Music Therapy Services Center

Welcome to the Music Therapy Services Center

The Music Therapy Services Center (MTSC) is an on-campus student training and research facility for the UIW undergraduate music therapy program. MTSC services are provided by upper-level undergraduate music therapy students, under the supervision of board-certified UIW Music Therapy faculty members. The primary functions of the MTSC are to offer music therapy services to local community members, and to provide clinical training for undergraduate music therapy students.

According to the American Music Therapy Association:

“Music Therapy is the clinical & evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.”

In music therapy, a board-certified clinician uses evidence-based music interventions as a primary tool to help a client achieve nonmusical (physical, communication, cognitive, emotional, and/or social) goals.

The UIW Music Therapy Services Center welcomes clients of all ages across a wide variety of populations, including but not limited to:

  • Acquired Brain Injury
  • Autism
  • Dementia
  • Down Syndrome
  • Mental Health
  • Military Service Members and Veterans
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Stroke

As part of their pre-internship clinical training, students who have completed the appropriate prerequisite courses are provided the opportunity to work with clients on-campus in the MTSC, under the supervision of board-certified UIW Music Therapy faculty. Students work alone or in pairs to assess a client’s needs, prepare a treatment plan, implement that plan through weekly sessions, and document those sessions. All providers of service abide by the code of ethics of The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) and scope of practice of the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). In order to meet ongoing student and program needs, a client receiving continued MTSC services may or may not be placed with the same student therapist across multiple semesters.

As we are a student training facility, we offer services when classes are in session based on the UIW Academic Calendar:

Fall (September – November)

Spring (Mid-January – April)

Summer (June – July)

At this time, the MTSC provides student-led music therapy services on a pro bono basis. Students are unable to accept payment (or gifts) for services; however, donations toward general MTSC operations are always welcome.

For more information about the Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy program here at UIW, please visit our Music Therapy Degree page by clicking the button below: 
Music Therapy Degree Page

The Music Therapy Services Center is on the 2ND floor of the Luella Bennack Music Center, located at the corner of Hildebrand and Broadway.

Image of Bennack Music Center's location on campus

Prospective Clients

Prospective clients interested in receiving music therapy services through the Music Therapy Services Center should contact the MTSC Clinical Director, Dr. Cathy Befi-Hensel, MT-BC, at befi@uiwtx.edu.