Practices and innovations in telehealth music therapy

Telehealth music therapy innovations from various theoretical approaches with individuals across the lifespan are shared from clinicians and researchers representing 4 global regions of the WFMT. Reflect and identify how to continue to advance work in this format based on the experience accumulated. Telehealth music therapy practice was not widely practiced until the onset of COVID-19 in 2020. Since that time, the field of music therapy experienced widespread adoption of this synchronous, remote approach to service delivery when in-person services were not possible. Now, many music therapists are sustaining telepractice innovations leading to improved access and services. Many service users have benefited from music therapy because of the increased access made possible through telepractice, and a 2021 Certification Board for Music Therapy position paper suggests that "telepractice is here to stay" (CBMT, 2021). Current applications of telepractice music therapy continue to grow across a wide range of practice areas including: persons with dementia, Parkinson's, mental health diagnoses, military, pediatrics, and children with complex needs and their caregivers and many more. Continued work in providing telehealth needs to consider topics including: ethics, end of life care, technological advances, education and training, access, cultural humility, and applications in supporting those affected by global conflict.