Written by Dr Elizabeth Coombes, Course Leader MA Music Therapy at the University of South Wales, this blog highlights the impactful work of music therapists, staff, and students at the University of South Wales, showcasing research and practice that support individuals across diverse communities. It also illustrates how the programme’s social justice focus and blended learning approach enable students from varied backgrounds to contribute meaningfully to music therapy in Wales and beyond.

World Music Therapy Week is celebrated annually between 10 – 15 April, bringing more awareness to our profession. Music Therapists in the UK are HCPC registered Allied Health Professionals. We work with service users whose lives have been affected by injury, illness or disability. Participation in music therapy supports peoples’ psychological, emotional, cognitive, physical, communicative and social needs. Music therapy helps people to engage with the music therapist in a range of music-based activities such as music creation, song writing and listening to music, all within the context of a therapeutic relationship.

The MA Music Therapy course is the only one of its kind in Wales, and this auspicious week gives us the chance to share some of the important work being done by music therapists and music therapy student in Wales.

Our staff team have a range of widely differing research and practice interests. Family-based music therapy groupwork with forcibly displaced service users from Ukraine and Afghanistan and other conflict zones has focussed on reduction of trauma symptoms for children and adults.  We also found that the groups helped children develop their language and social play skills.

Group Music Therapy Intervention with Afghani and Ukrainian Caregiver Refugees and their Toddlers Film