Disability Justice in Music Therapy Education and Clinical Training (3 CMTE’s)
While the music therapy community in the United States (U.S.) is dedicated to serving
individuals with disabilities, a critical gap remains in our professional discourse: the lived experience of the disabled music therapist and student. Within the American educational and clinical internship system, many students encounter ableist structures and "gatekeeping" practices that impede their growth or prevent full participation in the field.
This presentation invites music therapy educators, supervisors, and clinicians to move beyond mere "compliance" and toward a framework of Disability Justice. By examining the specific effects of ableism on the student experience in the U.S., we will:
● Interrogate the traditional "medical model" of supervision that often
pathologizes the disabled student.
● Engage in a dialogue regarding how North Carolina’s academic and clinical
sites can evolve to support diverse practitioners.
● Propose actionable, low-barrier considerations for teaching and supervising
that minimize ableist harm and foster a truly inclusive professional pipeline.
Participants will leave with a renewed perspective on how to cultivate a local professional community that reflects the diversity and resilience of the populations we serve.
