Frequently Asked Questions

How can I get music therapy for my child?

There are a small number of places funded by local NHS Trusts and LEA’s. If you are not able to access music therapy this way, we can organise sessions privately at one of our centres. Please ring Bristol MusicSpace on 0117 9531731 for more information.

Can our organisation have a music therapist coming to us?

Yes. MusicSpace therapists work on a weekly basis in a wide range of settings including playgroups, schools, day centres and residential homes. Unfortunately we are unable to send a therapist out for less than two hours work.

There is a resident in the home I work in who would benefit from music therapy. Could you see them?

We see people of all ages for music therapy at our centres in Bristol, Bath and Gloucester. After an initial consultation session, we do ask people to commit to a certain number of weekly sessions, to assess whether music therapy is appropriate and then review. If you would like more information or a referral form, please ring Bristol MusicSpace on 0117 9531731.

What does a music therapy session cost?

This varies depending on whom sessions are for (i.e. an individual or a group) and where they take place (i.e. at one of our centres or as part of our outreach programme). Please ring Bristol MusicSpace on 0117 9531731 for more information.

I am really interested in music therapy and would like to have a work experience placement with you. Is that possible?

Unfortunately we are unable to offer work experience placements. However if you are thinking about music therapy as a future career we recommend that you gain experience with client groups that music therapists work with, for example working in an Opportunity Playgroup, a special school, a day centre for adults with learning difficulties or a nursing home. It’s very important to discover whether you actually like working with different client groups.

Do you offer any workshops or training courses?

We do not run regular courses or workshops but we can respond to requests to run one-off workshops/training sessions e.g. we have run training sessions for school inset days, workshops for nursery staff, young carers groups, bereaved teenagers, adults with Parkinson’s Disease etc. Please contact the office to discuss your needs.

How do I train to be a music therapist?

There are seven different postgraduate training courses in the UK that lead to an MA/MSC in music therapy. The trainings offer part and full-time courses and each one emphasises different theoretical and musical perspectives.

For more information about music therapy, you may find the following links helpful:

Association of Professional Music Therapists (APMT) www.apmt.org

The APMT is the professional body for qualified and trainee music therapists in the UK. It advises on all professional matters including standards of clinical practice, advertises music therapy posts and fosters the exchange of professional information between music therapists both in the UK and abroad.

British Society for Music Therapy (BSMT) www.bsmt.org

The BSMT is a centre for information about music therapy services, training, literature and research. Membership is open to anyone who is interested in music therapy in the UK and worldwide