Mental Health Snapshot 2026
This map offers a small, evolving glimpse into how music therapy relates to mental health across EMTC member countries. Each country is represented by a short statement from its Country Representative. These snapshots reflect diverse situations, from well-established practices to emerging, or not yet developed, connections. This is not a comparison or evaluation, but a shared moment of visibility. The map will grow over time.
Click on a country to read a short national snapshot.
Norway
Snapshot coming soon...
Iceland
Snapshot coming soon...
Sweden
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Music therapy in Swedish mental health care remains limited, with only a small number of practitioners in child psychiatry, social welfare, DrumPower projects in schools and eating-disorder support. Several earlier posts have disappeared.
Katarina Lindblad
Finland
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Music therapy is well established in Finnish child and adolescent psychiatry, including permanent posts and inpatient care, while adult psychiatry provision remains limited despite growing research evidence.
Hanna Hakomäki
Ireland
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Music therapy in Ireland is mainly present through private practice, community organisations and voluntary-sector services, with emerging public mental health work, but limited integration into national care pathways.
Katie Fitzpatrick
United Kingdom
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Music therapy in the UK has a long history in mental health care, with access through the NHS, community and voluntary sector, and private practice, and growing provision in schools.
Dr Liz Coombes
France
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Mental health is a national priority in France, raising visibility for music therapy. Practice is growing across services, but secure posts are scarce, title regulation unresolved, and institutional integration remains uneven.
Cyril Gouinguené
Spain
Snapshot coming soon...
Portugal
Snapshot coming soon...
Belgium
Snapshot coming soon...
Luxembourg
Snapshot coming soon...
Switzerland
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Music therapy in Swiss mental health care is well established and widely valued across hospitals, community settings and private practice. Availability is strong, though uneven, while research and professional development still need support.
Diandra Russo
Italy
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Music therapy in Italy shows strong clinical experience in hospitals and community care, yet national recognition remains inconsistent. Interest is growing, but stable integration into public mental health services still lags.
Filippo Giordano
Netherlands
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Music therapy in the Netherlands has deep roots in mental health and remains important across child, adult and older-age psychiatry, though services face financial pressure and growing demands for evidence.
Gerben Roefs
Denmark
Snapshot coming soon...
Germany
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Music therapy in Germany is well established in inpatient psychiatric, psychosomatic, and rehabilitation settings. However, outpatient provision for people with mental health conditions lacks legal regulation.
Josephine Geipel
Estonia
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Music therapy in Estonia is present in rehabilitation, private practice, child and youth support, and a few psychiatric hospital posts. The profession is recognised, but public integration and access remain uneven.
Kaia Laurik
Latvia
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Music therapists in Latvia are recognised healthcare professionals, with strong opportunities in mental health settings. Work spans public healthcare, social care and special education, though posts in remote areas sometimes remain unfilled.
Jana Duhovska
Lithuania
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Music therapy is gaining recognition, but permanent posts remain scarce and mainly concentrated in psychiatric hospitals and urban outpatient clinics. Child, youth and older-adult support is often project-based, with some refugee wellbeing work.
Kotryna Vainoraitė
Israel
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Music therapy in Israel is well developed in mental health, with growing needs over the last three years. Music therapists provide vital support, including innovative projects where music offers a place of refuge.
Dr Tali Gottfried
Poland
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Music therapy in Poland has roots in mental health, with professional posts in psychiatric hospitals, day centres and government-funded community self-help centres, though child and adolescent psychiatry lacks systemic solutions.
Agnieszka Szymajda
Czech Republic
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Interest in music and mental health is growing in the Czech Republic in mental health centres, schools, hospitals, community projects, university well-being programs and especially private practice.
Dr Lenka Kružíková
Austria
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Music therapy has been a legally regulated health profession in Austria since 2009. It is well established across institutional settings, though limited insurance reimbursement still restricts access for many people.
Eva Phan Quoc
Hungary
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Music therapy in Hungarian mental healthcare is gaining attention, with clinical practice in elderly care, inpatient psychiatry and child oncology, though dedicated posts remain scarce despite growing interest in training.
Tímea Gönczi
Croatia
Snapshot coming soon...
Serbia
Snapshot coming soon...
Romania
Snapshot coming soon...
Bulgaria
Snapshot coming soon...
Greece
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Music therapy in Greece exists on the margins of mental health care — practiced by a small, passionate community, but unrecognized by the state and absent from those who need it most.
Mitsi Akoyunoglou
Türkiye
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In Turkey, unqualified practitioners often misuse music therapy, spreading misinformation and hindering professional development. Qualified therapists do work in psychosis and dementia, but professional opportunities remain severely restricted.
Özgür Salur
Slovenia
Snapshot coming soon...
Cyprus
Snapshot coming soon...
Slovakia
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In Slovakia, music therapy supports treatment, psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery in hospitals, day centres and nonprofits, but its professional position remains weak and often secondary.
Linda Horváthová
Ukraine
Snapshot coming soon...
As the snapshot grows, themes are beginning to emerge...
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