Australian Music Therapy Association

Australian Music Therapy Association The Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA) is the government-recognised peak body for the music therapy profession in Australia.

We manage the registration and regulation of registered music therapists, and we promote and advocate for music therapy.

🎉 You're invited to discover 50 years of music therapy in Australia, in our beautiful anniversary e-book Orchestrating i...
27/11/2025

🎉 You're invited to discover 50 years of music therapy in Australia, in our beautiful anniversary e-book Orchestrating impact: the people, practice and progress of music therapy in Australia.

It’s a story of courage and creativity, visionaries and ground-breakers, storytellers and researchers, innovators and future thinkers - bringing together just a sample of the thousands of voices that contributed to our song, which continues to evolve.

Because, like a choir or a drumming circle, AMTA’s progression has swelled and softened over the years, finding its balance as new voices join and others move to the side of the stage.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this meaningful project.

🔗 Explore the flipbook: https://www.flipsnack.com/A6EA7C5569B/celebrating-50-years-of-amta/full-view.html?p=1

🔗 Access the PDF:https://www.austmta.org.au/public/151/files/Celebrating%2050%20years%20of%20the%20Australian%20Music%20Therapy%20Association_e-book.pdf

After its recent annual general meeting, AMTA welcomes 2 new AMTA Board Directors.Dr Jeanette Kennelly RMT is an experie...
26/11/2025

After its recent annual general meeting, AMTA welcomes 2 new AMTA Board Directors.

Dr Jeanette Kennelly RMT is an experienced clinician, supervisor and private practice founder with a long history of service to AMTA, including roles on the Education, Ethics, National Conference, Supervision Advisory and Queensland Branch committees.

Dr Tanya Marie Silveira RMT leads a multidisciplinary team at KidsXpress, embedding culturally responsive, trauma-informed practice. She has held multiple AMTA roles, including NSW Branch Treasurer and 2019 National Conference Convenor.

Jeanette and Tanya join President Monica Zidar RMT, Vice President Dr Jennifer Bibb RMT and Dr Matthew Breaden RMT on the AMTA Board.

AMTA extends its gratitude to Clare Kildea RMT, Meagan Hunt RMT and Hayley Miller RMT, who ended their terms as AMTA Board Directors.

📷 Headshots of Jeanette and Tanya. AMTA logo. Text: "Announcement: AMTA Board Directors."

25/11/2025

On Monday 24 November, a price reduction for music therapy in the NDIS came into effect.

AMTA President Monica Zidar RMT said the change will seriously risk consumer access to music therapy, the viability of privately owned music therapy clinics, and funding for music therapy in other public programs.

The National Disability Insurance Agency implemented the significant reduction despite the Australian Music Therapy Association's ongoing advocacy.

The price change represents a reduction of 19.5% - from $193.99 per hour ($176.35 after GST) to $156.16 per hour ($141.96 after GST).

Music therapy remains in the NDIS as a therapy support. Only registered music therapists who are registered with AMTA are eligible to deliver music therapy under the NDIS.

Read AMTA's statement: https://www.austmta.org.au/news-item/21476/ndis-price-change-for-music-therapy-now-in-effect

Each year, AMTA recognises some of the most innovative, inspiring and engaging contributions at our annual national conf...
18/11/2025

Each year, AMTA recognises some of the most innovative, inspiring and engaging contributions at our annual national conference. The awards are also a special opportunity to honour the visionary music therapists for whom they are named.

Congratulations to this year's conference award winners:

⭐ Pip Reid RMT: Ruth Bright Award for Clinical Excellence for ‘Innovative partnerships: expanding the reach of music therapy in early childhood’

⭐ Dr Lucy Bolger RMT: Helen Shoemark Award for Research Excellence for ‘Centering musical pleasure as the heart of music therapy’s impact: from lived experience to fMRI research’

⭐ Abby Pemmelaar RMT: Robin Howatt Poster Award for ‘“Hooray, you’re here”: centering a child’s musical self amidst the demands of acute medical treatment’

⭐ Xiaodan Zhu RMT: Denise Grocke Award for a student or new graduate for ‘From body to being: reclaiming whole-person foundations in music therapy practice’

⭐ Dr Grace Thompson RMT: PechaKucha Award for ‘Family-centered music therapy in Australia: professional reflection on the past, present and future’.

📷 Denise Grocke with Pip Reid, recipient of the Ruth Bright Award
Xiaodan Zhu RMT, recipient of the Denise Grocke Award

Sharing lived experience has become an important part of the music therapy profession, so we're grateful to share Dr Tan...
17/11/2025

Sharing lived experience has become an important part of the music therapy profession, so we're grateful to share Dr Tanya Marie Silveira RMT's contribution to the latest edition of the Australian Journal of Music Therapy.

In a practice article, Tanya shares reflections on the impact of experiencing intersectional microagressions in the workplace, ending with a call to action for collaboration across the profession and beyond.

📖 Read the article: https://lnkd.in/gZbBiWU3

Explore volume 35(2): https://lnkd.in/gxX-CcAR

Source: Silveira-Price, T. M. (2024). Sharing stories, support & solidarity: Reflections on the long-term impact of experiencing intersectional microaggressions in the workplace as a registered music therapist. Australian Journal of Music Therapy, 35(2), 60–71.


📷 Text: "Research spotlight: music therapy practice article. Dr Tanya Marie Silveira-Price RMT". AMTA logo. Author headshot.

How does collaboration and shared care work when practitioners are located far away from one another?When registered mus...
11/11/2025

How does collaboration and shared care work when practitioners are located far away from one another?

When registered music therapists Winifred Beevers and Meghan Thamm took on the role of co-therapists from separate locations, they gained valuable lessons to share with other allied health professionals.

Learned what they discovered in the latest edition of the Australian Journal of Music Therapy.

📖 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gjzsiApp

Explore volume 35(2): https://lnkd.in/gxX-CcAR

Source: Beevers, W. A. & Thamm, M. N. (2024). Sharing a client across the country: How two music therapists made it work. Australian Journal of Music Therapy, 35(2), 51–59.


📷 Text: "Research spotlight: music therapy practice article. Winifred Beevers RMT and Meghan Thamm RMT". AMTA logo. Author headshots." AMTA logo. Author headshots.

Would your school benefit from a music therapy program?👏 Great news: music therapy is included in several Australian sta...
05/11/2025

Would your school benefit from a music therapy program?

👏 Great news: music therapy is included in several Australian state-funded early-years and school mental health programs.

In early childhood and school settings, music therapy is motivating for children; for older students, it’s a powerful tool for prevention and early intervention of mental ill-health.

Learn more at AMTA's new online resource. Discover:
- how music therapy can help your students
- funding programs that can help you engage a registered music therapist to deliver a music therapy program.

👉 https://www.austmta.org.au/about/about-music-therapy/schools/


📷 A group of smiling children clap hands.

AMTA sends a sincere thanks to Western Sydney University for being a Diamond Sponsor for AMTA2025 Conference: Orchestrat...
29/10/2025

AMTA sends a sincere thanks to Western Sydney University for being a Diamond Sponsor for AMTA2025 Conference: Orchestrating Impact and Innovation.

Western Sydney University offers a Master of Creative Music Therapy, accredited by AMTA.

"MusicTherapy@Western within Western Sydney University encompasses the Master of Creative Music Therapy (MCMT), Music Therapy Related Undergraduate Subjects, Music Therapy Higher Degree Research, Music Related Micro-credentials, and the newly established MusicTherapy@Western Centre.

Within the MCMT, the teaching and learning takes an intentionally creative approach to training students to be career-ready music therapists. Students develop the knowledge and ability to creatively apply their existing music skills therapeutically for individuals and groups, through improvisational, re-creative, compositional and receptive methods."

Learn more: https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/future/study/courses/postgraduate/master-of-creative-music-therapy

📷 Western Sydney University logo. Text: "Event sponsor. Our sincere thanks". AMTA2025 Conference branding.

AMTA sends a sincere thanks to University of Melbourne for being a Diamond Sponsor for AMTA2025 Conference: Orchestratin...
29/10/2025

AMTA sends a sincere thanks to University of Melbourne for being a Diamond Sponsor for AMTA2025 Conference: Orchestrating Impact and Innovation.

University of Melbourne offers a Master of Music Therapy, accredited by AMTA.

"At the University of Melbourne, we strive to support our students to develop a compelling level of knowledge of music therapy literature, develop advanced practice in music therapy methods and techniques, deeply understand the evidence base for music therapy across the life span, and commit to ethical practice to partner with people to address their needs. From this basis, we support our students to develop their musical strengths; to be collaborative, person-centred, solution-focused and strengths-based; to advocate for better access to music and music therapy; and to align with anti-oppressive practice.

We envision that graduates will continue to develop their ethical practice in music therapy and forge new pathways for music therapy practice in Australia and beyond."

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gEr4yXTi

📷 University of Melbourne logo. Text: "Event sponsor. Our sincere thanks". AMTA2025 Conference branding.
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AMTA sends a sincere thanks to Music Beat Australia for sponsoring Inside Music Therapy: A Public Celebration, the eveni...
29/10/2025

AMTA sends a sincere thanks to Music Beat Australia for sponsoring Inside Music Therapy: A Public Celebration, the evening before AMTA2025 Conference: Orchestrating Impact and Innovation.

Based in Brisbane, Music Beat Australia provides clinical music therapy services for children and adults of all abilities.

Learn more: https://musicbeat.com.au/

📷 Music Beat Australia logo. Text: "Event sponsor. Our sincere thanks". AMTA2025 Conference branding.

AMTA sends a sincere thanks to TheraMelo for being our Gold Sponsor for AMTA2025 Conference: Orchestrating Impact and In...
28/10/2025

AMTA sends a sincere thanks to TheraMelo for being our Gold Sponsor for AMTA2025 Conference: Orchestrating Impact and Innovation.

An accessible music therapy streaming app for your well-being, Theramelo includes playlists crafted by registered music therapists to support people of all ages and needs.

Learn more: https://www.theramelo.com/

📷 Theramelo logo. Text: "Gold sponsor. Our sincere thanks". AMTA2025 Conference branding.

The Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA) is pleased to announce that Amanda Quealy has been appointed CEO of our ...
28/10/2025

The Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA) is pleased to announce that Amanda Quealy has been appointed CEO of our association and will join the leadership team in mid-November.

Amanda comes to AMTA with a strong background as a senior executive and CEO in health, aged and community care, with expertise in transformational leadership, strategic planning, governance and risk management.

President Monica Zidar RMT said the appointment comes at a pivotal time, as the association celebrates its 50th anniversary and growing awareness of its place as a nationally regulated allied health profession.

“It’s an exciting time for registered music therapists as we consolidate our place in government-funded schemes such as the NDIS, Aged Care Support at Home, mental health programs in schools and more,” Monica said.

“Amanda’s experience and expertise will play an important role in improving consumer access to music therapy across the sector.”

AMTA also honours the contribution of outgoing CEO Bridgit Hogan RMT, who was appointed an honorary life member of the association.

Read more: https://www.austmta.org.au/news-item/21157/amta-appoints-new-ceo

📷 Text: "CEO announcement. AMTA welcomes Amanda Quealy". Headshot of Amanda. AMTA logo.

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PO Box 7345
Beaumaris, VIC
3193

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+61395866033

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