SHR4C007R 24104598 Assignment 1

Isabella Allen

Professional studies: Working in the creative industries

Word count: 2030 

Working in the creative industries

The music industry is often associated with live performers, popular hits and other jobs such as a variation of artists and producers. However, an equally important, yet often overlooked, aspect of the industry is the role of music therapy.

The role of a music therapist is extremely variable, including both clinical knowledge and artistic creativity. This essay aims to explore what it is like to work as a music therapist in the music industry, showing light on the responsibilities, skills, knowledge and qualifications that define the profession. Additionally, the essay will delve into the personal and professional benefits of music therapy, as well as the challenges faced by those pursuing this unique career path.

Becoming a music therapist is not as straightforward as it may seem to some as it is not just simply playing music to clients and hoping they engage with it. It is so much more and deeper than this. To be a professional music therapist you will need a music degree to access a postgraduate masters course. You can also have an undergraduate course in a relevant field such as psychology or health and social for example. These will help you get onto a masters degree where you can then further develop your studies in music therapy where once completed this could lead to a career and further work experience.

Becoming a music therapist, especially within the music industry requires an important blend of music talent, understanding and excellent communication skills. Not only do music therapists have to be good musicians, they also need to be able to have a deep understanding of human behaviours and emotions and the reasons behind this. The skills I am going to talk about are essential for anyone that is thinking about pursuing a career in the music therapy field.

One of the first skills is musicianship, this is one of the most important skills, whether their speciality is instruments, singing or composing, they need to have an understanding of music therapy and be able to have a variety of instruments that they can play so that they can be most flexible and helpful to their clients. This is so that they are able to adapt in any situation or need that a client requires so that they can create a positive environment. Furthermore to music skills, a strong understanding of psychology and human development is essential. Music therapists need to be able to understand and recognize how different music can influence emotions, cognition and behaviour. An example of this is for a start once they have identified what type of patient they are treating, for example if a patient has anxiety, they will need to hone their skills to identify which specific music elements they will need to use, and in this case they may use such things like melody, rhythm or harmony to help process emotions. A great knowledge of physiology theories and techniques allows them to tailor interventions that help the client very precisely and this is extremely important when working with vulnerable people such as people dealing with mental health issues specifically in the music industry. Another essential skill is communication and understanding, because building trust and support with clients is important so that they know and feel that the sessions are a safe enough space so that they really feel and know that they are able to open up and get the most out of the sessions. Music therapists must be able to listen at all times and be an emotional support, because the ability to explain the benefits of the sessions and gaining a client’s trust can make the difference between a successful session and one that does not achieve the goals that were set. Finally, and in my opinion the most important skills are empathy and emotional intelligence. These skills and qualities allow therapists to understand the emotional feelings of their clients and to respond in a way that helps healing and growth so that they feel understood and seen. When a therapist is able to understand the client’s emotions and the reasoning behind the cause of their issues then this will allow them to hone in on the specific causes and adapt to be able to make the client feel more connected because the music therapists compassion provides the emotional safety that is needed to engage in therapy, express and achieve personal transformation through to art of music.

One of the most important duties of a music therapist is to assess the needs of their clients and develop personalised sessions so the therapist can understand and help fulfil the clients needs as much as possible. For example, in other settings such as rehabilitation, helping patients with physical and emotional trauma through music but in the music industry, the role extends to being able to work with other artists and professionals who may also be experiencing similar emotions and anxiety, such as the pressures of fame and creative blocks. Music therapists can provide support by helping them express emotions and stress through music. There are many activities and helpful processes that can help a client such as songwriting sessions, this is helpful so that they can feel more personally connected to the music that they are making which can help express any underlying emotions. Other sessions may include being in a group, creating music which is designed to create connections and emotional healing. Furthermore, working behind the scenes with music artists within the industry, music therapists also help maintain emotional well being during high stress related projects where there is a lot of pressure on an artist. On the other hand, as well as being very practical, music therapists also play an educational role, where they help clients understand the physiological benefits of music where they will give them coping strategies to help manage stress and maintain positive mental health and outlook. I believe that the role of a music therapist can be overlooked as it is an essential part of any musician’s career being able to ensure that an artist’s emotional needs are being met whilst still pursuing their craft.

As much as being a music therapist is an amazing career, like most things, it has a few financial and legal issues. One of the main issues is income variability, unlike usual therapists who are employed by large healthcare systems where there is a more predictable salary, therapists in the music industry may face fluctuating income due to project based work. For example, a music therapist may receive higher pay and more pay for a shorter period of time but between performances / gigs they could face long lean periods without work and this can make long term financial planning and security more difficult, it has its positives and negatives. This comes hand in hand with self employment and freelance work, as many music therapists in the music industry are self employed or work freelance. This can have many positives but also negatives which include financial matters such as taxes, retirement savings / planning and healthcare. Additionally, without the fallback / support of a large organisation, self employed music therapists need to be proactive in securing almost constant work, managing clients independently and maintaining a consistent income stream that is reliable. As well as financial issues, there also comes legal issues in this type of industry. These include intellectual property and copyright issues, this is because when therapists participate in such activities like improvisation or songwriting with clients, questions may arise about who wrote the song, and who owns the copyright, this can get very complicated especially when music therapists are working within the music industry where loyalty stakes can be very high. Furthermore, public liability and professional insurance can also cause dilemmas. Like other professionals that work in health care, music therapists may face legal issues related to malpractice or negligence. For example, if a client were to claim harm due to a therapists doing they could face legal action, but there is a way to shorten these risks such as by purchasing professional liability insurance which will protect them in case any patient tries to file a lawsuit against them. However, the cost for this insurance can create even more financial burdens again especially for freelancing and self employed music therapists.

Getting the qualifications to be a music therapist are important but what is just as important is marketing and promoting yourself especially if you are self employed or freelancing because otherwise people will not be aware of your services. There are many ways to get yourself out there and one of the most popular ones and in my opinion most important is to establish an online presence, because now everyone uses social media and it is the way to put yourself out there for people to find you and creating a strong online presence is very important. There are many platforms to do this on for example a website, every music therapist should have a website which very clearly explains their services, what they provide, qualifications and the benefits of music therapy. It would also be helpful to include testimonies from clients, references, case studies and an informative blog that discusses aspects of music therapy and how the therapist is different to others and what makes them unique. Another form is social media, through platforms like instagram, facebook and tik tok which can be used to not only promote themselves but to provide helpful content such as stress management tips with music or to raise awareness about music therapy and their services. Furthermore, for music therapists working specifically in the music industry with other artists, focusing on unique needs of musicians can be a difficult marketing strategy, some ideas include using musician focused platforms like soundcloud to share content related to the benefits of music therapy for musicians. Providing the most information possible is the best thing to do and addressing common issues musicians face that they might not even realise that they deal with such an performance anxiety or creative burnout, because bringing these to light can really make a positive impact and help someone talk about it and confront their feelings. Finally creating a safe space where musicians can come together to explore the benefits in a supportive environment such as artist retreats and group therapy. This could include a variety of workshops, relaxation techniques and creative exercises that help reduce stress and hone creativity.

There are many intellectual and personal challenges within this profession as it can be a very challenging career as you are also having to take on someone else’s emotions and thoughts as well as being able to process your own at the same time. One of these is balancing clinical knowledge with creative expression, this means being able to harness artistic qualities of music to connect with music but still understanding human development and the science behind it, it must coexist with emotional and artistic components. To solve this, music therapists can attend classes and sessions where they collaborate with other psychologists from diverse backgrounds to see their insight from it and learn to hone the two together so they have a good understanding of what is beneficial and what is not. Furthermore, personal challenges include managing personal emotional reactions, where music therapists often find themselves deeply moved by their clients emotions, clients may share raw, personal  or painful stories through their music, and while empathy is a huge part of the role, therapists must not let their own emotional reactions interfere. Reflecting on sessions regularly and checking in with their own mental health and assuring they are grounded and focused during the session is a huge thing that helps this not mentally affect the therapist.

Music therapy offers a variety of career development opportunities which can range from leadership roles, teaching and roles in the music industry. Many music therapists have been able to shape and broaden their career paths according to their strengths, ensuring professional satisfaction and a positive impact on the lives of their clients. By adapting and evolving music therapists can create a dynamic career where they can gain many new skills that widen their paths.

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