Reconsidering the Dominant Narratives of the Music Therapy Profession for the Future

Abstract

Music therapy has always been a research-based profession that is informed by theory. However, many of the theories that we rely on were proposed nearly half a century ago. This paper, which was presented as a keynote to the Canadian Music Therapy Association in 2020, provides one answer to the question of what theoretical perspectives we might privilege if the profession were established now, instead of at that time. Critical theories including intersectionality, post-humanism, and post-ableism are highlighted and practical suggestions are made about how these perspectives would alter the way we describe our practice as music therapists.