Mass Eye and Ear
Music Therapy
Music Therapy is a clinical discipline that incorporates the use of evidence-based music interventions within a therapeutic relationship to address individual patient goals. At Mass Eye and Ear, Music Therapy may be provided to patients and their families at bedside or in group settings.
A session with a music therapist can be helpful for patients or family members experiencing anxiety, nausea, pain, stress or mental health distress such as isolation or hopelessness. Music Therapy may also be beneficial for patients having difficulty coping with hospitalization, their medical condition, or loss of sensory functions.
Contact Information
Email Music_Therapy@meei.harvard.edu if you have any questions or would like more details about Music Therapy at Mass Eye and Ear.
About Our Program
Music Therapy incorporates the use of evidence-based music interventions within a therapeutic relationship to address individual patient goals. Board certified music therapists systematically effect non-musical outcomes in cognitive, behavioral, social-emotional, psychological and physical domains.
Music therapists use interventions such as songwriting, composition, active music-making, improvisation, singing, instrumental play, music listening and lyric analysis to reach a wide range of physical and mental health needs.
In medical settings, Music Therapy can:
- Encourage changes in mood and emotional states
- Aid in relaxation/sleep
- Provide opportunities for nonpharmacological management of pain and discomfort
- Provide motivation
- Alleviate fear and anxiety
- Encourage active and positive patient participation in treatment
- Provide motivation and support to reach rehabilitative goals
- Teach healthy coping skills
- Help those with limited family/social supports
Overview
- Music Therapy Interns will offer inpatient and outpatient medical music therapy services to pediatric and adult patients at Mass Eye and Ear
- Interns will work within the Care Coordination Department alongside Social Work, Case Management, Spiritual Care, and Volunteer Coordination
- Music Therapy Interns will be supervised by on-staff board certified Music Therapist
Key Responsibilities
- Provide direct music therapy services on inpatient units and outpatient clinics
- Review patient referrals and treatment needs
- Session planning and intervention design
- Documentation for all patient encounters
- Attend treatment team meetings and coordinate with clinical staff
- Participate in individual supervision, minimum requirement of 1 hour a week
- Maintain timekeeping records to track internship hours and direct client contact
- Administrative tasks such as scheduling, phone calls, patient communication, and coordinating with other departments
Application
Email cover letter, resume, and links to music/video samples to music_therapy@meei.harvard.edu. Links should be embedded or hyperlink to YouTube; videos should not be attached as downloads. Interns MUST be in or have recently graduated from an AMTA-affiliated bachelor’s, master’s or equivalency program to be considered. (Not open to high schoolers.)
Requirements
- Hourly requirements and direct client contact hours are determined by school program. Full-time or part-time options available with flexible scheduling. Weekend shift available but not required.
- Dress Code: Clinical or medical attire with closed-toed shoes, minimal jewelry, and no strong scents. Both scrubs and business casual attire are acceptable under specific guidelines.
- At this time, there are no stipends available for parking or transportation costs. There is no free parking available. Interns are strongly encouraged to take public transportation.
Onboarding and Training
- Access essential hospital systems like EPIC and Vitals
- Gain familiarity with documentation templates and tools
- Observe inpatient and outpatient music therapy sessions
- Write own interventions, songs, and eventually full session plans
Treatment Goals and Interventions
Interns can expect to engage with diverse patient groups, addressing physical, rehabilitation, emotional, social, cognitive, and communicative needs through music therapy. Interventions can include singing, song recreation, improvisation, lyric analysis, vocal exercises, listening exercises, and songwriting. Some examples include
- Inpatients: Pre- and post-surgical inpatients who would benefit from stress relief, emotional regulation, pain management, or distraction from hospitalization.
- Gender Affirming Voicework: Use of singing and other use of music to modify voice and support gender expression for transgender and non-binary individuals.
- Hearing Loss: Focus on improving music perception, rehabilitation, and enjoyment of music for individuals with hearing loss, hearing aids, or cochlear implants.
