The role of the EMTC for development and recognition of the music therapy profession

The rapid development of music therapy in Europe is reflected in the increasing number of trained professionals, music therapy positions and research publications. A development of the discipline implies increased requirements regarding the skills and competences of music therapy clinicians, and therefore the training of students, continuing education and research. This leads to a further demand for recognition of music therapy as a profession and for regulation, registration and governmental recognition. Looking back over the past 60 years, we are able to define some common paths of development in relation to the music therapy profession throughout the European countries. With this as a starting point, as well as our own engagement in the European Music Therapy Confederation (EMTC) for more than a decade, we will explore the innate complexity of the profession and formulate our views for the future directions of the music therapy profession in Europe and the potential role of the EMTC in this development.