Suffolk Music Therapy Services

We’re delighted to be working with British Association for Music Therapy (BAMT) and helping with a presentation and keynote talk at the music therapy conference in November. Please share with anyone who may be interested!

What does the future hold for Music Therapy and how do we navigate it? Introducing our panel keynote for the conference (21-22 Nov 2026)

Navigating the Music Therapy Landscape: Considering the challenges and opportunities facing the profession in the UK

Panel: Rebecca Ellis (Jessie's Fund), Sarah Hodkinson (Shooting Star Children's Hospice), Crystal Luk-Worrall (Clap and Toot), Laura Shuttleworth (Northern Ireland Music Therapy Trust), & Ray Travasso (Suffolk Music Therapy Services)

Abstract: This roundtable keynote brings together practitioners, employers and funders to reflect, contemplate and discuss the current landscape of Music Therapy throughout the UK. In recent years, the profession has had to respond to ongoing difficulties to funding, access to services and sustainable working with increasingly creative resolutions. While the need for Music Therapy services continues to grow, ensuring equitable access for Service Users and managing capacity of Therapists continues to be a balancing act across sectors.

This panel will share their views on the challenges, but also the opportunities for the profession such as reflections on funding, health economics, impact measurement, embracing new ways of working, ensuring quality of practice and staying connected to the bigger picture.

Early bird rates for the conference have been extended to 12pm on Monday 7 September 2026. Register now: https://bamtconference.co.uk/

As the sun set over Ivy Farm, we had a fab evening singing songs and dancing with the team at Camp Jojo and 8 families from East Anglia's Children's Hospices - EACH. So pleased we are able to support Camp JoJo for another year providing music therapy at every Camp this summer at Mersea Island!

Huge thanks to the team at Suffolk Music Therapy Services for all your work this academic year! To celebrate the work, we had a team day at The Mix in Stowmarket. The morning was spent sharing examples of our work, with a lovely lunch and an afternoon vocal and wellbeing workshop led by the incredible The Musical Mentor - Sophia Ragavelas. We were also joined by CEO of British Association for Music Therapy (BAMT), Andrew Langford. Thanks everyone!

Please forward to anyone you know who may benefit! We’re proud to be working with such an amazing charity!

The Piano series starts tonight at 9:00pm. It’s gonna be a great series! We’re supporting Grace!

Amazing Grace makes piano playing TV debut Grace Matthews, 19, who also lost her lower legs after meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia, will appear in the first episode of the latest series of Channel 4’s The Piano at 9pm on Sunday (12 July) presented by Claudia Winkleman at Birmingham’s New Street Station.

Wow, what a joy to see these and be able to share these special moments of music therapy. Thank you to this family for sharing 🎶🎵

We are so honoured to work with Jess Grant Celebration Fundraising and delighted to continue our work together. Thanks to Oli for your fantastic work and the difference you have made, and will continue to make, to the lives of the young people and their families receiving treatment. 🎶

A huge thank you to everyone who has helped Jess Grant Celebration to fund music therapy for teenagers and young adults at Addenbrooke's.
The following extracts are taken from a recent article, written by Cambridge University Hospital, to put a spotlight on music therapy and to promote the new provision for young people, which Jess' charity is proud to be funding during its first year ❤
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The CUH music therapy service has been supporting paediatric patients for 21 years as part of our ongoing efforts to make extended hospital stays more positive for young patients. Recent feedback from a teenager undergoing cancer treatment highlights the difference it can make; helping him reconnect with music and the things he loves during his time in hospital.
The teenager has been having music therapy with Oli Swan, who lent him a guitar to play outside of their therapy time. The patient said it took his mind off his treatment and had a “huge impact on my mental health.”
Oli said: “It is humbling to work with teenagers and young people while they are being treated for cancer. There are a lot of patients who want to take part in music therapy sessions, which might involve playing or improvising with an instrument, or writing songs to help process their emotions.
“It is an opportunity to communicate and support their emotional wellbeing as part of their wider care, which is a privilege to be part of.
“The power of music therapy in hospital settings with children and young people is that it offers a therapeutic intervention that can feel less medical and more approachable, during a time where young patients are likely to be experiencing a lot of challenging emotions around their diagnosis and treatment.”
The service regularly receives feedback on how it enhances the paediatric patient experience and the team is looking ahead to secure ongoing support to continue this provision long-term.

So proud to be working with this amazing charity! Go Myla and Lili!