What (on earth) is Music Therapy?
Music therapy is an evidence-based, allied-health practice. We aim to work relationally towards the goals of participants through music based interventions. Registered Music Therapists (RMT’s) are master’s level trained practitioners that are recognised by the Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA).​
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In music therapy, we create tangible goals with participants, and work towards them through musical interventions. This sounds vague, but please bare with me here. The goals are co-created with the participant(s), and the interventions are tailored specifically to the complex and changing needs of the people we work with in the here and now of the therapy session.
Music therapy sessions can look like many things. As RMT's, we have the power of the therapeutic relationship, which is the core agent of change in any psychotherapeutic encounter, but we also have music - the language that all people have access to. No prior musical knowledge is needed for music therapy - we all have a heart beat, and a relationship with music.
Music therapy sessions may look like:
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Exploring new instruments (including the voice and software-based instruments)
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Exploring writing songs
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Starting a band or musical group (i.e. choir)
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Improvising or building on skills with familiar or new instruments
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Building music technology skills (through beat making/audio engineering i.e. learning to record or create music through digital or analogue musical equipment)
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Listening to music
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Discussing or talking about music
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Building or repairing musical instruments
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Again – many more things – let’s stay curious! ​
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Music happens between us and our environment - between those that are making music, and the context that we find ourselves in. To this effect, I believe that psychotherapeutic intervention is best suited in the environment that the participant finds most comfortable. For individual participants, I generally can provide a mobile service in metropolitan Sydney. Additionally, I run a music therapy session at the Ozanam Learning Centre in Woolloomooloo on Wednesdays from 1pm to 2.30pm which has been made free of charge possible by Vinnies. All are welcome (subject to numbers). Simply email olc@vinnies.org.au to register. This session runs most weeks of the year but it is essential to register.
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Music Therapy can be participated in an individual basis or group basis. Telehealth sessions are also available through Zoom. Funding for music therapy is offered through NDIS Capacity Building, Improved Daily Living (15_615_0128_1_3). Additionally, I work on a sliding scale for those not able to access NDIS funding. Spin over to the 'services' section of the website to find out more, or drop me a line at info@oymt.com.au
What is Oliver Young Music Therapy (OYMT)?
Oliver Young Music Therapy (OYMT) is a music therapy business consisting of 1 RMT (Oli) and my cat (Maisy Mouse). I graduated from Western Sydney University with a Masters of Creative Music Therapy in 2023 and have been an RMT since December 2023 (AMTA #2156). I have a passion for working in the community mental health space and work with groups and individuals on Tuesdays to Fridays. I also run a clinic on Thursday afternoons in Marrickville. The rest of the time I’m cooking, playing music, building things out of wood (averagely), snoozing, trying to get Maisy Mouse to pay attention to me (to varying degrees of success), and studying a Graduate Diploma of Counselling.
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The lands that I practice on are implicitly owned by First Nation Peoples. So-Called 'Australia' was, is, and always will be the Land of First Nations Peoples, Aboriginal Peoples, and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and my practice will continue to pay ownership to this. Sovereignty was never ceded, and the trauma of such continues. I will try to hold myself and others accountable for their actions on-going to the best of my regard.
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