Joy Allen

Position
Chair
Affiliated Departments
Telephone
617-747-2196

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Joy Allen, Ph.D., MT-BC, is an accomplished clinician, researcher, and educator with extensive experience in psychological health, pain management, and trauma-informed education and supervision. She has presented on her work at several peer-reviewed conferences, including regional, national and international music therapy and music- and health-related conferences. She is the editor of Guidelines for Music Therapy: Adult Medical Care, and author of chapters on adult oncology, pain management, and medical music therapy. Allen regular consults with community and higher education leaders on music therapy programs and curriculum development. She continues to serve in numerous capacities for the American Music Therapy Association, including as the executive board chair for the New England region, as well as serving on the Research Committee, Assembly of Delegates, and the Judicial Review Board. Lastly, she has served as a reviewer for the following journals: Nordic Journal of Music Therapy; Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy; and Music and Medicine: An Interdisciplinary Journal.   

Allen routinely collaborates with educational, health care, and community leaders on the design and implementation of music and health-centered programs that incorporate music experiences to make an impact on the overall quality of life. This includes identifying health-related outcomes being addressed within these programs, as well as identifying the resources to ensure sustainability outside of structured individual and group experiences, whether this would be done through the process of trained community musicians, music therapists, and advocates, or through technological advances. In addition to chair responsibilities, Allen is the founding and acting director of the Music and Health Institute

Career Highlights
  • Faculty Director, Quality Enhancement Plan for Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accreditation
  • Editor of Guidelines for Music Therapy Practice: Adult Medical Care (Barcelona Publishers)
  • Contributing author on publications involving medical music therapy, oncology, and pain management
  • More than 17 years professional experience as a music therapist, including supervision of practicum students and interns
  • Advanced training in guided imagery and music and neurological music therapy (NMT)
  • Former clinical training director and coordinator of music therapy, Trident Health Systems, South Carolina
  • Developed several music therapy clinical programs in healthcare settings around the East Coast
  • International, national, and regional presenter at music therapy conferences including the World Congress of Music Therapy and the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) National Conference

 

Awards
  • Outstanding Contribution to Research, Southeastern Region–American Music Therapy Association
  • Outstanding Graduate Research, Temple University
  • The 2008 Community Outreach Healthcare Hero Award
  • Charleston Regional Business Journal and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of South Carolina
  • Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Music Therapy, Temple University
  • Joanne Marie Cardillo Memorial Fund for Music Therapy, Temple University
Education
  • B.M.T., Loyola University, New Orleans
  • M.M.T., Ph.D., Temple University
In Their Own Words

"Learning is a continuous, lifelong process. As an educator, it is my job to facilitate experiences that expose, engage, and challenge students to discover and maximize their personal and professional potential. For this to happen, it is essential that I establish a foundation for effective classroom preparation and student support that leads to self-discovery and continued personal and professional growth."