Author James Markert grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, and was intrigued by the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, a tuberculosis hospital with the highest rate of TB in the country, at a very young age. His debut novel, A White Wind Blew (Sourcebooks, Incorporated), is set in Waverly Hills, that massive Gothic...

It was very fitting that between Veterans' Day, when we recognize our veterans and all they have done for our country, and Thanksgiving, when we show our gratitude for so many and for so much, the creation of a music therapy program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center...

Have you seen the video clip of Katy Perry and Jodi DiPiazza, an 11-year-old with autism, that is now all the rage on the internet? Katy and Jodi performed "Firework" at the Beacon Theater in New York as part of a Comedy Central special October 21 to raise...

A couple months ago there was a big buzz about a video circulating widely on the Internet. The video, called "Alive Inside," showed a social worker giving an iPod filled with music to a nursing home resident. What ensued allowed viewers to witness the amazing power of music:...

Music therapy services in medical settings such as hospitals take many forms. Patient outcomes are individualized and specific. They are related to diagnoses, symptoms, "course of treatment," and discharge timelines. Although benefits are often described in medical terms, music therapy is clearly for the "whole person." Examples of the possible...

Three young children with autism spectrum disorders sat expectantly in a semi-circle, their teachers behind them. To begin the session the music therapist presented a picture schedule of what was about to happen.

The first picture showed it was time to sing "Hello." Aiden waved when it was his...

In its more than 60 years, music therapy has grown and evolved as a profession, especially over the past few decades. It is becoming more commonplace for music therapists to utilize electronic devices, programs and instruments. They serve as tools to provide access to active music making to increase personal...

" ... I have come to discover that the power of music cannot only heal but also build relationships, inspire momentous movements and establish a common network that helps bring us all together." -- Byungchuel Choi, organizer of the 13th World Congress of Music Therapy, held July 5-9, 2011 in...

What is music therapy? George, a young boy with autism, lumbered down the hall, whining and crying as he approached the music therapy studio. He entered the room, removed his jacket, shoes and socks and threw them on the floor. From past experience I knew that it was pointless to...