Case studies: Music therapist: Grace Walter

Grace plays the bassoon and has a BMus (Hons) from the Guildhall School of Music and an MA Music Therapy from the University of Roehampton. She works as a music therapist for a school for disabled children and is also an administrator for the British Association for Music Therapy (BAMT).

When thinking about music therapy as a career, I attended some university open days and introductory courses, which provided me with real insight into what music therapy is. I knew then that music therapy was how I wanted to deepen my relationship with music and explore how it can be used to enable others.

I deferred the MA Music Therapy course for a year to work so that I had sufficient funds to support myself through the training, as well as using the year to gain further work experience and develop my musical skills on the bassoon and piano. I also started working for the British Association for Music Therapy (BAMT) , which I continued to do whilst I was training. This provided me with an invaluable way into the profession and gave me an insightful introduction into what it means to be a music therapist.

Towards the end of the training, we had several lectures on how to apply for jobs and prepare for interviews. I saw the advert for my current post in the BAMT monthly bulletin. I also applied for state registration with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) , which was processed once I had qualified.

I am currently working in a school for profoundly and multiply-disabled 11 - 19 year olds, three days a week. During this time, I see students on an individual basis and in groups. I work collaboratively with other members of the multi-disciplinary team, such as the dramatherapist, speech and language therapist and occupational therapist, to run different groups. Part of my day is used for writing up case notes and reports, liaising with class teams and other professionals, and attending meetings. As this is a maternity cover post, the focus of my time has been on maintaining the music therapy service in school and adapting to the needs of students as they arise.

The work can be challenging because you are working with children and young people who are profoundly disabled with often quite complex and unique individual needs. However, being able to work with music and others in such a profound way is why I am a music therapist. Part of why I enjoy my work so much is because every experience with a client is different and this can be reflected in the shared music made. I also enjoy working as part of a team. I am very passionate about working in the areas of learning disabilities and mental health, and I hope to be able to continue to do this in the future.

As I am only part of the team on a temporary basis, it can at times be challenging to establish and maintain a presence in the school when there is a high turnover of staff. I have a lot of clinical contact time in the three days I am in school, which means that it can be difficult to attend relevant meetings that are scheduled at the same time as sessions.

I think that being a skilled musician is fundamental to being a music therapist. Other qualities needed include the ability to listen and attune, compassion, empathy, openness, flexibility, and patience.

For those interested in a career in music therapy, I would recommend attending the introductory days and courses offered by the different training institutions. There is also a wealth of written material, including research, that provides real insight into the work of music therapists.

There are lots of ways to gain experience, which don’t necessarily have to be music based. For example, you might be really interested in dementia, so you could offer to volunteer at a day centre and help out with the daily activities.  Explore what interests you and then find appropriate experience.

Due to the confidential nature of music therapy, it is not usually possible to shadow or observe a music therapist, but it might be possible to meet with a music therapy team to find out a little bit more about the work that they do.