Group music therapy for adults with mood and anxiety disorders

Music Therapy for Adults with Anxiety and Mood Disorders: Integrating Music-Centred and Resource-Oriented Approaches

This tutorial is designed for music therapists working in adult mental health who are looking to deepen their clinical practice with clients experiencing anxiety and mood disorders.

Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell offers a reflective, evidence-based approach that weaves together music-centred and resource-oriented frameworks. She explores how music can serve as both an intrinsic experience—supporting emotional processing and self-expression—and as a flexible resource that empowers clients and promotes wellbeing.

The tutorial outlines practical applications for both improvisation-based and music listening sessions. Dr. Mitchell shares a typical improvisation session format that includes:

• Musical check-ins
• Sound-layering and emotion-based improvisation
• Structured ‘storm’ improvisations
• Group drumming techniques

She also presents a music listening structure involving song sharing and collaborative playlist creation, highlighting their role in emotional regulation, narrative exploration, and therapeutic alliance.

Throughout, Dr. Mitchell offers clinical reflections and client feedback that illustrate how these methods foster emotional expression, connection, and a sense of being heard and supported.

The tutorial concludes with a thoughtful discussion on the tensions that can arise between music’s inherent value and the extra-musical goals we often pursue in clinical work—encouraging critical thinking and ethical reflection.

Included are additional resources and three optional bonus activities to support your ongoing learning and provide opportunities to earn CMTE/CPD credits.