In a recent session, a client said to me: “Everybody comes in here trying to fix me. You come in here to help me.” It was a simple yet profound statement that reflects the heart of what I try to do in music therapy. As a therapist, my role isn’t to “fix” anyone. It is to meet people where they are, and help them access their strengths so that we can work together towards their goals.
There is often a misconception (by the public and therapists alike) that therapy is about fixing a person- as if we are broken machines needing repair. People are not machines, not puzzles to be solved, nor do we have missing pieces that need to be found. We are all complex, dynamic individuals, and healing isn’t imposed on us by others.
True growth and progress comes from collaboration. In music therapy and in education, this means using music to help people tap into their own resilience, creativity, and self-expression. It means recognizing the potential in each person. It is a therapists role to support growth, not dictate it. By exploring music together, we create a space for exploration, for trying new things, and for finding what resonates with each individual.
I believe deeply in the power of music to foster these types of connections. So when that person told me, “you come to help me” it reaffirmed my belief in the role of a music therapist as a partner on a journey. Through music, we find a melody to navigate life’s challenges. We don’t fix, we help. We listen. We explore. We celebrate. We create. We grow. We change.
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