Special Interest Group

Music Therapy and Chronic Pain

Erika Saito MD, MA, Japan

This Special Interest Group (SIG) on the use of music and music therapy for chronic pain was established through International Association of Music Medicine in 2021. It was set up following discussions between Prof Hilary Moss and Dr Katie Fitzpatrick at the University of Limerick, in consultation with advocacy organisation Chronic Pain Ireland, and international researchers working in the area.

The focus of this group is to explore and communicate current research on how music and music therapy can assist people living with chronic pain to improve health and well-being. This SIG brings together researchers, clinicians, and people living with chronic pain from the USA, Canada, Ireland, Australia, India, France, the Netherlands, Finland and Scotland. The group meets to share current research and practice, to discuss theoretical and methodological issues to be addressed in future studies, and to summarize our collective thoughts in relation to the priority questions for future chronic pain and music therapy research.

Key values of the group are:

  • Involving service users and other clinicians in every aspect of the SIG
  • An openness to quantitative and qualitative research methods, especially exploring how creativity and arts based research methods can illuminate the experience of chronic pain alongside more traditional mixed method research in this area
  • Producing practical, helpful recommendations for practice, for both music therapists working in this field and for people living with chronic pain.

SIG Founding members

Hilary is Associate Professor of Music Therapy at University of Limerick, Ireland and co-chairs the Special Interest Group on music therapy and chronic pain at the International Association of Music Medicine. She has published extensively in the areas of arts and health, music therapy, older age care, singing for health and health humanities. Her book Music and Creativity in Healthcare Settings: Does Music Matter? was published by Routledge in 2021.
Hilary is Associate Professor of Music Therapy at University of Limerick, Ireland and co-chairs the Special Interest Group on music therapy and chronic pain at the International Association of Music Medicine. She has published extensively in the areas of arts and health, music therapy, older age care, singing for health and health humanities. Her book Music and Creativity in Healthcare Settings: Does Music Matter? was published by Routledge in 2021.

Prof Hilary Moss

Katie completed her PhD research in 2023 at the University of Limerick exploring the use of music and music therapy for adults living with chronic pain. She co-chairs the Special Interest Group on music therapy and chronic pain at the International Association of Music Medicine. She is currently working as Senior Music Therapist at the Pain Management Centre in the University of Limerick Hospitals Group in Ireland.
Katie completed her PhD research in 2023 at the University of Limerick exploring the use of music and music therapy for adults living with chronic pain. She co-chairs the Special Interest Group on music therapy and chronic pain at the International Association of Music Medicine. She is currently working as Senior Music Therapist at the Pain Management Centre in the University of Limerick Hospitals Group in Ireland.

Dr Katie Fitzpatrick

Caroline is a doctoral candidate at Queen Margaret University. In her research she is exploring music therapy with persons living with chronic pain. She sits within the Centre for Person-centred Practice Research, which is home to a community of researcher-practitioners from nursing and allied health professions. She works with adults in an outpatient clinic as a music therapist, lives in Glasgow and enjoys singing with friends in a local group.
Caroline is a doctoral candidate at Queen Margaret University. In her research she is exploring music therapy with persons living with chronic pain. She sits within the Centre for Person-centred Practice Research, which is home to a community of researcher-practitioners from nursing and allied health professions. She works with adults in an outpatient clinic as a music therapist, lives in Glasgow and enjoys singing with friends in a local group.

Caroline Hussey

Joanne practices and researches pain, sedation, assessment, asthma and NICU music therapy. Her areas of specialty are assessment, pain and trauma. She has edited several books including Music Therapy in Paediatric Pain and Integrative Advances in Music and Medicine: Music, the Breath and Health. She is a Founding Member of the International Association for Music and Medicine and director at the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine, at Mount Sinai Beth Israel.
Joanne practices and researches pain, sedation, assessment, asthma and NICU music therapy. Her areas of specialty are assessment, pain and trauma. She has edited several books including Music Therapy in Paediatric Pain and Integrative Advances in Music and Medicine: Music, the Breath and Health. She is a Founding Member of the International Association for Music and Medicine and director at the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine, at Mount Sinai Beth Israel.

Prof Joanne Lowey

Dr. Lisa Gallagher
Dr. Lisa Gallagher

Dr Lisa Gallagher

Patricia is a retired Primary School Physical Education Teacher living in Killarney, Co. Kerry in Ireland. She has a BSc. in Health and Fitness. She is a patient representative on the Music Therapy and Chronic Pain special interest group of the International Association of Music Medicine. She represents the patient lived experience of Music Therapy. She has been living with Chronic Pain since 2010, and has been a member of Chronic Pain Ireland (CPI) for a number of years. She highly recommends their services.
Patricia is a retired Primary School Physical Education Teacher living in Killarney, Co. Kerry in Ireland. She has a BSc. in Health and Fitness. She is a patient representative on the Music Therapy and Chronic Pain special interest group of the International Association of Music Medicine. She represents the patient lived experience of Music Therapy. She has been living with Chronic Pain since 2010, and has been a member of Chronic Pain Ireland (CPI) for a number of years. She highly recommends their services.

Patricia O’Shea

Joke is Professor and Director of the PhD program in Creative Arts Therapies at Drexel University. She is a board-certified music therapist and her federally funded research program has focused on music therapy interventions for chronic pain and chronic illnesses. She recently completed two NIH-funded trials; one on music therapy for chronic pain management in people with advanced cancer and one on music therapy for chronic pain management and opioid tapering in cancer survivors. She is currently conducting a study funded by the National Endowment for the Arts in the United States on music therapy for chronic pain management in service members with chronic pain and co-morbid mild traumatic injury. She also is the co-PI on a large comparative-effectiveness trial funded by PCORI to compare the effects of virtual music therapy with virtual CBT on anxiety in cancer survivors. She is the lead author of several Cochrane Systematic Reviews on music interventions with medical patients.
Joke is Professor and Director of the PhD program in Creative Arts Therapies at Drexel University. She is a board-certified music therapist and her federally funded research program has focused on music therapy interventions for chronic pain and chronic illnesses. She recently completed two NIH-funded trials; one on music therapy for chronic pain management in people with advanced cancer and one on music therapy for chronic pain management and opioid tapering in cancer survivors. She is currently conducting a study funded by the National Endowment for the Arts in the United States on music therapy for chronic pain management in service members with chronic pain and co-morbid mild traumatic injury. She also is the co-PI on a large comparative-effectiveness trial funded by PCORI to compare the effects of virtual music therapy with virtual CBT on anxiety in cancer survivors. She is the lead author of several Cochrane Systematic Reviews on music interventions with medical patients.

Prof Joke Bradt

Since 1999, Stéphane, a music therapist who holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology, has been focusing his efforts on evaluating the benefits of music therapy by conducting numerous clinical research studies that have been presented at international congresses and published in international journals. In partnership with Montpellier University Hospital (INSERM U1061), MUSIC CARE has developed innovative music therapy and music intervention solutions that can effectively relieve pain, anxiety and depression in hospitalized patients.
Since 1999, Stéphane, a music therapist who holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology, has been focusing his efforts on evaluating the benefits of music therapy by conducting numerous clinical research studies that have been presented at international congresses and published in international journals. In partnership with Montpellier University Hospital (INSERM U1061), MUSIC CARE has developed innovative music therapy and music intervention solutions that can effectively relieve pain, anxiety and depression in hospitalized patients.

Dr Stéphane Guétin

Amy is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, a credentialed Music Therapist, Registered Psychotherapist and Fellow in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music, as well as in Neurologic Music Therapy. Amy is the Managing Editor of the Music and Medicine Journal and Research and Ethics Chair of the World Federation of Music Therapy (WFMT). Amy has extensive clinical experience working with clients across the life span, with a specialty in mental health, dementia and palliative care. She has authored 50+ peer reviewed journal articles, multiple book chapters, co-edited 2 books, including “Relationship Completion in Palliative Care Music Therapy”, and provided 250 conference and/or invited academic presentations.
Amy is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, a credentialed Music Therapist, Registered Psychotherapist and Fellow in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music, as well as in Neurologic Music Therapy. Amy is the Managing Editor of the Music and Medicine Journal and Research and Ethics Chair of the World Federation of Music Therapy (WFMT). Amy has extensive clinical experience working with clients across the life span, with a specialty in mental health, dementia and palliative care. She has authored 50+ peer reviewed journal articles, multiple book chapters, co-edited 2 books, including “Relationship Completion in Palliative Care Music Therapy”, and provided 250 conference and/or invited academic presentations.

Prof Amy Clements-Cortes

Dominic is a consultant in Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine at the University of Limerick Hospitals Group (ULHG) and the University of Limerick, Ireland. He is the lead in pain service in ULHG and trained in Anaesthesia, Pain Medicine, Psychology, Physiology, Sports medicine... can sing but can't play an instrument. Large academic background with research also in music and chronic pain.
Dominic is a consultant in Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine at the University of Limerick Hospitals Group (ULHG) and the University of Limerick, Ireland. He is the lead in pain service in ULHG and trained in Anaesthesia, Pain Medicine, Psychology, Physiology, Sports medicine... can sing but can't play an instrument. Large academic background with research also in music and chronic pain.

Prof Dominic Harmon

John is a Chronic Pain Ireland board member. He has extensive experience in business strategy & development with qualifications including Business Degree from Waterford Institute of Technology and MBA from Trinity College Dublin. He has 10+ years serving as a Board Member on the UK's largest personal insolvency firm, Creditfix in Glasgow and currently manages his own management consultancy practice.
John is a Chronic Pain Ireland board member. He has extensive experience in business strategy & development with qualifications including Business Degree from Waterford Institute of Technology and MBA from Trinity College Dublin. He has 10+ years serving as a Board Member on the UK's largest personal insolvency firm, Creditfix in Glasgow and currently manages his own management consultancy practice.

John Corcoran

Further SIG Members

Clare Kildea (Australia)
Claire Howlin (Ireland & UK)
Karen Kelly (Ireland)
Bhuvaneswari Ramesh (India)
Neasa Whelan (Ireland)
Helen Carrington (Australia)
Kate McMahon (Australia)
Minna Stahl (Finland)
Hanneke van Dokkum (the Netherlands)
Reetta Keranen (Finland)
Fiona Talkington (UK)

Activities and Outputs of the Special Interest Group on Music Therapy and Chronic Pain

The group formed in 2021 and met for the first time online in November. The meeting started with the lived experience of chronic pain shared by two members of the group. Discussions were also had about key pieces of research in the field and future research priorities.

In 2022 the group met a further three times. This included delivering a public live streamed event on chronic pain and music therapy presenting latest research and practice on how music and music therapy can support people living with chronic pain. The SIG also held a roundtable on music, music therapy and chronic pain at the 7th International Conference of the IAMM in May 2022 featuring a number of its members.

In 2023, the group has met a further four times. This has included an IAMM with You online event to launch the Music and Medicine special issue on Music Therapy and Chronic Pain. This special issue featured work by many of the SIG members and a paper co-authored by the founding members entitled “An agenda for excellence: The role of music therapy for people living with chronic pain”.

MMD Special Issue
Presentation for IAMM2022 Conference
Event: Launch of the MMD Special Issue