Virtual vs. In-Person Music Therapy: Reflections on Accessibility and Effectiveness
As a music therapist, I’ve had the opportunity to facilitate both virtual and in-person sessions. In this post, I reflect on my experiences, comparing the benefits and challenges of each approach. From accessibility and engagement to state licensing restrictions, I explore how virtual music therapy has evolved since the pandemic and which populations may benefit most from it.
3/14/20252 min read
I’ve recently had the opportunity to get back into virtual music therapy, and I wanted to share some reflections on how virtual sessions compare to in-person ones. Back in my senior year of undergrad, during the peak of COVID, I co-facilitated virtual music therapy sessions over a secure platform. At that time, everyone was scrambling to find practicum opportunities to complete their required hours despite the pandemic. Since we had to switch to virtual therapy, several factors influenced the success of these sessions, including access to laptops and headphones, the client’s motor ability and necessary accommodations for playing instruments without assistance, availability of an aide/parent if the client needs the motor assistance, audio quality over the call, and the client’s motivation to engage in therapy virtually.
Now that most COVID-related concerns have been addressed, many music therapists have returned to in-person sessions. Families may be less willing to opt for virtual services, especially if their child requires substantial physical assistance during therapy. On the other hand, since music therapists hold national licenses, they may be able to offer virtual services to clients in other states. However, there are some restrictions—if a state has its own music therapy licensure, therapists may need to hold that specific state’s license to provide services legally.
Some argue that in-person interaction is essential to the success of music therapy, while others believe the pandemic has increased accessibility by making virtual sessions more widely available. As a student, I had the opportunity to facilitate one to two interventions per week for nearly a year, so returning to virtual sessions recently has been an interesting experience!
From what I’ve observed, virtual music therapy seems to work better for some populations than others. For example, mental health needs may be easier to address virtually than behavioral needs. While this is a generalization, I’ve noticed this trend in recent years. That said, behavioral needs can still be addressed through virtual music therapy—the decision is best made on a case-by-case basis. Factors such as the family’s and client’s willingness to engage in virtual services, the driving distance between therapist and client, and the therapist’s assessment of the client’s needs all play a role in determining whether virtual therapy is a good fit.
At the end of the day, I believe both virtual and in-person music therapy can be successful, as long as all parties are on the same page and make a genuine effort to connect with one another!