Music Therapist

Hospice Niagara; St. Catharines; On-site; CAD 39,000 - 51,000; Part time

Job summary

Hospice Niagara is seeking a part-time Music Therapist to join its Community Programs team. The role supports patients through music therapy within hospice, hospital, rehab, and community settings.

You will plan and deliver medically prescribed music therapy, assess client needs, document progress, and collaborate with the treatment team to tailor plans for individuals and groups. This role emphasizes compassionate care and professional standards.

Qualifications

• Graduate from a CAMT-recognized music therapy education program.
• Certified to practice by the MTA.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, or direct medically prescribed music therapy activities.
• Assess client functioning levels and develop therapeutic plans.
• Engage clients in music experiences to identify responses.
• Communicate assessment findings and recommendations to the team.
• Coordinate grief and bereavement support programs and resources.
• Maintain accurate client files and program documentation.

Skills

Active listening

Interpersonal skills

Empathy/compassion

Self-direction

Boundaries

Self-care

Relationship building

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

CAMT-recognized program

MTA certification

Job description

Status: Temporary, Part-Time (up to 2 years, 20-25 hours per week)

Wage Range:$28.03 - $37.38 per hour

Department: Community Programs

Reports to: Director, Community Programs

Position Summary

Music therapists work with patients by encouraging them to play, listen or move to music as part of a rehabilitation program. They can work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, retirement homes or mental health centers.

Plan, organize, or direct medically prescribed music therapy activities designed to positively influence patients' psychological or behavioral status. Working as part of a therapy team, music therapists use music as part of a patient's comprehensive therapeutic treatment plan. They work with children, adults or the elderly, assessing a patient's mental or physical disorders and disabilities before developing a therapeutic treatment plan. Music therapy can be administered in groups or on an individual basis to address emotional and physical needs.

The Music Therapist performs all duties in a safe and healthy manner, in accordance with Hospice Niagara’s policies and procedures, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and all other applicable legislation.

Key Responsibilities

• Adapt existing or create new music therapy assessment instruments or procedures to meet an individual client's needs.
• Analyze or synthesize client data to draw conclusions or make recommendations for therapy.
• Review research or literature in music therapy or related disciplines.
• Assess client functioning levels, strengths, and areas of need in terms of perceptual, sensory, affective, communicative, musical, or other abilities.
• Communicate client assessment findings and recommendations in oral, written, audio, video, or other forms.
• Confer with professionals on client's treatment team to develop, coordinate, or integrate treatment plans.
• Customize treatment programs for specific client populations, such as hospice, psychiatric, or obstetrics populations.
• Engage clients in music experiences to identify client responses to different styles of music, types of musical experiences, such as improvising or listening, or elements of music, such as tempo or harmony.
• Establish client goals or objectives for music therapy treatment, considering client needs, capabilities, interests, overall therapeutic program, coordination of treatment, or length of treatment.
• Observe and document client reactions, progress, or other outcomes related to music therapy
• Plan or structure music therapy sessions to achieve appropriate transitions, pacing, sequencing, energy level, or intensity in accordance with treatment plans.
• Play musical instruments, such as keyboard, guitar, or percussion instruments.
• Provide music therapy experiences to address client needs, such as using music for self-care, adjusting to life changes, improving cognitive functioning, raising self-esteem, communicating, or controlling impulses.
• Select or adapt musical instruments, musical equipment, or non-musical materials, such as adaptive devices or visual aids, to meet treatment objectives.
• Assess the risks and benefits of treatment termination for clients.
• Compose, arrange, or adapt music for music therapy treatments.
• Conduct or assist in the conduct of music therapy research.
• Talk with clients to build rapport, acknowledge their progress, or reflect upon their reactions to musical experiences.
• Write treatment plans, case summaries, or progress or other reports related to individual clients or client groups.
• Provide intake and assessment for grief, bereavement, hospice, and music therapy services.
• Provide referrals to bereaved individuals and families to appropriate community resources.
• Coordinate grief and bereavement support programs, including identifying client and program resource needs.
• Maintain accurate client files, case notes, program documentation, and client information databases.
• Prepare program evaluations, statistical reports, budgets, and grant-related materials.
• Support the development of bereavement, music therapy, and outreach materials.
• Maintain knowledge of community resources, best practices, and standards related to hospice, palliative care, grief, and bereavement.
• Conduct information sharing sessions, such as in-service workshops for other professionals, potential client groups, or the general community.
• Integrate behavioral, developmental, improvisational, medical, or neurological approaches into music therapy treatments.
• Ensuring goals and objectives are developed and executed in alignment with the vision, mission, values and strategic priorities of Hospice Niagara

Skills & Attributes

• Exhibit a professional, compassionate and caring approach
• Demonstrate strong active listening and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to develop relationships based on trust, compassion and empathy
• Effectively set appropriate boundaries and understand the limitations of volunteers in client care
• Demonstrate a high degree of self-direction and self-motivation
• Demonstrate a healthy adjustment to loss and exercise ongoing self-care
• Graduate from a CAMT-recognized music therapy education program
• Certified to practice by the MTA
• 1-2 years of directly related experience, preferred
• Vulnerable Sector Police Check (favourable, within past 12 months)
• Fundamentals of Palliative Care (preferred, must be completed within 12 months of hire)
• First Aid/CPR (preferred, must be taken within 12 months of hire)
• Mask Fit (preferred, must be completed within 12 months of hire)