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Melanie Kwan
Regional Liaison for Western Pacific
Contact: westernpacific@wfmt.info[/caption]
Music therapy started in Malaysia two decades ago when a handful of Malaysians went abroad to study music therapy and brought it back to their home country. Currently, there are eight music therapists based in Malaysia, and most of them are practicing in West Malaysia. All of them were educated and trained in different parts of the world – Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States – creating a beautiful multicultural aspect to the field in Malaysia, reflective of the country’s blending of races and cultures. Malaysian music therapists identify with a wide range of music therapy methods and frameworks due to the varied source of their education and training, ranging from music psychotherapy, resource-oriented music therapy, cognitive behavioral methods, and guided imagery and music. They believe that the diversity is advantageous to their effort in pioneering music therapy in Malaysia.
Music therapists in Malaysia have not been able to establish an official association due to the limitation of government regulations and the lack of music therapists in the country. Despite all the obstacles in trying to gain recognition from the government, music therapists in Malaysia have formed a tight-knit community via emails, video conferences, get-togethers, and social media. The community has even been extended to Malaysian music therapy students and music therapists that are practicing overseas. Currently, they are in the process of drafting the future of music therapy in Malaysia, creating a working body of pioneering leaders to pave the way for music therapy to be officially recognized as a health profession in Malaysia.
Malaysian music therapists are working hard in expanding their clientele. The work started as private practice, mostly providing services to children with special needs. Now, Malaysian music therapists are contracted by schools and hospitals for music therapy services as well as corporation for stress management and relaxation workshops. Some of them are also working as educators at the tertiary level, introducing college students to music therapy and giving workshops and seminars.
Melanie Kwan
Note:
Special thanks to Ming Yuan Low, MA, MT-BC, a Nordoff-Robbins music therapist based in New York, for writing an update about the development of music therapy in his home country.
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