Internships are approved by the American Music Therapy Association and are directed by qualified music therapists who receive supervision training from the association. Most internships last for six months and require full time effort from the prospective music therapist. A few pay a small stipend, but most internships are unpaid. During this time, the intern is provided further training in an intensive music therapy treatment environment. They hone their skills in assessment, treatment planning, treatment implementation, documentation, and evaluation.
Interns also practice their music skills during group and individual music therapy sessions.
Certification ensures the public that music therapists know what is necessary to practice at an acceptable professional level. The national music therapy certification examination is officially recognized by the National Commission on Certifying Agencies. Music therapists may sit for the exam following completion of a bachelor's degree in music therapy and a 1040-hour clinical internship. The CBMT administers a comprehensive certification examination to measure entry-level competence. Back To Top I've never heard of music therapy.