Revisiting the Question

Music Therapists and Their Vocal Health

Abstract

Vocal health issues were not a focus in the music therapy literature until the early 2000s. Beginning with a seminal article in 2008, the question of whether music therapists were at risk for voice problems, along with a comparison with literature about teachers with voice disorders was broached. Subsequent research articles, Continuing Music Therapy Education (CMTE) courses, conference sessions, online resources, and social media have emerged since that time indicating that vocal health and the use of clinical voice skills are of concern to the profession. This article discusses what resources and research have been generated 2000-2024, responding to the initial question posed and providing suggested paths for research and a more integrated music therapy education and training in clinical voice skills and vocal health for student and professional music therapists.

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the contributions provided by the following readers of this article pre-submission: Dr. Yasmine Iliya, Dr. Lisa Gallagher, Mary Stryck, M.S., MT-BC, and Michael B. Boswell, M.M.