Clinical Care vs. Entertainment: When Music Therapists Are Asked to Work Outside of Their Role

"Could you do a sing-along for our employee appreciation event?"

"Our entertainer canceled. We need you to perform for an hour"

"Could you do some Christmas caroling?"

"We'd like you to sing the national anthem for our next event"

Sound familiar?

As music therapists, we are often asked to perform additional duties outside of our scope of practice that fall into the category of entertainment and activities without therapeutic intent. While these requests may seem harmless, they devalue our clinical role while asking therapists to absorb services that should be handled through separate, non-clinical channels.

Entertainment and music therapy are not interchangeable services. Music therapists are trained clinicians who assess, treat, and document care using music as a therapeutic tool. When music therapists are expected to provide entertainment as part of their professional role, it can misrepresent the field and

undermine both ethical practice and role clarity. Music therapists enter this profession intentionally, choosing clinical practice. While music may be present in our sessions, it is applied with purpose to meet measurable clinical goals.

A physical therapist would not be expected to lead a staff exercise class simply because movement is involved. A registered dietician would not be asked to serve food in the cafeteria. Yet, music therapists are frequently asked to step into performance roles because music is mistakenly assumed to be interchangeable across contexts.

Navigating These Requests in the Workplace

These situations can place music therapists in difficult positions, but advocating for scope and title integrity can actually have long-term benefit.

When responding to these requests, it can be helpful to:

• Clarify that you are not refusing teamwork or clinical responsibilities, but are aiming to remain within your scope of practice

• Use the opportunity to professionally educate about what music therapy is and what it is not

• Offer a therapeutic or clinical alternative aligned with your role

For example:

A music therapist might acknowledge the request while expressing a desire to remain in their clinical role, and suggest an alternative such as offering a music-assisted relaxation group for staff that may aid in stress reduction, or discuss the possibility of expanding music therapy services to a new unit.

Another approach could be to invite leadership to observe your work:

Sharing that you have been implementing a new intervention with a specific population or unit, and inviting observation of a session can help demonstrate the value and scope of music therapy.

Each clinician can tailor these responses based on what they are comfortable offering and able to manage within their professional responsibilities and schedule.

Setting these professional boundaries does not have to be confrontational. It can also be an opportunity to increase understanding, visibility, and respect for the profession. Honoring the distinction between therapy and entertainment protects not only our own practice but the quality and integrity of care we provide to our clients.

Corinne Stypulkoski, MM, LCAT, MT-BC

*Disclaimer: This post reflects broader trends in various settings in which music therapists are employed and is not intended to describe any specific employer or facility.