that when we get to the heart of people’s stories and lives, music is there. It’s always there. And I love speaking to that as I advocate for the work that we are uniquely trained and qualified to do.”

What a beautiful privilege it is, Melanie reminds us, to tell those stories.

If you want to get involved, simply reach out to your state’s task force. For all the information you need, click on your state in the map located here. Feel free to contact any member of the national team as well.

Read more about CBMT’s commitment to regulatory affairs advocacy in our recent blog. CBMT has more information about advocacy and state recognition on our website. Visit cbmt.org to learn more about CBMT’s role in the field of music therapy.

Group photo of music therapy advocates at Hill Day

Regulatory Affairs: On the Front Lines

January 24, 2025/in Uncategorized/by Diane Morgan

Most of us don’t think of music therapists as activists, but we have a few we’d like to introduce you to. First, though, why is advocacy important in music therapy? Because regulation and policy impacts everything about what you do – and those changes can either benefit you and your practice, or not.

As both the healthcare and education ecosystems continually adapt to changing priorities, it’s important to understand that music therapy is a vital part of both systems and not immune to these changes. It’s essential that we protect and champion our field to minimize changes that negatively impact our important work as music therapists.

Since 2005, the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) and the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) have collaborated on a national initiative known as “The State Recognition Operational Plan.” To elevate the understanding and utilization of music therapy in its myriad clinical applications, CBMT and AMTA have mapped out and executed an advocacy plan resulting in the creation and support of music therapy task forces in 48 states and the US territory of Puerto Rico.

The staff at the center of this movement include Dr. Dena Register, Regulatory Affairs Advisor, and Dr. Kimberly Sena Moore, Regulatory Affairs Associate, from CBMT, and Judy Simpson, Director of Government Relations from AMTA.

To date, the collective efforts of this national team, more than 300 MT-BCs who serve on task forces, and the advocacy of thousands of music therapists and students have resulted in formal recognition of the credential by 18 states through licensure, state certification or title protection.

That’s why it’s important to stay on top of what is happening in your state – and get involved.

State Activists: Boots on the Ground

Meet some of our current and former state activists. They can serve as a link for you to get involved or just stay in the know – or they can point you to the right contact you can be in touch with.

Megumi Azekawa, MS, MTL, MT-BC, Tacoma, WA
Founder and Director, Puget Sound Music Therapy, LLC
PhD student, School of Nursing, University of Washington

BIGGEST LEGISLATIVE WIN: Passage of Washington State Licensure Bill

“It is our ethical responsibility to protect the consumers from potential harm by promoting what music therapy really is and how it really works and benefits,” Megumi said. “Over the years, I developed productive relationships with several legislators through Hill Day, Town Hall meeting visits, and individual meetings to discuss our bills…and we’ve gained many “friends” in the Washington state legislature who truly support music therapy. I’ve witnessed our local field grow steadily by adding more full-time music therapy positions, and more successful private practices have been happening thanks to all our colleagues’ tireless efforts.”

Read more about Megumi here. Stephanie headshot and quote

Stephanie Johnson, MT-BC, Cedar Rapids, IA
Neurologic Music Therapist – Fellow
CEO, Music Speaks, LLC (CA, NE, MN, IA, WI, IL, TN and NC)

BIGGEST LEGISLATIVE WIN: Passage of Music Therapy Title Protection in Iowa

“One commonality I can always predict is that music therapists desperately want the public to understand what we do,” Stephanie explains. “I know the motivation is there, but fear of the unknown gets in the way of action. If I could share that it’s the small moments of advocacy that make the difference, not big moments, perhaps there would be less fear of stepping in. Many hands make light work,” she says.

CBMT and AMTA: Partnering Nationally on Regulatory Affairs Advocacy

The “national team,” which includes staff members who work for CBMT and AMTA, coordinates task forces, composed primarily of MT-BCs and students, in most states across the nation to further the primary objective in each individual state. The national team currently includes:

Dr. Dena Register, CBMT Regulatory Affairs Advisor

As a seasoned music therapy clinician, educator and consultant, Dena’s advocacy work in the U.S. focuses on the recognition of music therapy by state governments and the acknowledgment of the MT-BC credential.

As part of her international work, she was awarded a Council for International Exchange of Scholars Fulbright Scholar award to consult with Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand. She helped develop and launch clinical music therapy programs in local hospitals, palliative care units and rehabilitation facilities, along with the first music therapy master’s degree program in Southeast Asia at the MU College of Music.

Dena is a Chopra-certified meditation teacher, and enjoys leading meditation and sound healing practices at the Chopra MindBody Zone in Orlando, Florida.

Dr. Kimberly Sena Moore, CBMT Regulatory Affairs Associate

As Associate Director of the Bower School of Music at Florida Gulf Coast University, Kimberly is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Music Therapy program. Her research focuses on emotion regulation development, particularly in preschoolers who are neurodevelopmentally at-risk, as well as clinical music intervention development. She also serves as Co-Editor for the Journal of Music Therapy.

Outside academia, Kimberly is involved in state-level advocacy, legislative, and policy issues that impact music therapy practice. She has presented extensively at regional, national, and international conferences, and her research has been published in the Journal of Music Therapy, Music Therapy Perspectives, Arts in Psychotherapy, the Nordic Journal of Music Therapy and Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Her work has been featured in media outlets such as Psychology Today, Redbook and CURE.

Judy Simpson, AMTA Director of Government Relations

For two decades, Judy has led AMTA’s national state recognition initiative in collaboration with CBMT, representing the music therapy profession with legislators, agencies, and coalitions on the state and federal level. She has presented and participated in advocacy trainings and events in 30 states and has contributed to legislative and regulatory language in 41 states, supporting increased access to quality music therapy services by qualified board-certified music therapists.

She is the co-author of “Music Therapy Reimbursement: Best Practices and Procedures” and provides reimbursement guidance to AMTA members and music therapy consumers. She holds a Managed Care Professional designation from America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).

Before AMTA, Judy’s 17 years of clinical experience as an MT-BC involved developing music therapy programs in hospital settings, including physical rehabilitation, oncology, labor and delivery, behavioral health, ICU and general medicine.

Celebrating the Wins

There have been so many wins to celebrate over the years that the list would never fit here. Big “wins” in the last three years include:

Inclusion of music therapy services for Medicaid recipients in Illinois (2024)
Licensure passed in Illinois (2022), Ohio (2023), Connecticut (2023), and Washington (2023)
State Certification established in Tennessee (2024)
Invited to participate in the Sound Health Music as Medicine workshop panel in December 2023, hosted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and co-chaired by Dr. Francis Collins and Renee Fleming

Some of the biggest wins – as many have stated – are the relationships that have developed among the MT-BCs at the state and national level.

Making Lifelong Connections

Getting involved in advocacy can forge meaningful, lifelong connections. Many MT-BCs work in isolation from others in the field. Fortunately, there are conferences for music therapists where you can get to know other state task force members and a host of other MT-BCs in your region. Fostering connection and relationships is probably the most important step we can take as music therapists to ensure that our field remains healthy, effective and strong.

The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) has seven (7) regions and the American Music Therapy Association for Students (AMTAS). AMTA hosts national conferences and online symposiums. Each of the regions hosts their own conference in the spring between February and April, generally. Additionally, the AMTA student organization, AMTAS, holds Passages conferences at the national and their respective regional professional organizations’ conferences. The regions include:

There is also a national online symposium organized by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA).

CBMT is invested in important work maintaining the validity and viability of your MT-BC credential. Whether it’s conducting MT-BC surveys to update the exam, working with committees of MT-BCs on continuing education, or doing this all-important advocacy work in the states, we are working hard to serve our MT-BC community – and we encourage your involvement. Working together on common goals is what cements us as a community of MT-BCs.

CBMT has more information about advocacy and state recognition on our website. Visit cbmt.org to learn more about CBMT’s role in the field of music therapy.

2024 CBMT Practice Analysis: MT-BC Survey Coming Soon

September 3, 2024/in Uncategorized/by Diane Morgan

“As practitioners, YOU are the voice of your profession,” said Sarah Laing, MMEd, MT-BC, who chairs the Practice Analysis Committee shepherding this year’s process.

The practice of music therapy is a living, breathing process that changes, develops, and improves over time. That’s why every five years, CBMT undertakes a new Practice Analysis process to update CBMT’s credentialling exam for the music therapy profession. The goal is to incorporate changes in the way music therapy is evolving.

There are two steps that involve the community of MT-BCs:

☑ Select a representative group of MT-BCs to make up the Practice Analysis Committee (PAC)

☐ Send a survey to every active MT-BC – coming soon!

The last Practice Analysis was completed in 2019, and the process for the new 2024 Practice Analysis was kicked off last year with the selection of the 10 new members for the current PAC.

Since CBMT’s primary responsibility is to administer the certifying examination for the MT-BC credential, it is essential the exam is based on the music therapy Practice Analysis – valid job analysis data is collected and extrapolated with participation of current MT-BCs.

During the 2019 Practice Analysis process, many MT-BCs participated, including those living outside the U.S. from 10 other countries. With over 10,000 current MT-BCs, CBMT expects to see even wider participation this year.

The Role of the New Practice Analysis Committee

Every PAC member holds the MT-BC credential, and all are practitioners and educators who apply and are appointed to the committee by the CBMT Board’s Development Committee. The PAC is intended to represent a cross-section of MT-BCs that have been certified by CBMT.

Get to know your 2024 Practice Analysis Committee

The Practice Analysis process validates the tasks performed and the knowledge needed to provide safe and effective practice. Survey participants are asked to respond to the survey by providing a realistic portrayal of their actual experience as a music therapist.

“The Practice Analysis process involves the entire MT-BC community,” said CBMT’s new Executive Director, Jennifer Mankowski, BSN, RN. “MT-BC Committee volunteers work directly with the testing vendor, and invite current board-certified music therapists to participate in the process through the Practice Analysis Survey. The information provided in the survey is used as a basis for the development of the examination. The MT-BC community of professionals and their participation in the Practice Analysis Survey is an essential step in the process.”

To participate in the survey you must have an updated email address in your CBMT account.

Impact Your Profession – Complete the Survey Coming Soon

The work of the new PAC members began in earnest earlier this year. The PAC is now completing the new Practice Analysis Survey that will be emailed to all board-certified music therapists in late September. Data regarding music therapy knowledge and skills is collected on the detailed survey.

“The Committee has developed a new Practice Analysis Survey where each of you has the opportunity to identify your actual on-the-job requirements,” Sarah said. “As the field of music therapy continues to morph, it is essential that these competencies are accurately reflected in the Board Certification Domains. These domains, in turn, drive the Examination content.”

Completed surveys will be due in October, and the data analysis on the survey results will occur when the completed surveys are received.

Hear more from PAC members about the importance of the survey and your role in the Practice Analysis.

The Relevance and Impact of CBMT’s Board Certification Domains

Board Certification Domains define the body of knowledge that represents competent practice in the profession of music therapy. And, continuing education credits must relate to an area identified in the Board Certification Domains.

“Be empowered to advance the music therapy profession and ensure your experience is reflected in the Practice Analysis,” urged Alaine E. Reschke-Hernandez, PhD, MT-BC, Chair, Continuing Education Committee. “In this grassroots effort, your voice influences the evolution of the Board Certification Domains and has a ripple effect on the design of continuing education opportunities and state of the profession for years to come.”

The new test questions developed through this process will be incorporated into the CBMT Board Certification exam beginning in the fall of 2025, after being pre-tested to ensure content validity and reliability. Where changes are noted, questions may be revised. Older exam questions that are no longer relevant are retired.

Andrea Crimmins, PhD, MT-BC, Chair of the CBMT Board of Directors, reminds us all: “We need every board-certified music therapist to participate in this very important process by taking the time to thoroughly and conscientiously complete the survey. The collective information gathered from all music therapists best represents current practices across regions, clinical areas, and philosophical backgrounds.”

About CBMT Practice Analysis
The Practice Analysis is developed using guidelines issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and American Psychological Association standards for test validation. CBMT also works with a testing firm, PSI, and adheres to the guidelines of the American Educational Research Association and the National Council on Measurement in Education. The MT-BC program is accredited by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies, the accrediting body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, ICE, which additionally requires these practices to be followed. Board-certified music therapists must practice within the Board Certification Domains and adhere to the CBMT Code of Professional Practice.

CBMT Volunteer Voices Call for Participation

September 3, 2024/in Uncategorized/by Diane Morgan

Calling all current MT-BCs! The Practice Analysis Survey will be in your email inbox in late September. Please ensure that the email address in your CBMT account is up to date so that your feedback is included!

The Practice Analysis Committee (PAC) members, as well as members of the Continuing Education Committee and the Executive Board of Directors, reiterate the fact that the process belongs to “all of us.” Our CBMT volunteers share the importance of universal participation below. Read more about the process.

“My experience on this committee was pleasant and informative. I feel that all the participating members, as board-certified music therapists, had a wealth of knowledge and experience; to be able to work together and collaborate on ways to keep the profession moving forward and recognized was crucial. It was an honor to contribute my expertise and experience as a clinician amongst other clinicians and educators to ensure that a music therapist’s tasks within the scope of practice were valid and relevant.

I initially decided to volunteer to gain a better perspective of music therapists as a whole within the field. What I didn’t know is that I gained a lot more about our role as music therapists in the community, schools, organizations, and clinical settings. The excitement of those I collaborated with contributed to my own willingness to volunteer and help any way I could.

The music therapy community is small but mighty. One music therapist’s experience does not summarize or replace another’s experience. In order to keep the profession moving forward requires the input of every music therapist possible.

Because we work with a multitude of populations, the experience and input from the surveys are so important to make sure the services we provide are clinical.

The more people participate, the more diverse the input, thus having a stronger representative of the communities we serve as music therapists. The more input provided will help serve other music therapists as well.” – Gloria Blankenship, MM, MT-BC, LPMT, NICU-MT, Music Therapist, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, Kennesaw GA

“The Practice Analysis Committee work has been the ultimate collaborative experience. We are all music therapists, but we have various roles as practitioners, educators, and scholars, endeavoring to take a thoughtful inventory of the music therapy knowledge needed to practice in the past, the present, and the future.

It’s exciting to focus on music therapy’s uniqueness and the knowledge music therapists need to be successful in their practice and accountable to their clients.

Our profession is not one size fits all, and identifying the core responsibilities of an entry-level music therapist presents many challenges. The Practice Analysis committee has worked thoughtfully to hone in on what is essential to music therapy practice for certification exam candidates. Your survey responses will bring to light the most crucial knowledge required to be a credentialed music therapist.

Our music therapy community is inquisitive, and we frequently receive survey invitations from our peers. Your responses to this survey will shape the target areas tested in future music therapy certification exams. Your response directly impacts what new music therapists will be asked to show knowledge on in future music therapy certification exams.

The committee cannot do this work in isolation. Your responses will give the committee a clear focus to align the exam with current music therapy practice.” – Beth Collier, MBA, LPMT, MT-BC, Music Specialist, A.G. Rhodes, Atlanta, GA

“This is the second time I have served on this CBMT committee, and both experiences have been highly positive, and the process has evolved since I last served in 2008. This committee has worked well together, having productive and respectful discussions when perspectives differed in how practices differed among the group.

I believe it is necessary to give back to the profession and the community at large through service. I have been active in service to the music therapy profession for over 20 years and value the broader perspective I gain about the profession and the professional relationships that are built. I am excited about the work we have done that builds upon the previous PAC committee’s work for the profession to continue moving forward and to provide future candidates with materials that support their preparation for the exam.

Please complete the PAC Survey as we need/want the larger community perspective on the knowledge needed for entry-level practice. The committee has worked hard to keep the user demographic (entry-level professional) in mind as we worked and need your feedback to further refine the content outline. I recognize that everyone gets a lot of survey requests. This particular request only happens once every five years. Please support the profession and our future colleagues by completing it.

It takes all of us working together to promote the profession and the MT-BC credential.” – Jennifer Fiore, PhD, MT-BC, NMT, Associate Professor and Director of Music Therapy, Western Michigan University, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music, Kalamazoo, MI

“My experience as a volunteer on the CBMT Practice Analysis committee allowed me to meet and interact with Music Therapists working in different areas as well as professors of music therapy. These interactions were encouraging as well as enlightening as we discussed the actual tasks of music therapists.

I decided to volunteer for the Practice Analysis committee as many of the issues facing the profession of music therapy have been addressed for many years, some with resolution and others continuing to evolve. I have worked as a music therapist for 40 years, so I want to contribute my knowledge and experience for the process of board certification.

I am encouraging all Board-Certified Music Therapists to complete the survey to ensure the high standards and reality of our practice in the health care field are verified.

Our MT-BC credential requires a high level of standards of practice and needs to be distinguishable. We need to continue to elevate our profession to a higher level where reimbursement is not even questioned.” – Amy Post Formella, MS, MT-BC, Music Therapist, King, WI

“I volunteered for CBMT service because this organization represents music therapists – all of us, in every area of clinical practice. I am excited to learn more about CBMT in this important year when the Scope of Practice is updated by surveying the community.

We get a lot of surveys these days! But this is no run-of-the-mill survey. The Practice Analysis Survey is an essential tool for music therapists to continue to define our professional practice. Please, stop, click, and complete the survey.

We are making strides in our state recognition efforts. Advocacy is a marathon, and we are still running. The MT-BC credential is the foundation of our professional recognition. Your support of the MT-BC credential ensures safe, effective music therapy for the public.” – Jennifer D. Jones, PhD, MT-BC, Professor of Music and Director of Music Therapy, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL

“Giving back to the profession that I care about so deeply has been an honor that I haven’t taken lightly. Over the past 5½ years and through two committees, I have worked with music therapists who come from different regions, theoretical orientations, and educational backgrounds. We all share the same desire to be of service to our profession and this has truly led to incredibly impactful and meaningful changes.

Several friends/colleagues had mentioned to me, over many years, that they felt I could truly be of service to CBMT, especially given my longtime and varied clinical experience, as well as my love of helping new music therapists. Simultaneously, as my interns completed their time with me, they would reach out with their board certification exam experiences; both good and not so good. Throughout those conversations, they also encouraged me to think about joining a committee at CBMT so that I could be an advocate for keeping the exam updated and relevant.

When I was offered a position on the exam committee 5½ years ago, I was honored to give back to my profession in this unique way. My experience at CBMT has been remarkably gratifying; both in the changes we’ve made over the years and in working so closely with the other committee members.

It is imperative that each music therapist give their feedback in this survey. Much like voting, one can only impact change by taking an active role in the process. The only way we can make the changes that are truly desired by our professionals, is by knowing exactly what is needed, and we can’t do that without everyone’s input.

The value of having a board-certified music therapist lies in the assurance that this person, the person you are entrusting with the wellbeing of your loved one, is an educated professional, practicing with the highest regard for safety, excellence, and accountability.

The only way to ensure this is that the profession of music therapy maintains credentialing standards that reflect current, evidenced based research, (in a multitude of areas and practices) as well as establishing the highest accountability for excellence in clinical practice as possible. We need the help of every board-certified music therapist out there to maintain these standards of excellence! – Laura Lenz, LPMT, MT-BC, Community Therapeutic Programming Manager, Third Ladder, Alpharetta, GA

“Serving on the Practice Analysis Committee has been an amazing experience in so many ways. It’s truly an honor to be working alongside a dedicated group of colleagues from across the country who care deeply about the music therapy profession, led by a skilled psychometrician from PSI Services! Everyone is given an opportunity to contribute. All opinions are valued, and group consensus is achieved admirably, as a result!

I have long been interested in serving on the Practice Analysis Committee. This work is certainly among the most important and impactful tasks that the Certification Board for Music Therapists is charged with. The entire process is fascinating!

Please know that completing the Practice Analysis Survey when it reaches your email box will make a difference. The findings, which YOU will have contributed to, will be reflective of the changes and developments in our field over the past five years. From this information, our Board Certification Domains will be re-developed. CBMT must have a full and complete picture of the job of a music therapist at this point in time. We need your voice!” – Lori Lundeen-Smith, MS, CCC-SLP, LPMT, MT-BC, Associate Professor of Practice, Director of Clinical Education, Department of Music Therapy, College of Health, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH

“Be empowered to advance the music therapy profession and ensure your experience is reflected in the Practice Analysis. In this grassroots effort, your voice influences the evolution of the Board Certification Domains and has a ripple effect on the design of continuing education opportunities and state of the profession for years to come. That is survey time well-spent.” – Alaine E. Reschke-Hernández, PhD, MT-BC, Assistant Professor of Music Therapy, Affiliate Faculty Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, IMPACT-AD Fellow Alumna, Interdisciplinary Music Affect and coGNition (IMAGN) Lab Director, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

“Through the Practice Analysis, each and every one of us may have an opportunity to contribute to the certification/continuing education for music therapists. This is the time for us to take responsibility to move our profession forward.” – Hong-Yu (Joseph) Chang, MME, MT-BC, Continuing Education Committee Member

“We need every board-certified music therapist to participate in this very important process by taking the time to thoroughly and conscientiously complete the survey. The collective information gathered from all music therapists best represents current practices across regions, clinical areas, and philosophical backgrounds.” – Andrea Crimmins, PhD, MT-BC, Chair, CBMT Board of Directors, Associate Professor of Music Therapy, Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts, Illinois State University, Normal, IL

“As the field of music therapy continues to morph, it is essential that these competencies are accurately reflected in the Board Certification Domains. As practitioners, YOU are the voice of your profession. The Practice Analysis Committee, in conjunction with PSI, has developed a new Practice Analysis Survey where each of you have the opportunity to identify your actual on-the-job requirements. These domains, in turn, drive the Examination content.

I started volunteering with CBMT in 2007 after I realized the extent to which CBMT protected the patrons, and profession, of music therapy. Staff actively supported me in educating the community about what music therapy REALLY is, and the competencies required to administer such a service, when compared to those professionals without the MT-BC accreditation.

By completing the survey, you are a contributing factor in determining the proficiency of Board-Certified Music Therapists, thereby promoting a better understanding of our craft. Your voice will ensure MT-BC accreditation holds the highest standard of practice thereby protecting the consumer.” – Sarah Laing MMEd, MT-BC, Practice Analysis Committee Chair, Music Therapist, Clinician, Educator and Independent Contractor, Tucson, AZ

Click here for the complete list of Practice Analysis Committee Members.

Certification Board for Music Therapists Names Jennifer Mankowski Executive Director

May 14, 2024/in Uncategorized/by Hindi Burkett

Downingtown, PA, May 14, 2024 – The Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT), the nonprofit organization that promotes excellence in the music therapy profession by granting board certification announced today that it has appointed Jennifer Mankowski as its Executive Director, effective June 1, 2024.

Established in 1983 to bolster the profession’s sense of accountability to those it served, CBMT is proud of its longstanding heritage as a recognized leader in the credentialing field. Today, over 10,000 music therapists in the United States and abroad hold the MT-BC credential.

In her new role as Executive Director, Ms. Mankowski will be responsible for leading CBMT’s staff team in delivering certification and recertification programs. In partnership with the Board of Directors, she will continue to advance the music therapy credentialing process and its recognition while growing the public’s awareness and number of credential holders.

Ms. Mankowski brings extensive experience in certification program leadership and management, including examination development and delivery. Previously, she served as the Chief Executive Officer of Credentia Nurse Aide Services where she oversaw a large staff team and over 20 state and regulatory client contracts providing the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program, medication aide certification examinations, and home health aide examinations in collaboration with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

“Jennifer’s leadership of an accredited healthcare professional certification program, executive-level organizational experience, close work with a nonprofit board, and background in examination development and delivery make her the perfect choice to lead CBMT into the next phase of its history,” said Andrea Crimmins, CBMT Board Chair. “We’re thrilled to welcome Jennifer aboard.”

“As an experienced executive who led and managed national certification programs, I’m very excited to join CBMT, the leading organization for music therapy certification,” said Ms. Mankowski. “CBMT’s commitment to provide a rigorous professional competency examination with a focus on ensuring access to safe, effective music therapy services demonstrates a deep commitment to all music therapists currently practicing and those considering entering the field. I look forward to upholding the organization’s vision and expanding its recognition.”

The search was conducted by Vetted Solutions – specialists in executive search for purpose-driven organizations.

Headquartered in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, CBMT’s mission is to ensure a standard of excellence in the development, implementation, and promotion of an accredited certification program for safe and competent music therapy practice. For further information:

www.cbmt.org

info@cbmt.org

CBMT’s New Approved Provider Opportunity Database Connects Music Therapists with Opportunities for Ongoing Education

March 13, 2024/in Uncategorized/by Diane Morgan

Continuing education plays an important role in the ever-evolving field of music therapy. CBMT is responsible for certifying all music therapists – both granting MT-BC at the outset of their careers and requiring ongoing education and recertification every five years. To be recertified, music therapists are required to complete 100 recertification credits to ensure continued competency in the field.

After years of development, this past fall, CBMT unveiled a new database designed to better connect certified music therapists (certificants) with opportunities for ongoing education. On the database, CBMT has a list of over 125 Approved Providers offering more than 300 courses, referred to as “opportunities,” for music therapists preparing for recertification.

“We wanted to develop a database that our certificants could easily search – something a little more interactive – on a platform that would allow Approved Providers to be able to display their courses with links directly to their websites and promotional pages for the courses,” said Hindi Burkett CBMT Continuing Education Coordinator, who has spearheaded the development of the new database.

Previously, it existed as a spreadsheet and was updated manually via email communication. Now, it’s a streamlined experience. The database is basically an interactive search tool – a jumping off point – that leads certificants to additional information about Approved Providers and the opportunities they have available.

Certificants can search by keyword or by opportunity type – recorded vs. not recorded, or asynchronous vs. synchronous. Each column is filterable, so certificants can easily refine their search based on their specific criteria. They can use the dropdown arrows at the top, free type in the search bar, or filter each column within the search results for more narrow results.

Opportunities are only approved for a one-year period. If you see an opportunity in the database that is expired, you can reach out to the Approved Provider to see if they are offering the opportunity again.

Since 1983, CBMT has been certifying music therapists and working to ensure the lifelong learning that is so important in the practice of music therapy. CBMT’s formal Recertification Program began in 1988 to ensure continuing competence and meet accreditation requirements for its certificants.

The recertification process for music therapists is designed to enhance each certificant’s knowledge through continuing education, professional development, and professional service opportunities. These three recertification categories reflect the outcomes of CBMT’s Practice Analysis Study and are relevant to the skills, abilities, and practical understanding required of the MT-BC certification.

Simplifying that process and providing CBMT certificants with opportunities provided by CBMT Approved Providers has been a long time goal.

Alaine Reschke-Hernandez, PhD, MT-BC and Chair, CBMT Continuing Education Committee, said the Committee’s work specifically addresses how to support and challenge music therapists to continually learn and grow. “Lifelong learning is crucial to ensure that board-certified music therapists provide quality services,” she said. The Continuing Education Committee is the official body that reviews all applications to approve an individual or organization to become an Approved Provider. CBMT offers a step-by-step video that explains the process in detail.

Prior to our new interactive database, it was just an Excel spreadsheet. We wanted something more interactive that would better link our certificants with Approved Provider opportunities.

– Hindi Burkett

CBMT Executive Director Joy Schneck, MM, MT-BC, is proud that CBMT offers such a robust array of continuing education opportunities – together with this new online database that makes the choices so much easier to access.

It was Einstein who said, “Everything must be made as simple as possible,” and there’s a benefit to doing so. While there’s nothing simple about the science of music therapy, simplifying the processes for recertification has made a notable difference over the years.

“More than 50% of the certificant body did not renew after CBMT’s very first recertification cycle,” Joy recalls. “But now CBMT is witnessing an average of 80% renewing today – completely online! Our goal has always been to underscore how essential the lifecycle of music therapy certification has been – and to ensure it is increasingly accessible to CBMT’s MT-BC certificants across the globe.”

The Approved Provider Opportunity Search Database is now available on the CBMT website. Visit cbmt.org to learn more about CBMT’s role in the field of music therapy.

Young music therapy client playing the drum

Opening Doors to the World: CBMT’s Emerging Role in International Credentialing

February 16, 2024/in Uncategorized/by Diane Morgan

Music therapists worldwide recognize the profound knowledge required to effectively serve clients around the globe. The credentialing process is the badge of expertise, showcasing our understanding of both nuances of music and its therapeutic applications. In a significant stride towards international credentialing, the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) was recently one of the featured sponsors at the World Congress of Music Therapy, solidifying its role as a vital contributor to the global music therapy community.

CBMT’s International Footprint
Despite the vast cultural differences across the globe, the therapeutic process applied by music therapists worldwide remains the same. Recognizing this universality, CBMT plays a pivotal role in fostering accessibility, recognition and credentialing of music therapy as a globally respected profession. CBMT has successfully conducted examinations for individuals from over 25 countries, including Ireland, the United Kingdom, Finland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Australia, South Africa, Israel, Korea, and Indonesia. Joy Schneck, CBMT’s Executive Director, expresses excitement about the formation of a global community of music therapists, united by shared practice guidelines and clinical expertise.

Meeting the Global Demand
While only six percent of Music Therapists-Board Certified (MT-BCs) reside outside the U.S., there is a rising interest in CBMT’s certification in countries like Japan, Korea, China, Singapore, Europe, Australia, and South America. Recognizing the growing international demand for CBMT’s certification, the organization has streamlined its credentialing process for global candidates. Therefore, CBMT opened the doors for all international colleagues to apply for certification if they have a music therapy degree including 1,200 hours of supervised clinical experience under a qualified music therapy professional. Additionally, CBMT collaborates with organizations such as the Canadian Association for Music Therapists to administer testing. The Music Therapist Accredited (MTA) designation involves a successful internship evaluation, passing the CBMT exam, and a signed statement of adherence.

CBMT’s Partnerships
Partnering with PSI, Inc., CBMT administers exams at locations worldwide, contributing to the organization’s global outreach. CBMT’s examinations are primarily in English, except in Canada, where bilingual examinations in French and English are offered to comply with local regulations.

To delve deeper into CBMT’s international credentialing requirements and its influential role in the field of music therapy, interested parties are encouraged to visit cbmt.org.

CBMT Executive Director Position Profile

January 2, 2024/in Uncategorized/by Joy Schneck

CBMT Executive Director Position Profile

The CBMT Executive Board of Directors is partnering with the Washington, DC-based search firm Vetted Solutions to conduct a search for its next Executive Director. The Executive Director Position Profile is now available:

CBMT ED Position Profile

All applicants and inquiries are to be directed to Vetted Solutions and those listed in the position profile.

Certification Board Announces Executive Director Retirement

December 15, 2023/in Uncategorized/by Maris Panjada

Organization Initiates Search for New Executive Director

Downingtown, PA, 12/15/2023 – The Certification Board for Music Therapists, the certifying agency for the profession of music therapy, announced today that its long-serving Executive Director, Joy Schneck, MM, MT-BC, will retire from her position once a successor has been appointed. The organization announced that it is initiating a search to identify a new leader.

Experienced in organizational development and certification management, with a passion for the provision of quality music therapy services, Joy has served as Executive Director of the Certification Board for Music Therapists since 1993. During her nearly 31-year tenure, she has guided the organization through periods of both challenge and growth.

Founded in 1983, the Certification Board’s mission is to partner and advocate with the profession to promote excellence by awarding board certification based on proven, up-to-date knowledge and competence in clinical practice, and to provide leadership in music therapy credentialing. CBMT provides valued leadership to more than 10,000 credentialled therapists in the music therapy profession across the U.S. and around the world.

Joy Schneck, MM, MT-BC

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to lead the Certification Board through nearly 31 years of maturation and growth,” said Joy. “During that time, we’ve been able to expand the ways in which the Board helps the profession and certificants achieve excellence in clinical practice. I’m very grateful to have been a part of those efforts for so many years.”

“Joy has dedicated herself to advancing CBMT’s mission since 1993 and has played a critical role in shaping CBMT into the organization that it is today,” said Board Chair Dr. Ellary Draper. “Joy’s tireless service through years of both development and change has built a strong foundation and positioned our organization for continued success after her departure. We thank her for her years of dedicated service and wish her the best in retirement.”

The Certification Board for Music Therapists is drawing on the steps in its succession plan to guide the process of selecting a new Executive Director. The Board of Directors has retained executive search firm Vetted Solutions to coordinate the search and has appointed a Search Committee to oversee the process. The search has commenced, and the organization’s goal is to have a new Executive Director identified by the Spring of 2024. The members of the Search Committee appointed by the Board are Chairperson Ellary Draper, PhD, MT-BC, Brijin Gardner, LSCSW, LCSW, RPT-S (CBMT Board Public Member), Deanna Hanson-Abromeit, PhD, MT-BC, Maureen Hearns, PhD, MT-BC, Janice Lindstrom, DLS, MT-BC, Meredith Pizzi, MPA, MT-BC, and Wendy Woolsey, MA, MT-BC.

“The Board of Directors of the Certification Board for Music Therapists recognizes the critical importance of this position to the long-term health of the organization and we are well prepared for this transition. We will keep our community updated on the progress of the search through announcements on both the CBMT website and via other online communications channels,” said Incoming Board Chair Dr. Andrea Crimmins.

CBMT Leadership Reflects on the Value of Certification in Music Therapy as the Organization Celebrates 40 Years

December 7, 2023/in Uncategorized/by Maris Panjada

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

As CBMT celebrates 40 years of changing lives through music therapy, its board members, executive leadership and certificants have been weighing in on the organization’s impact over the decades and the value of certification in the field.

Alaine Reschke-Hernandez, PhD, MT-BC and Chair, CBMT Continuing Education Committee, elected to volunteer for the Continuing Education Committee because the Committee’s work specifically addresses how to support and challenge music therapists to continually learn and grow.

“Lifelong learning is crucial to ensure that board-certified music therapists provide quality services…particularly as the evidence base (clinical wisdom, research, and client situations) that informs our practice evolves.”

On May 9, 1983, CBMT was initially formed with funding provided by the two predecessor organizations, the National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) and the American Association for Music Therapy (AAMT), that eventually merged and became the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). Since then, CBMT has been performing the important work of certifying music therapists and being intricately involved in ensuring the lifelong learning that is so important.

In the beginning, CBMT was testing for both NAMT and AAMT. Today, CBMT tests not only for all music therapists who fall under the umbrella of AMTA, but for music therapists across the globe.

CBMT’s commitment has helped to create a healthy, vibrant community of music therapists – over 10,000 strong – who are impacting clients worldwide, and that community of certificants is active and vocal. When CBMT conducted its Certificant Perception Survey a few years ago, the message was clear that music therapists are passionate about what they do – almost 90% are happy to be music therapists – and they appreciate the value certification brings. In fact, over 97% of respondents believe CBMT successfully sets standards of excellence for safe and effective music therapy to enhance clients’ lives.

Why is certification so essential to the success the field of music therapy has experienced?

Here’s what the nearly 96% of certificants who planned to recertify stated as the top two reasons they value CBMT certification:

Certification provides evidence of professional commitment
Certification provides an indication of a higher level of clinical competence

One survey respondent said: “Board certification is a standardized recognition and requirement for this profession…it is absolutely important as a benchmark for other professions to recognize.”

Another survey respondent commented: “If it’s not MT-BC, it’s not music therapy.”

Laura Lenz, LPMT, MT-BC, a long-time Exam Committee Member, agrees: “The value of having a board-certified music therapist lies in the assurance that this person, the person you are entrusting with the wellbeing of your loved one, is an educated professional, practicing with the highest regard for safety, excellence, and accountability,” she said.

“The only way to ensure this is to maintain credentialing standards that reflect current, evidence-based research in a multitude of areas and practices, as well as establishing the highest accountability for excellence in clinical practice as possible.”

Laura Lenz has served on the CBMT Exam Committee for five years, and she is proud of the impact the committee has had on the field: “Having committee members who come from different regions, theoretical orientations, educational backgrounds, all of whom share the same desire to be of service to our profession, has truly led to incredibly impactful and meaningful changes.”

In considering some of the changes CBMT has made possible over the last 40 years, Joy Schneck, MM, MT-BC, Executive Director, provided just a few memorable examples:

“Forty years has seen so much change! CBMT transitionally certified 2,626 certificants in 1985 and administered its first exam in November of 1985 for 120 candidates. Today, we offer over 1,400 administrations a year. Some additional milestones since our founding:

CBMT received its first NCCA accreditation approval in 1986, and accreditation has been ongoing ever since, with the next renewal in 2026.
The Recertification Program began in 1988 to ensure continuing competence and meet accreditation requirements.
Webinars outlining the processes for testing, practice analysis, and recertification were developed and offered at no cost for certificants.
Testing moved from one administration a year, with results mailed a month later, to twice a year, and eventually to computer-based testing, which is offered daily, seven days a week and provides instant scoring.
Two Self-Assessment Exams were developed to assist with exam preparedness and are revised every five years as part of the Practice Analysis process, as is the Board Certification Domains.
Working collaboratively with AMTA, the State Recognition Plan began in 2005, and we now have music therapy recognition in seventeen states, with more to come!

CBMT has grown at a constant rate of 5-7% annually, from 1,972 certificants in 1993 – after 52% of the certificant body did not renew after the very first recertification cycle – to an average of 80% renewing today completely online. There are currently 10,211 certified today! We have come a long way, and excitedly look forward to the future of more growth, provision of quality services, unlimited continuing education opportunities, and a greater number of states with recognition!”

It was all made possible by the music therapists who make up CBMT – people who volunteer on the board and committees, and those who work in the field and live out every single day the value of what music therapy can accomplish in the lives of the people who are impacted.

“With more than 10,000 certificants, I think we are going to experience a snowball effect of new ideas and change, and probably even more interest in joining the profession. With all of this growth and change in mind, our Approved Provider program is an exciting aspect of CBMT that will help meet demands for learning opportunities related to emerging areas of practice, such as telehealth.” – Alaine Reschke-Hernández

“Without volunteers and certificants promoting the field and offering their service, I’m not sure that CBMT and music therapy as a profession would have grown as much in the last forty years,” said Ellary Draper, PhD, MT-BC and CBMT Board Chair. “My work at CBMT has impacted me in how I strategically think about the issues facing our profession, as well as possible solutions.”

What does CBMT’s Board Chair think lies ahead for the organization?

“I see CBMT continuing to grow and music therapy continuing to grow as a profession. I also have appreciated the hard work by CBMT’s staff and volunteers as we seek title protection and state recognition. I want to see continued progress across the nation, and I’m confident we will meet the goal of having title protection and/or state recognition in all 50 states.”

Visit cbmt.org to learn more about CBMT’s role in the field of music therapy.