There are several ways to join the MTABC and you do not need to be a music therapist to be a part of our community! Check out our membership section for more information. Click here.

If you would like to connect with a music therapist in your area, please reach out to a music therapist in your region by visiting the "Find a Certified Music Therapist" section on our website. Please note: many music therapists cannot accommodate observation requests due to confidentiality issues.

Often, a person in BC would become a member of MTABC, since the association posts jobs to our members and is often the first place an employer contacts. Music therapists have to be good at professional self-promotion – skills such as resume writing, interviewing, establishing contacts to create work at a facility or school, and giving in-services, presenting at conferences, etc. are all good ways to begin a private practice. The majority of music therapists work at multiple places. MTABC offers continuing education workshops aimed at new graduates and also supplies members with resources and documents that can support a new graduate creating work.

Capilano University is presently the only educational institution providing music therapy training in BC. There are other educational programs in Canada and more information can be found on our links page. Click here.

Teaching positions typically require a masters degree, however many employers will look favourably on a candidate with a masters degree. Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario and Concordia University in Quebec are two primary programs in Canada currently offering masters degree training in music therapy. There is a new masters degree program at the University of Toronto in arts and health. There are graduate level trainings in the U.S. and many other countries.

Career opportunities vary in each province in Canada and depend upon what kind of clients you work with. There are provincial associations in every province and a regional association in Atlantic Canada. If you want to speak to local music therapists in your area about the local job climate in BC, email [email protected] . You could also contact the Canadian Association of Music Therapists (CAMT) about interviewing or observing a music therapist in your area. The pay scale will vary according to each province.

In the U.S. there are numerous jobs depending again on the State you would live in. You will also find a wider range of possible jobs because they simply have so many more people living there that specialty treatments centers exist. Check out the American Music Therapy Association website.

Music therapy training and clinical work occurs in over ninety countries in the world. Please check out the World Federation of Music Therapy at www.musictherapyworld.net or www.wfmt.info for further information.

There are several detailed literature reviews and articles on music therapy and specific disabilities and conditions. Check out the "How does music therapy work" section of our website. Can you link to this? University libraries are also good sources of information, and Capilano University Library in particular has many good books on music therapy.

Anyone who is a certified music therapist will have the MTA credential granted by the Canadian Association of Music Therapists (CAMT). You are able to confirm an MTA’s status at this webpage or by calling the CAMT office at 1-800-996-2268. An MTA must be a member in good standing with CAMT and MTABC as per our guidelines.

Individual music therapist's set their own fees, which may be influenced by the training, experience and knowledge acquired by the therapist, as well as services required. Some music therapists are employed under a union negotiated contract within the paramedical professional agreement, and in such case the wage grid and salary will be set by the collective agreement under which they work, with the Health Sciences Association or the BC Government Employees union.

The following is the MTABC guidelines for music therapy services: Click here.

Music therapy is not usually covered by health care and extended health care plans. There are some exceptions, such as Worksafe BC, ICBC and funding for autistic children after 6 years of age.

MTABC is part of the Federation of Associations for Counselling Therapists in BC. This group is lobbying the BC government for music therapists and other counselors and therapists to be regulated under the Health Professions Act. Once this is approved, it is anticipated that music therapy services could be approved under private insurance plans.

Funding for children with autism

The Ministry of Children and Family Development will give block funding to parents/guardians which can cover music therapy for children ages six to nineteen years. Music therapy is called an Autism Related Intervention. The family can choose to have the money placed in their account and then pay the therapist directly, or, have the therapist contact the Ministry and send them invoices. At this time, this service ends when the child reaches the age of nineteen years. For further questions, people can contact the Autism Funds Processing Unit at 1-877-777-3530.

Funding for Head Injury

Some individuals with a head injury can apply for funding through ICBC if they can show pre-morbidity musical involvement.

Other possible sources of funding

Some special needs children may apply for funding through adoption services, and Variety Club and CKNW have been known to fund music therapy, as well. Clients and families usually complete these applications.

If you would like to cite the MTABC website as your source, the style you use will dictate the exact format. For example, if you use APA style guidelines, an article on the MTABC site without an author is considered published by the MTABC.

The following is a template (where author is Music Therapy Association of British Columbia):

Author, A. A., (Year of publication). Title of document. Retrieved month day, year, from http://Web address

In actuality, education as a music therapist begins early in life, when a person begins learning a musical instrument or taking singing lessons. In Canada, certified music therapists complete a bachelor’s or master’s degree at a university approved by the Canadian Association for Music Therapists. The degree can include competencies like improvisation, group leadership, counselling skills, musical abilities on a variety of instruments, theories and models of music therapy, creative arts, assessment, and practicum experiences. The degree is followed by a 1,000-hour internship, which usually takes six months full time.

Capilano University is presently the only provider of music therapy education in British Columbia. Contact the coordinator of the program for more information at [email protected] or call 604-986-1911, local 2307.

Contact us at [email protected] and specify what part of BC you live in, how to contact you and if you have any preferences for days or populations to observe. We’ll post your inquiry to those who can have an observer on site.

There are four other music therapy education programs throughout Canada. The CAMT has a full list of programs. Go to www.musictherapy.ca/links.htm for locations and further information.

Become a Member

Membership Is Open To Anyone With An Interest In Music Therapy Who Lives In BC Or Beyond, Regardless Of Qualifications Or Experience.

Find a Certified Music Therapist

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