Welcome! We are celebrating our 28th Year of working with individuals of ALL ages, with diverse needs (neurodivergent, autism, ADHD, anxiety, developmental disorders, mental health, aphasia, stroke recovery, etc.)

In Person Music Therapy: North Vancouver Studio, Richmond Studio, Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Online Telehealth Sessions, In Home

Music Therapy Sessions offered in:

  • English

  • French

  • Cantonese

  • Mandarin

ET Music Therapy is based on one simple principle: Music is one of the most motivating and effective mediums for building strong connections with individuals with diverse needs.

 

What we offer

  • Individual & group sessions

  • Adapted music lessons

  • Online sessions

  • Workshops, presentations

  • Consultation & training

  • Relaxation recordings for download

  • In services for other service providers & organizations

who we serve

  • Neurodivergent individuals

  • Individuals with ANY diverse needs

  • Early Intervention (age 2+)

  • Primary Age children

  • Adolescents

  • Adults

  • Seniors


Where we work

  • 3 music therapy studio locations (North Vancouver & Richmond)

  • Online

  • Treatment centers

  • Public & private schools

  • Group homes

  • Senior’s Homes, Day programs

  • In Home sessions

Music Heals raises funds and awareness for music therapy and featured one of our clients in a video for the Music Heals Gala in 2023. 

“In only 3-4 sessions with a private music therapist at ET MUSIC THERAPY I can see a big difference in my autistic 4 year olds behaviours ~ So many positive changes. He’s more trusting & is excited to play a new instrument or musical game when he sees his music instructor weekly. His therapist is extremely intuitive, talented/creative & flexible as his instructor. She’s so aligned with him. Thank you so much Esther for this awesome music program for kids like my son! It is desperately needed in our communities!! If you have a child with ANY disabilities, this company is a must try!! We are so pleased to have ET MUSIC THERAPY in service for autistic kids, ADHD kids, aspergers kids….ANY child w/any special needs!!”
— Sarah Wall
“With music, my son participates way sooner than in other environments, with increased focus and eye contact. He loves music and that tends to bring him out of his shell.”
— Kristy Hunt, Parent

This is a session excerpt demonstrating the importance of child preferred music in music therapy. Here, the client has searched for the piano chords, practiced with his therapist, and is now performing one of his favorite theme songs. Highly motivating!!!

We love working with all ages and abilities!

Yes, our specialization might be with kiddos, and that’s where we started almost 30 years ago… however, we also work with a variety of diverse needs and environments:

- Group Homes

- At Risk Youth school programs

- Senior’s Homes

- Adult Stroke Recovery Day Programs

- In home Sessions with Senior Individuals

- Mental Health

“Our first music session yesterday with was so wonderful. There was a little warming up period but those drums and accordions hooked him in. I can already tell that these sessions are not only about teaching kids how to play an instrument or about music, but it’s actually about using music as a language and a tool to help my son not only learn communication, cooperation, and motor skills. Also it just allows him to experience pure joy. So thank you for not only the exposure but the opportunity to help my son grow and flourish. This brought so much joy to our lives 💙Thanks so much


”
— Carolyn Turkington

ET Music Therapy Inc.is an established music therapy practiCe, serving the Metro VancouveR area since 1996.

We offer services with a holistic approach, family centred, client directed experience, and with a diverse forward philosophy, presuming competence. We believe in supporting the diverse individual in achieving his/her/their authentic potential, respecting and celebrating their diversity. We are trauma informed, sensory informed, use a positive behavioral approach, and individualize each program to each unique individual, to promote connection and independence. We collaborate with other service providers to support each client we serve.

The dynamic musical experience provides a safe, nurturing environment in which an individual can feel secure and confident to explore. Because music has stimulating, sensory, motivational and emotive qualities, it can be used as a tool to elicit music, verbal, emotional or corporeal responses and promote interaction and engagement in an enjoyable and often effortless way.  An individual will always integrate new information and skills when there is inner motivation and curiosity.  Music can be the built in reward.  In music therapy sessions, experiences can facilitate development in all skill domains.  All activities are tailored to the client's ability level & are designed to utilize his/her/their personal strengths, motivations and interests.

ET Music Therapy is committed to an equal opportunity environment that celebrates and promotes diversity at every level. ET Music Therapy does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.

We acknowledge and respect that the services we provide take place on the traditional territory of Indigenous Peoples, including the unceded traditional territory of the Skwxwú7mesh Nation and Tsleil-Waututh Nation, the Musqueam and The Cowichan First Nation.


Sessions may include:

  • Experiences targeting Auditory skills: discrimination/sequencing/aud. figure ground

  • Therapeutic application of guitar, piano, percussive instruments etc.

  • Creative movement to music, utilizing both improvised & recorded music

  • Exploration & improvisation of small percussive & melodic instruments

  • Structured simple sequence musical games with visual re-enforcers.

  • Vocal improvisation & vocal exploration

  • Songs/interventions targeting speech development

  • Professionally guided musical interactions/ experiences providing proprioceptive/vibrational input from selected instruments for self regulation

  • Weekly Hello & Goodbye songs providing ritual and routine

  • Song writing

  • Educational Kinesiology strategies

  • Application of sensory integration strategies & RDI techniques

  • Representational musical play

  • Child created/guided musical activities

  • Positive Behavior Support/ behavior management techniques

  • Adapted music lesson segments/sessions for guitar, percussion, and piano.

Example of a Goodbye Song- sung at the end of a session:

““Who loves music? Music therapy has been an important part of my son’s life since he was 3 years old and we have been abundantly blessed to be able to take him to the extraordinary local music therapist, Esther Thane who now runs ET Music Therapy. Music therapy helped him literally to find his voice which was a tiny little whisper when he started. It improved his coordination, his listening skills, his self-regulation and his ability to identify and express emotion.”
— Hilary Mason, Certified NeuroMovement® Practitioner
““On this 25th Anniversary of ET Music Therapy, I send huge congratulations and gratitude for the gift of your work over all these years, Esther! You continue to make a huge contribution to the development of the music therapy profession. Over the years I have witnessed your passion and energy for learning and generously sharing your skills and wisdom with your students and colleagues, particularly about working with children with autism and their families. Thanks for your inspired and profound contributions. With much appreciation, Liz” ”
— -Liz Moffitt: Faculty Emeritus- Capilano University, Director: Inner Journey with Guided Imagery and Music. Ca Training Program, AMI

Looking Back Over the First 25 years:

Performance of a Client at One of Our Concerts:

Music therapy is not currently covered by health care, or insurance: extended health care plans. The MTABC (Music Therapy Association of British Columbia) is part of the Task Group for Counsellor Regulation in BC. This group is lobbying the BC government for music therapists and other counselors and therapists to be regulated under the Health Professions Act. Once this is approved, it is anticipated that music therapy services will be approved under private insurance plans.

AFU (Autism Funding Unit)- ages 6-19
The British Columbia Ministry of Children and Family Development (Autism Funding Unit) will give block funding to parents/guardians, which can cover music therapy for children ages 6-19 years of age. Music therapy is classified as: Specialized Therapeutic Activities. The family submits an RTP to the ministry for music therapy- under ET Music Therapy Inc..  ET Music Therapy then invoices the AFU directly, on a monthly basis. At this time, this service ends when the child reaches the age of nineteen years. For further questions, contact the Autism Funds Processing Unit at 1-877-777-3530. Our Executive Director is currently on a provincial music therapy committee charged with the initiative for AFU to cover music therapy for ALL diverse needs children UNDER age 6.

Other possible sources of funding
Clients and families usually complete these applications from these organizations/ funding sources. Upon request, ET Music Therapy will provide a "letter of request for treatment/ quote" to supplement applications. The following agencies generously fund our music therapy programs, among others:

  • Variety- The Children’s Charity

  • CKNW Kids Fund (age 7 onward)

  • Self Design

  • Traditional Learning Academy (TLA Online)

  • Kleos Open Learning

  • eBus Academy

  • CHES- Christian Homelearners eStreams

Music Heals Financial Aid Program:

Thanks to the generous support of Music Heals and Bikers For Autism, we have a financial Aid program available for those who receive services at our Richmond studio location: Pacific Autism Family Network Centre. These bursaries are given on a yearly basis. Please fill out the “Contact Us” area to receive an application form.

Private Pay: Caregivers can be invoiced directly for services rendered at the end of each month, and pay through e transfer

ET Music Therapy's Community Partnerships:

 

Coquitlam Alternative Balanced Education

We utilize UnitusTI- therapy software for our practice management, assessments, documentation, clinical reports, and scheduling, as well as the Meet In the Music Curriculum©. This program is implemented by music therapists globally.

In this video, the client is practicing crossing the midline, developing auditory discrimination, auditory attention and impulse control: