With these prerequisite abilities, they had to have the creativity to integrate all they were learning into an effective treatment program. Music therapy is a career that demands that you give your all if you hope to succeed. The concurrent clinical practicum gave students the opportunity to practice skills and apply theories with people who were counting on the music therapy session. Obviously, cutting class meant a lot more than a lower grade. Some students made beautiful music, but weren't very good listeners yet.
Therapists learn to listen and teach others to listen to the effects of the music.
Life lessons like these were taking place every day in the clinic as the classroom. Students also mastered specialized techniques through such diverse activities as coleading a stress reduction through music therapy program for the community, participating in a music therapy training group where they were the recipients of the therapy, and learning the latest in music and medical technology in the Technology for Music Therapists course. Music Therapy majors need a firm grasp of guitar, keyboard, voice, and percussion, and a natural ability on their own instruments to evoke a particular mood spontaneously. A grant from the Elinor and Lou Hens Charitable Trust established the Music Therapy Institute to support programs in the community as a training ground for Berklee students. The Community Music Center of Boston provided teams of music therapists to supervise students in the field.