Music Therapy at Valparaiso University

Thankful this week and every week!

Happy World Music Therapy Week to all of the incredible professionals in our field who work tirelessly to advocate, empower, and support!

Who is a music therapist you look up to? Tag them in the comments!! 🎵

Let us help save the music therapy program at Ohio University! Please sign this petition to support the program!

Ohio University needs your help!!

As you may have heard, the state of Ohio recently passed a bill that requires all undergraduate programs who have seen an average of fewer than 5 graduates over the last 3 years to be “sunset”… which means they teach out the remaining students but cannot accept new students and Ohio University’s Music Therapy program has fallen under this category. This program is in their 75th year, as we just celebrated at Conference! It’s hard to find someone in the GLR community and beyond that doesn’t have a tie to Ohio University, whether it be a student, intern, family member, therapist, or colleague! 🐾💚

Despite the faculty submitting a waiver to be exempt from this due to the complexities of the graduation and internship timeline, the state has denied the waiver without any explanation. There is an advocacy group formed involving alumni, faculty & friends of the program and they have created this petition as a first step toward fighting back against the state. If you would like to read more about the issue and support their program and advocacy efforts, please read more in this petition and add your name to the list to encourage the state to reconsider the denial.

https://www.change.org/p/to-reconsider-denial-of-sb1-waiver-bachelor-of-music-in-music-therapy-ohio-university?recruiter=1019230878&recruited_by_id=3234d2c0-082b-11ea-b2db-2f928876fd2f&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=petition_dashboard&utm_medium=copylink&share_id=DXLpR9x2SG

MT major Justine Olson is packed full of talent!

Hey, it’s us! 👋

We are excited to host Justina O. Abah, MA, LPMT, MT-BC on campus next week for a guest lecture!

We're so excited to host Robert Rolfe Fedderson in our Popular Music in America class! We can't wait to hear his stories and learn about his songwriting process. There is so much amazing talent right here in NWI!

We’re so excited for this year’s sensory friendly concert!

It’s official… the Governor of Indiana has declared next week as Music Therapy Advocacy Week. Follow along as we share ways to participate in Hill Day and our advocacy efforts for Indiana music therapy! 🥳

This week, as we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, we reflect on the powerful role music has played in the Civil Rights Movement—and throughout history.

From spirituals and freedom songs to protest anthems, music has always been a way to express ideas and emotions that words alone cannot capture. It gives voice to hope, grief, resilience, and courage, and it brings people together across differences in pursuit of justice and dignity.

In music therapy, we recognize music not only as art, but as a human tool for connection, expression, and change. As Dr. King reminded us, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”—and music has long helped communities stand together, be heard, and move forward.

This week, we invite you to listen, reflect, and honor the legacy of civil rights music and the voices—past and present—that continue to shape a more just world.

This Spotify playlist is a great place to start exploring civil rights music. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7dZS1OZgrsKA8vu1Lv6mhH?si=2te16UdARtaww2Ogs9tEzw

Civil Rights Movement Songs Playlist · kentuckypress · 23 items · 6.8K saves

Licensure is incredibly important for Indiana Music Therapists!