Dear Readers,

I started this blog as a forum for music therapists interested in maintaining an evidence-based practice. As a professor at a major university, a new researcher, and a clinician, I am teaching about maintaining EBP, reading the evidence, and practicing music therapy based on the evidence. My personal belief is that evidence is not a one-way street – we are not out to “prove” that what we do works; rather, we must consider the evidence and make the best treatment decisions from that evidence. In this journey, we may find that some techniques work really well or better than others. We may find that some don’t and should be discontinued. Whatever the outcome, I believe that it is extremely important that we are open-minded and willing to look at what is being published in peer-reviewed resources so that we may better our practice and maintain professional responsibility to our clients.

Although maintaining EBP is important to many of us, where in a 40-hour work-week do you have the time to scour research journals?  After years of presenting (and now teaching distance grad students) I realize that most clinicians simply don’t have this time. Work, family, and other obligations become forefront and research is placed on the back burner. Others have told me that they don’t know how to read research or know what to do with the information. For these reasons I wanted to create a blog, and so begins the journey…

Since there is a lot of research out there, I will begin with recent articles (2009 – present). Reviews will initially come from areas of personal interest including autism, speech and language, and music neuroscience. Given time and the addition of contributors these categories will expand. MTRB will focus on information that is published outside of music therapy journals including the Journal of Music Therapy and Music Therapy Perspectives. You likely receive those journals in the mail and therefore you have full access to that information. If you don’t, then consider joining the American Music Therapy Association or your local music therapy association.

I would like to make it extremely clear that this blog is not affiliated with any group or organization. Commentary expressed on this blog is solely the opinion of the contributor.

I welcome your feedback, your suggestions, your comments (contact tab). I welcome your research reviews (contribute tab). Once person, alone, cannot keep up with the vast amount of research that is being introduced every month.

Thanks for your time and let me know if you have any thoughts or questions.

Sincerely,

Blythe LaGasse, Ph.D, MT-BC