Music therapy: A treatment modality for special-needs populations

This article provides a description of music therapy as a treatment modality for individuals with special needs. Music as a treatment tool has been used for centuries. The emergence of music and the beginning of music therapy as a means of improving mental health are described. The goals and objectives of music therapy are delineated, and music is discussed as therapy for treating various mental and social disabilities. The authors describe music therapy as it relates to the treatment of personality disorders and special-needs populations, the role of the counselor in using music therapy as a treatment modality, and cross-cultural and international implications for counseling. © 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.