Multiprofessional education on musical care: Expanding clinical psychology trainees' therapeutic repertoire

Multiprofessional education on musical care: Expanding clinical psychology trainees' therapeutic repertoire

There is an urgent need for innovative solutions to address the global burden of mental illness. Evidence for the positive impact of music on mental health is growing; therefore, music may aid in engagement and intervention outcomes as an adjunct to psychological therapy. Psychologists’ intentional use of music within their practice is uncommon and not typically part of psychology training. Drawing on the authors’ disciplinary expertise in clinical psychology, music therapy, community music, and music education, this study aimed to investigate trainee clinical psychologists’ perspectives on the use of musical care as an adjunct to talk therapy. We used a convergent mixed-methods design to investigate trainees’ knowledge, confidence, and willingness to integrate musical care into clinical practice pre- and post- a three-hour experiential education session delivered to three trainee cohorts. Quantitative results indicate the session significantly improved trainees’ knowledge of using musical care, including understanding of the role of music therapy, confidence in using music in therapy, and willingness to incorporate musical care into their future clinical practice. Further, the education session improved student understanding of what music therapists do and increased trainees’ perception of the benefits of referring clients to music therapists. Qualitative analysis revealed that while most trainees used music personally, few incorporated it into therapy sessions. Key barriers included insufficient training and resources, with trainees requesting more evidence-based techniques, case examples, and clearer referral pathways for interprofessional collaboration. These findings highlight the effectiveness of a brief experiential multiprofessional education in promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and expanding therapeutic toolkits. This study presents a practical approach for integrating musical care education—led by music professionals—into clinical psychology training programs.