Kathy Swan honored as advocate of music therapy

A local state representative recently was presented with an Advocate of Music Therapy Award at the 2015 American Music Therapy Association's annual conference.

Rep. Kathy Swan, R-Cape Girardeau, was one of eight recipients from across the country recognized for their contributions to music therapy.

Swan was selected for the legislative support she's lent to music therapy over the years. She filed a bill in 2012 recognizing music therapy as a "valued health-care profession," the assocation said in a news release. She filed a similar bill in 2014.

In the latest legislative session, she filed a bill recommending music therapists be licensed in the state of Missouri.

"Regardless of the many roadblocks she has encountered, [Swan] continues to utilize all avenues to move forward in these efforts," the American Music Therapy Association said in the release. "It is her creativity, intelligence, personality and perseverance that will lead the field of music therapy in new and exciting directions in the state of Missouri."

Swan said the bills were designed to help promote the differences between therapeutic music and clinical music thereapy, the difference between "making music versus treating with music."

"Many patients with developmental disabilities, autism-spectrum disorders, mental-health issues, Alzheimer's, brain injuries, premature birth or those in hospice lack access to music therapy and the positive health benefits that music therapy provides," she said.

Swan was nominated for the award by Kelley Pujol, director of music therapy with Easter Seals Midwest Autism Services of Cape Girardeau. The representative also was designated as a "Friend of Music Therapy" by the association and Certification Board for Music Therapists.

The American Music Therapy Association supports the advancement of education, training, professional standards, credentials and research in support of the music-therapy profession with a mission to advance public awareness of the benefits of music therapy and increase access to quality music-therapy services.