Music therapy with people experiencing homelessness: a narrative review

The experience of homelessness goes beyond being houseless and requires a whole-person-in-context approach. Although scant and varied, research with people experiencing homelessness suggests positive benefits from music therapy. Narrative reviews are helpful to synthesize literature with varied levels of evidence and research perspectives. The purpose of this narrative literature review is to provide a critical overview of the extant music therapy literature related to people experiencing homelessness and to inform recommendations for future research and practice. The 22 studies that meet inclusion criteria focused on three main areas of knowledge: (a) the impact of music therapy on people experiencing homelessness, (b) considerations for using music therapy with people experiencing homelessness, and (c) both a and b. Studies about the impact of music therapy indicate benefits including experiencing, regulating, and expressing emotions; engaging in meaningful connection and support; and developing and expressing identities that resist oppression. Other studies offer considerations related to musical preferences, aspects of the therapeutic process, and the therapists' position in terms of culture and power. Ongoing research about the role of music therapy in approaching and understanding homelessness is recommended.