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First Theories of Music Therapy are Introduced
The first theories and theses about music therapy appeared in the late 1700s to 1800s from two students taught by Benjamin Rush, one of the first and strongest supporters of the idea that music could cure diseases. This music therapy was about healing physical problems that music could fix by making the patient want to move. -
Occupational Music Therapy First Used
Music Therapy was first introduced in the world wars to help cure people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. After nurses saw that patients' moods and movements changed when music was around, they hired musicians to play at the war hospitals. -
First Music Therapy Programs are Introduced
The "father of music therapy" is Thayer Gaston, a musician and doctor who helped to organize experiments and events for music therapy. He also educated people about it. He organized some of the first music therapy programs with Ira Altshuler, held at Michigan State University. -
NAMT Created
Many associations rose out of the need for occupational music therapy. First was the National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) founded in 1950. The organization grew quickly, starting with just a dozen or so therapists, to thousands. -
AAMT Created
In 1971, the American Association for Music Therapy (AAMT) was founded. It was similar to the NAMT but was operated differently with somewhat differing ideas on how to work. -
CBMT Created
In 1983, the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) was founded in order to promote the credibility of music therapists by taking only a select few and training them on the mind and music. -
AMTA Created
In 1998, the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) was founded to merge the AAMT and NAMT and has combined the groups and added thousands of supporters, therapists, students, and patients and has been recognized at a federal level. The AMTA spreads the idea of music therapy and awareness of it so that they can help those that truly need it.
