Jenna Marcovitz, MA, explains how music therapy helps in pediatric care

In this video interview, Jenna Marcovitz, MA, MT-BC, CCLS, RMT, director of music therapy at UCLA Health, explained why music therapy is and some common misconceptions associated with it.

Marcovitz stated that music therapy is an evidence-based, clinically driven intervention that supports children across a range of medical and developmental needs.

“Anyone and everyone can benefit from music therapy,” Marcovitz said. “Because it is so individualized and tailored to support clinical goals for the individual and their families and their communities. Premature infants demonstrate very significant physiological changes when supported with live music interventions by board-certified music therapists,” she explained.

These benefits include improved oral feed coordination, increased weight gain, enhanced oxygen saturation, and faster hospital discharge. The mechanisms behind these outcomes are often rooted in rhythmic entrainment—how the brain and body align with the timing of music, facilitating developmental and autonomic regulation.

“It helps within the neurodivergent population and with individuals with developmental or sensory needs,” Marcovitz said, citing its contributions to behavioral modification and communication support. The broad mental health applications are especially notable, ranging from anxiety and depression support to improving emotional expression and resilience. “Pediatric oncology patients tend to really benefit from music therapy, from an emotional, social, psychological standpoint, as well as physically,” she said, referencing its use in managing pain, nausea, and other treatment side effects.

Marcovitz noted that the appearance of musical therapy could be misleading, and it goes beyond entertainment.

“Although music entertainment can have therapeutic benefit, it isn’t always necessarily specifically targeting a physical goal or some targeted emotional, psychological goal. In music therapy, that is what we do.”

Sessions are built around ongoing clinical assessments and evidence-based techniques—“within the therapeutic relationship, which is just as important, if not even more important than the music itself,” she said.

By collaborating with multidisciplinary healthcare teams and centering individualized goals, Marcovitz and her colleagues aim to integrate music therapy not just as a creative complement to care, but as a foundational component of holistic pediatric treatment.

Disclosure: Jenna Marcovitz discloses grants/research funding for music therapy interns.