Music That Heals: Reflections from the Conference “Music Therapy: Practice, Research & Experience” in Lviv

At the end of September, the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv was buzzing with music, laughter, and the hum of meaningful conversation. The 2nd scientific and practical conference “Music Therapy: Practice, Research and Experience” gathered specialists from Ukraine, Austria, Germany, and Poland — a community of people united by their belief in the healing power of music.

One of the most special moments was the launch of the new Practical Guide to Music Therapy, Part 2. The first volume, published in 2020, was a landmark for Ukrainian music therapy, and this second part builds on that foundation with fresh perspectives and approaches. The book includes chapters by leading European experts such as Thomas Stegeman, Elena Fitzthum, Melanie Voigt, Julia Fent, and Barbara Hindl, covering everything from the meaning of music therapy and its relationship to psychotherapy, to topics like discrimination in the field and the role of resonance in healing.

For many, this new publication felt like more than just a book launch — it symbolised how far the Ukrainian music therapy community has come, even during difficult times.

Over two days, the conference offered an inspiring programme of lectures, reports, and master classes. Presentations explored how music therapy can support people living with trauma, developmental differences, and emotional challenges. Anastasia Shiroka spoke on “Music to Heal the Wounds of War”, Tetiana Chernous shared insights on “Music and Emotional Intelligence”, and Oksana Matvienko explored the distinctions between music therapy and music education. Each session offered not just information, but heartfelt reflection — a sense that behind every method and study lies a real person’s story.

There were powerful examples of work being done across Ukraine and beyond. Marina Slot presented on integrative short-term music therapy with veterans, describing promising approaches for people living with post-traumatic stress. Anastasia Shvets spoke about her work with teenagers who have lost a parent at the front — a subject that resonated deeply with many in the audience. Other presentations focused on supporting children with autism and sensory processing disorders, and on bringing music therapy into kindergartens and early education.

Although these sessions were for professionals, every presentation reminded participants that music therapy is not only about theories, techniques or expert status — it’s about presence, empathy, and connection.

The conference also included hands-on master classes and opportunities for colleagues to learn directly from one another. Among the honoured guests were Dr Elena Fitztum, Dr Dorothea Storz, Dr Thomas Stegeman, Cordula Rainer-Wormit, Gulsanam Sadik and Prof Monika Smetana, who brought their rich experience of music therapy and encouraged ongoing international collaboration.

Altogether, more than 40 music therapists took part — from Austria, Germany, Poland, and across Ukraine. The atmosphere throughout was one of openness and curiosity. People exchanged ideas, compared methods, and celebrated each other’s progress. There was a real sense that Ukrainian music therapy, though still a developing field, is vibrant, resilient, and full of potential.

“This conference reminded us that music therapy has an inexhaustible potential to heal and help people with different clinical conditions and neurodevelopmental characteristics,” shared Julia Martyn, the European Music Therapy Confederation’s Country Representative for Ukraine.

As the final notes faded and participants began their journeys home, there was a feeling that something important had happened — not just another academic meeting, but a moment of community and renewal.

Heartfelt thanks go to the Association of Music Therapists of Ukraine, Natalia Zhabko and Oleksandr Lvov, and the Kooperationsbüro Lemberg – Austrian Cooperation Bureau in Lviv, whose support made both the conference and the publication of the new guide possible.

For two inspiring days in Lviv, the sound of music therapy was not only heard — it was felt. It reminded everyone there that even in uncertain times, music continues to connect, restore, and heal.