Music therapy is the appropriate use of music and musical elements with the purpose of support, improvement or rehabilitation of intellectual, physical, emotional and mental health. Music therapy is more concerned with the therapeutic than the artistic result.

Music therapy is exercised by music therapy specialists. Music therapy research examines methods and techniques as well as their effectiveness in therapy and education.

Music therapy practices date back to the ancient Greek civilization. The Pythagoreans and Aristotle recognized the positive effects of music on the psychic. Homer also informs us of the use of music in the treatment of injuries. In the 20^th century, the scientific community recognized the fact that the creative, structural and emotional properties of music can treat a large variety of mental and intellectual conditions while also constituting a valuable tool in the integration of specific social groups into society. Therefore today music therapy constitutes a separate branch of education and therapeutics and in most developed countries music therapists must hold a university degree.

In Greece, certain individual efforts and applications exist but, as the country that gave birth to this practice, we should systematically develop music therapy practice by creating the proper conditions and institutions to produce skilled music therapists, officially recognizing the specialization and professional rights of music therapists, supporting research on the therapeutic effects of music and finally expanding and reinforcing its fields of application in all social groups that can benefit from it.

GREEK MUSIC THERAPY INSTITUTIONS

• Greek Society for Music Education (G.S.M.E.)

  Non- profit scientific society that also has a workgroup on music therapy.
  

• Greek Association of Music Therapy Specialists (ÅSÊÅÌ)

  Information on conferences, seminars and music therapy events in Greece, plus information on music therapy methods.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

• World Federation of Music Therapy (WFMT)

  The World Federation of Music Therapy is an international organization that functions as an international representative for professional music therapists. It organizes conferences to promote the exchange of information and ideas on music therapy.

• American Music Therapy Association (AMTA)

  The American Music Therapy Association provides information on business and education opportunities in music therapy. It also provides information concerning events, new editions and news on music therapy.
  

• Canadian Association for Music Therapy (CAMT)

  The Canadian Association of Music Therapy is a national organization that provides education and information on new developments in music therapy through its various editions and conferences.

• British Society of Music Therapy (BSMT)

  The British Society of Music Therapy is an advisory organization that specializes in organizing conferences , publishing scientific magazines, etc. It also provides information on music therapy events.

INTERNET SITES

• musictherapy

  It is addressed to music therapists, students, clients and generally people interested in music therapy. It provides information on music therapy and recommends methods of practice.
  

• MusicTherapy InfoLinks

  It contains information on music therapy and provides useful links to educational institutions and career offers.
  

• Voices

  International forum on music therapy.
  

MAGAZINES

• Nordic JournalofMusicTherapy

  Scientific magazine, published twice a year. It contains various subjects on music therapy mainly from Scandinavian countries. It also includes philosophy, qualitative and quantitative researches, etc.
  

• Music Therapy World

  e-magazines on music therapy.

ARTICLES

• "Friends of Music" Association

  Selected literature on music therapy.
  

• Medlook

GREEK ARTICLES ON MUSIC THERAPY

• Panhellenic Public Education Teachers of Music Association (PEEMDE)

  Article on music therapy on the official PEEMDE web-page.
  

• ESOTERICA

  Portal with Greek articles on music therapy.
  

• Music therapy. A method of psychotherapy through music improvisation.

  Introduction to Psychodynamic Music Therapy by Mirela Papadopoulou, Postgraduate Diploma in music therapy, University of Surrey, Roehampton.
  

• Music & Psychosomatic Health

  By Athanasios Dritsas, Cardiologist at Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, composer and researcher.
  

• MNEMOSYNE

  Articles published by the Department of Communication, Media and Culture, Panteion University, Athens.

• Music Education Programs for Disabled Children

  Article by Spetsiotis M. Yiannis and Patsantzopoulos Kostas presented in the 3rd Panhellenic Special Education Scientific Conference.

• WHAT IS MUSIC THERAPY?

  Article by Dora Psaltopoulou - Music therapist on IATOR magazine.

• Music, a medicine for many afflictions

  Article on music therapy published in PATRIS magazine (electronic form).

• RESEARCH ON MUSIC THERAPY & MUSIC IN SPECIAL EDUCATION
  

  Article by Michalis Tobler presented in the 1st Panhellenic Music Research Symposium organized by IEMA.

• Music therapy from the embryonic stage

  Article on the role of music therapy at the embryonic stages of life by K. Tabakis and Th. Tabakis posted on Project Archive webpage.

• Precautionary music therapy

  Article by Kalli Pyrokakou in Kathimerini newspaper (1/2/2004).
  

• Music therapy throughout the centuries

  Article by Apostolos Kotsios in Kathimerini newspaper (1/2/2004).

• Autism and Music therapy  - The way out of silence

  Article by Maria Samara in "Mousiki Ekpaidefsi" magazine.
  

• Health: Music  - a medicine for all afflictions

  Article by Marina Zioziou in the "Anapiria Tora" magazine (electronic edition).

• Music makes us smarter

  Article in FOCUS magazine (electronic edition).