Rich with case material, the second edition of this respected text has been thoroughly revised with many new contributing authors and 85% new material. The
Handbook comprehensively explores music therapy theory, research, and practice. Chapters cover foundational concepts and therapeutic processes, major approaches to practice, and clinical applications with people of all ages. The second edition has a heightened focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and cultural humility. Expert contributors describe state-of-the-art practices for using music to foster clients' well-being and recovery in a broad range of mental health, medical, and community settings.
New to This Edition
- Expanded coverage of working with marginalized communities, including racially minoritized, refugee, LGBTQIA+, and neurodiverse clients, and an increased emphasis on therapist reflexivity.
- Provides an integrated conceptual framework for understanding different music therapy approaches.
- First edition editor Barbara L. Wheeler is joined by Michael Viega and Andeline dos Santos, who bring fresh perspectives and a more international scope.
Michael Viega, PhD, LCAT, MT-BC (he/him), is Associate Professor of Music Therapy at Montclair State University. He has published and presented internationally on a wide range of topics, such as adolescent development and music therapy, popular music cultures in music therapy, therapeutic songwriting and digital technology, and arts-based research methodologies. As a music therapy clinician, he has worked extensively with children and adolescents who have experienced childhood adversity and trauma. Dr. Viega is a Fellow of the Association for Music and Imagery.
Andeline dos Santos, DMus, MA (she/her), is Senior Lecturer in Music Therapy and Research Coordinator for the School of the Arts at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She is a registered Music Therapist whose work focuses on adolescents and youth. Dr. dos Santos’s research interests include investigating empathy from within varying theoretical paradigms, and the implications for music therapy practice; the relationships between empathy and violence and empathy and spirituality; and creative and participatory research methods.
Barbara L. Wheeler, PhD, MT-BC (she/her), until her death in 2026, was Professor Emeritus at Montclair State University, where she taught from 1975 to 2000. She initiated the music therapy program at the University of Louisville in 2000, retiring in 2011. Renowned for her significant contributions as a music therapy educator, scholar, and author, Dr. Wheeler presented and taught in the United States and internationally and was an active clinician throughout her career. She was honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards from the World Federation of Music Therapy and the American Music Therapy Association.
