Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities – Music Therapist

The Early Intervention for Children (EIC) Services helps equip children with motor, communication, social, self-help and cognitive skills. THK EIC Centre involves structuring classes around small groups encompassing early childhood special education, social work and therapy support services to stimulate their adaptive functioning and school readiness skills.

Report to:

1. Responsible to: Director of Programme / Divisional Director
2. Supervised by: Senior Music Therapist / Director of Programme / Divisional Director
3. Interrelationships: Professional colleagues, staff, donors, clients and families

Role:

Music Therapists use music creatively to support the children and families in their social, emotional or physical needs. They work with children and adults of all ages and social backgrounds in a variety of settings.

Music therapists seek to establish a connection - a shared musical experience - in the pursuit of therapeutic goals. These goals are determined by the therapist's understanding of the client's pathology and personal needs.

Music therapists support clients with a wide range of issues, including eating disorders, anxiety, behavioural and emotional difficulties, addictions and communication disorders. They also work with those who want to gain an insight into themselves and how they relate to others.

Music therapy is based on the development of a relationship between the therapist and client, who communicate through music-making. Music therapists do not teach the client to sing or play an instrument. They work with clients either in groups or on a one-to-one basis.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include but not limited to the following:

1. providing music therapy sessions;
2. assessing the client’s needs;
3. planning, reviewing and assessing therapy sessions to monitor effectiveness and to aid the planning of subsequent sessions;
4. actively participating in sessions through music-making, singing and listening;
5. encouraging clients to take part in the session, and supporting them by responding musically;
6. encouraging clients to use a range of accessible musical instruments (such as percussion) and their own voice to express themselves;
7. helping clients explore the world of sound and to create a musical language of their own;
8. improvising with music as a reaction to what the client is communicating in order to enhance the individual nature of the relationship;
9. supporting the client’s creative development and facilitating positive changes in their behaviour and well-being; 
10. helping the client develop an increased self-awareness;
11. assessing the musical and non-musical behaviours of the client;
12. writing and maintaining case notes and reports;
13. collaborating with the transdisciplinary team to better support the client’s needs;
14. reporting progress to families, carers, relevant agencies or professional staff;
15. maintaining musical instruments and music therapy equipment.

 Music therapists working in a clinical setting may spend a lot of time liaising with professional colleagues engaged in the care and development of their clients.