Music therapy or arts in health: Which path is right for you?

As the arts continues to reshape healthcare, more people are drawn to careers that blend creative expression with healing. A World Health Organization report highlighted evidence from over 3,000 studies demonstrating the arts' role in promoting health, preventing illness, and supporting the treatment of conditions across all stages of life.  

Two fields that stand at the intersection of art and healing are music therapy and arts in health. But what sets them apart, and how do you decide which path is right for you? This guide explores the unique qualities of each field, offering a deeper understanding of their roles, benefits, and career opportunities.

What is music therapy?

Music therapy, as defined by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), is the “clinical & evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional.” Music therapy is a creative arts therapy, alongside art therapy, dance-movement therapy and drama therapy. 

As a music therapist, you might work with Autistic children or adults, seniors in memory care, veterans coping with PTSD, or oncology patients coping with anxiety during treatment. Your role is to harness the elements of music—melody, rhythm, harmony—to create a safe space for emotional expression, physical rehabilitation, social connection, or cognitive improvement.

Music therapists are trained to assess clients, design personalized interventions, and help them work toward specific outcomes, such as reducing anxiety, improving communication, or managing pain. The work is deeply personal and varies widely, from creating a music-based relaxation experience in a hospital setting to using improvisation techniques to help a non-verbal child express themselves.

What is arts in health?

Arts in health is an emerging field that integrates the arts into medical, community, and public health settings to enhance overall well-being and create supportive, healing environments. Unlike creative arts community, and public health settings to enhance overall well-being and create supportive, healing environments. Unlike the creative arts therapies, which involve clinically trained professionals, arts in health professionals use a broader range of arts-based interventions that promote health without engaging in clinical treatment. Their work often aims to reduce the stigma of healthcare, improve the quality of life, and increase access to health resources through artistic engagement.

Arts in health professionals collaborate with healthcare providers to develop programs that use various art forms, such as visual arts, dance, music, or theater, to create welcoming environments, foster connection, and enhance the patient experience. They focus on designing interventions based on research and ethical practice, contributing to a continuum of care that extends beyond traditional medical treatments.

Although arts in health does not engage clinically, its evolving professionalization will benefit from increased educational programs such as OHIO's Master of Applied Arts in Health program. 

Key differences between music therapy and arts in health

Both music therapy and arts in health leverage the power of the arts to enhance well-being, but they do so in different ways, suited to varying interests and career aspirations:  

Educational focus and professional scope:

Music therapy: This field is dedicated solely to the therapeutic use of music. Music therapists are trained to use music interventions to address emotional, cognitive, physical, and social needs, working directly with clients in clinical, educational, and community settings. They are required to complete specialized education, supervised clinical training, and obtain board-certification (MT-BC), positioning them as integral members of healthcare teams.

Arts in health professionals: Arts in health focuses on using creative practices to support overall well-being, improve healthcare experiences, and promote community health resources. These professionals collaborate with healthcare providers to create supportive environments through artistic interventions but do not engage in clinical treatment. Instead, their role often involves program development, advocacy, and enhancing the patient experience through arts-based activities. They may collaborate with creative arts therapists and other healthcare professionals in medical or community settings.  

Work environments:

Music therapists: Typically found in diverse clinical settings such as hospitals, mental health facilities, rehabilitation centers, hospice programs, and schools. They work with both individuals and with groups of all ages and backgrounds and may even work in home-based care.

Arts in health professionals: Work across medical, community, and public health settings. They may develop specific programs within community centers, work with public health areas on specific initiatives, or provide arts-based experiences throughout a hospital. 

Outcomes and impact:

Music therapy: Aims to achieve specific therapeutic goals, such as improving communication skills, managing pain, or enhancing emotional expression, using evidence-based music techniques tailored to individual needs.

Arts in health: Focuses on broader well-being outcomes by creating healing environments, enhancing patient experiences, and promoting health through arts-based interventions. This field is ideal for those who want to combine creativity with a mission to improve community health without clinical obligations.

Voices from the field: Perspectives on music therapy and arts in health

José N. Claros O., MM`24 discovered music therapy, a revelation that shaped his career and deepened his understanding of its power to heal and connect.

“A friend invited me to help translate for a Spanish-speaking music therapy patient with the patient's and their supervisor's approval (HIPAA compliance). I was amazed by how music improved her memory, motor skills, social interactions, and mental health. That experience confirmed music therapy was my calling,” says Claros O.

“Music therapy is a part of arts in health as a creative arts therapy, but its scope of practice is well-defined. It involves developing non-musical goals and objectives and using music as a therapeutic tool to address psychological, motor, social, and cognitive domains,” says Claros O. “This process involves conducting an assessment, creating a treatment plan, providing treatment, documenting observable behaviors, and evaluating the outcomes."

Carolina Herrera Céspedes, pursuing an Arts in Health certificate, believes the arts can make healthcare more inclusive and engaging for diverse populations.

“As a doctoral student specializing in Health Communication and currently pursuing a certificate in Arts in Health, I see the arts as a powerful tool. The arts can break down barriers where words fall short, allowing patients to express emotions and experiences in ways that transcend language or cultural divides,” says Céspedes. “By better understanding the field, I hope to be able to use art-based approaches in the future to make research and service-learning that feel more connected to humans.”

How to choose the right path for you

Deciding between a creative arts therapy like music therapy and arts in health depends on your skills, background, interests, and career goals. Consider these guiding questions:

Are you drawn to clinical work with defined therapeutic goals? Music therapy or another creative arts therapy may suit you if you enjoy direct, goal-oriented client interactions.

Do you prefer using an artform to create supportive and welcoming environments rather than engaging in clinical treatment? Arts in health offers flexibility and the opportunity to impact health from a community and environmental perspective.

What educational path aligns with your professional aspirations? Reflect on the education and training and certification requirements of each field and how they fit your long-term career vision.

Studying music therapy and arts in health at Ohio University

Ohio University offers specialized programs that prepare students for careers in both music therapy and arts in health. With expert faculty, hands-on learning opportunities, and a commitment to integrating creative expression into health care, Ohio University equips future practitioners with the skills and knowledge to make a difference.