The Importance of Advocacy and Other Reflections: An Interview with Chrissy Pearson

November 2021

Abstract

Chrissy Pearson is the Executive Director of the Canadian Music Therapy Fund (CMTF) and a certified music therapist at Baycrest Health Sciences, as well as a registered psychotherapist and Fellow of the Association for Music and Imagery. She advocates for the therapeutic benefits of music therapy and has been featured in a variety of media including television and radio, podcasts, and blogs, and academic journals. In her clinical work, she provides music therapy services in palliative care and inpatient mental health in addition to supervising music therapy interns. Pearson also has a private practice which is focused on music psychotherapy and the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM).
This interview, conducted in November 2021, outlines Pearson’s career path, the importance of advocacy, and her hopes for the future of music therapy. She encourages her fellow music therapists to advocate for themselves, their clients, and their profession, and provides some practical ways for them to do so.