What Do We Do? Music Therapy and Assessment: Considerations for 21st Century Practice – by Victoria Churchill

Volume 7(2) 2015 – Article (first published on 25 January 2015)

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What Do We Do? Music Therapy and Assessment: Considerations for 21st Century Practice

Victoria Churchill

 

Abstract
Assessment is a process well-recognised as an essential basis for any music therapy work. However, very little has been published focusing specifically on the theory, practice, and research of assessment in the music therapy profession. Rather, information is fragmented (Sabbatella 2004) and inconsistent. This article offers an overview of documented concepts and deduced definitions in a clinical context, based on the author’s own research and reflection. It expands upon the author’s oral presentation of the same title (Churchill 2014), summarising part of her Master’s research thesis (Churchill 2012).

Keywords: music therapy; assessment

Biography
Victoria Churchill completed her Masters of Music Therapy at the University of Melbourne (Australia) in 2012. Partial results of her research thesis around assessment were expanded upon in a presentation at the British Association for Music Therapy National Conference (2014), from which this article is based. Victoria currently works primarily with adults with severe to profound multiple disabilities, in day facilities and homes throughout the Melbourne region. She is also looking to begin a PhD on music therapy assessment.

Email: victoriaechurchill@gmail.com