World Federation of Music Therapy

Greetings to the music therapy community around the globe.

Our region have a large number of music therapy practitioners committed to serve several populations across life span. Children have been widely served since the beginning of the pionering music therapy work in South America back in the late 50’s.

Nowadays, local clinicians and researchers’ interests in expanding perspectives bring them together in a novel network called Latin American Network of Music Therapy for Early Childhood under the idea and coordination of Cecilia Di Prinzio, licensed music therapist from Argentina.

At first, they started with “virtual meetings via Facebook. Colleagues from Latin America and the Caribbean gathered to represent their own countries and pursue integration through the network on topics related to early childhood. Afterwards, we all had the chance to meet at the Latin American Music Therapy Congress hosted in Brazil in 2016. We took the opportunity to formally present the network to the community during that event”, Cecilia commented.

I had the opportunity to ask Cecilia about the vision and goals of this new network. The need to generate a dedicated group to discuss subjects related to theoretical and practical specialization of music therapy for early infancy motivated the group to start working together. “The Latin American Network of Music Therapy for Early Childhood was born under the idea of achieving both peer participation in discussions and information sharing across the region. In fact, virtual communication have allowed us to generate this network to gather colleagues and achieve our goals”, Cecilia stated.

Primary goals of the network:

1) To reach unity with a common and integrated knowledge / expertise among Latin American music therapists.

2) To develop a network to facilitate sharing knowledge in Spanish and Portuguese, to promote the exchange of music therapy experiences among all members

3) To promote independence and respect for all ideologies and theoretical positions within the existing music therapy perspectives in Latin America nowadays.

4) To promote the dissemination, implementation and development of music therapy in early childhood across countries in the region

5) To support, organize and sponsor those projects and undertakings related with all areas of music therapy in early childhood, which are consistent with ethics and general welfare for childhood in the region

Currently, the following colleagues are part of the network:

Lic. Cecilia Di Prinzio- Argentina (Coordinator)

Lic. Alida Mertehikian - Argentina

Lic. Alejandra Goldfarb – Uruguay

Lic. Gustavo Schulz Gattino- Brasil

Lic. Silvina Rojo- Bolivia

Mt. Gina Ramos – Colombia

Lic. Luis Armando Rivera, MT-BC- República Dominicana

Lic. Max Teran Simeone- Costa Rica

Mt. Victor M. Rivera- Puerto Rico

Lic. Jorge D. Del Angel- México

Mt. Carolina Muñoz - Chile

Mt. Stefanie Fleddermann- Chile

Mt. Idida María Rigual González.- Cuba

Mt- Patricia Zárate – Panama

“In agreement, joining our efforts and mutual support, we have been publishing an online magazine since 2016, featuring articles and research studies with focus on early childhood. We invite our colleagues throughout Latin America and the Caribbean to participate and to publish. The network is a resource to reach out, and a place for us to share and spread theoretical knowledge about these subjects in Spanish”, said Cecilia.

If you are willing to get involved with the Latin American Network of Music Therapy for Early Childhood read the following requirements.

All representatives of the network must meet the following criteria:
1. Must be a music therapist graduated from an accredited school.
2. Must be native of the country they represent, or be a resident for at least 10 years in the country, as well as must have practiced music therapy there as well, so as to be fully acquainted with the situation of music therapy in their country.
3. Must work with early childhood population
4. Must maintain ethical stance while approaching early infancy needs.
5. Must have real objectives for the country and for the region. Representing a country requires working, giving time, providing and discussing ideas.

Updates from Latin America and the Caribbean Region.