WSU Music Therapy

We are pleased to offer a new semester of Music Therapy at Northampton Community Music Center for young children and their caregivers, developed as part of an ongoing partnership between NCMC and the Music Therapy Program at Westfield State University.

Who is the program for? This program is for children ages 4-6 with diagnosed developmental challenges, including autism spectrum disorder (and their caregivers). 

What does the program involve? Weekly sessions will be held at the Northampton Community Music Center and led by one Westfield State University Music Therapy Program Practicum student in collaboration with a board-certified Music Therapist who will also be present at every session. The children and their caregivers will engage in musical play and movement designed to encourage individual expression as well as group interaction, while developing new social skills.

A minimum of 2 families is required to run the program, with no more than 6 families in the group. The intent of the program is to provide group music therapy. However, if there were only 2 registered families, each child/caregiver pair will have individual music therapy sessions, rather than a group session. If there are 3 or more families, the program will run as a group.

What is the cost? Thanks to the generosity of Westfield State University, this semester of the Music Therapy Program is 100% free to all participating families. 

How can someone be part of the program?

Step 1: Pre-register for and attend the Meet-and-Greet with your child at NCMC on Friday, September 5th at 10:00am. It will last approximately one hour.

You must register ahead of time to attend the Meet-and-Greet. Space is limited, so please register as soon as possible. 

At this session, interested families will learn about the program, see the space in which the program will be held, and see some of the instruments that will be used. They will meet the Practicum students, the Music Therapist, and the head of the Westfield State University Music Therapy Program. Families will have a chance to ask questions and learn more about the anticipated activities and outcomes. At the end of the Meet-and-Greet, families who are interested in securing a space in the program will schedule an individual intake session to take place on Friday, September 12th.

How do I register for the Meet-and-Greet?

Contact the Northampton Community Music Center by calling 413-585-0001. Ask for Jason or Kim, who will ask you for some preliminary intake information.

Step 2: Attend an Intake/Assessment Appointment

These will be private 30-minute sessions held on Friday, September 12th between 10:00am and 12:00pm.

These are individual/private meetings for child/caregiver pairs who are committed to participating in the group, and will give the Certified Music Therapist and Practicum students the opportunity to learn more about the strengths and needs of each child.

Step 3: Attend the 12-week program. 

The program will take place at 10:00 am at the Northampton Community Music Center, 139 South Street, Northampton on the following Fridays:

September 19, 26 

October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 

November 7, 14, 21 

December 5, and 12 (No class on November 28th due to Thanksgiving holiday break)

On days of inclement weather, meetings will be canceled. Otherwise, regular attendance will be expected of all participants.

Additional Information:

This music therapy program at NCMC is part of an ongoing partnership between NCMC and the Music Therapy program at Westfield State University which began in 2023. NCMC is honored to be working with WSU to provide music therapy opportunities that meet the needs of the community while supporting the clinical development of future music therapists pursuing their degrees and board certification through WSU.