500

Designed to focus on professional orientation issues related specifically to music therapists seeking licensure in Creative Arts Therapy. Students will examine their own professional awareness, knowledge and skill sets for successfully negotiating work life in music psychotherapy. Topics will include the study of professional responsibilities, history of music therapy, assessment, and group process. Professional involvement with the American Music Therapy Association and the Certification Board for Music Therapists through presentations, publications, or committee membership will be examined and encouraged.

Designed to help music therapists to advance their skills using the guitar. The focus of the course centers on the fundamentals of guitar technique in music therapy. Course material will be implemented by the use of literature from varying styles and will cover melodic harmonization, chord voicing, strumming techniques, plectrum techniques, as well as reading various guitar notations.

The training will develop the concept of clinical improvisation and provide specific strategies for developing and applying clinical improvisation skills within a therapeutic relationship. Piano is the primary medium and use of the voice will also be addressed. A variety of styles will be explored. In addition, the concept of developing improvisations based on classical repertoire will be presented. The importance of thematic development specific to individual client profiles will be discussed. Experiential work of improvising with others will provide opportunities for integrating the knowledge, skills and abilities addressed in the training. Required readings as well as video and audio recordings will be utilized as learning tools.

Students will learn the theories that underlie vocal psychotherapy, and experience this model of in-depth (reconstructive) music therapy that utilizes sounds, vocal improvisation, songs and dialog within a therapeutic relationship to promote intrapsychic and interpersonal change. They will have opportunities to observe and participate in voice-centered therapeutic experiences and interventions. The course format includes lecture, review of assigned readings, demonstration, and participation in individual and group vocal psychotherapy exercises and experiences.

Introduces the major components of the Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) process. In an overview, the topics include: the history, definitions and session format of GIM, as well as music and imagery; imagery, alternate states of consciousness; processing techniques; guiding techniques; music in alternate states of consciousness; ethics and contra-indications. The course will include an experiential component.

This fulfills 520 hours of the 1040 hour clinical internship requirement of the American Music Therapy Association leading toward Board Certification, and fulfills the clinical internship requirement for the Office of the Professions of master’s students pursuing their license as a Creative Arts Therapist. Supervision by Licensed Creative Arts Therapists.

The purpose of this seminar is to provide advanced students with an in-depth knowledge of human growth and development from the prenatal period through old age and death. The course will focus on the interaction of biopsychosocial forces on physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive development across the lifespan with an eye toward application of the material to practical situations as encountered by human service providers, such as Licensed Creative Arts Therapists and other Mental Health practitioners. In addition, special attention will be paid to the major theories of human development as they pertain to development from a lifespan perspective, as well as relevant recent research.

This course covers theory and research in adult psychopathology, focusing on a comprehensive review and critical examination of behavioral and mental disorders under the most current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) published by the American Pscychiatric Association. Etiological, diagnostic, and treatment issues are emphasized, as are issues related to classification of mental disorders. In addition, special attention will be paid to the major theories of psychopathology with an eye toward application of the material to practical situations as encountered by human service providers, such as Licensed Creative Arts Therapists and other Mental Health practitioners.

Studies not otherwise available as regular course offerings related to the work of Creative Arts Therapists (i.e., body work training, dance/movement or art therapy workshops) pursued in independent, directed or tutorial manner. Student must submit a proposal for approval, available in the School of Music office. Students must also secure agreement of faculty member to sponsor the study.