Trauma-Informed Music Therapy for Children: Applying the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics
For music therapists supporting children with complex trauma, understanding how trauma shapes brain development—and how music can support healing—is essential to delivering effective, developmentally appropriate care.
In this insightful and practical tutorial, registered music therapist Sarah Dunston introduces the application of Dr. Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) within music therapy. Grounded in contemporary research on childhood trauma and brain development, this tutorial equips you with the knowledge and tools to design trauma-informed interventions that foster regulation, relational capacity, and developmental growth.
You will learn how to:
Structure music therapy sessions to support nervous system regulation
Address dissociative responses and build relational safety
Apply rhythmic, sensory-rich interventions grounded in the NMT framework
Sarah presents five key elements of a trauma-informed music therapy protocol, integrating rhythmic play, cross-lateral movement, and proprioceptive input to help children restore a sense of safety and connection.
This tutorial includes:
A clear overview of trauma and its impact on child brain development
A practical introduction to the Neurosequential Model and how it informs clinical decision-making
Video demonstrations of music therapy interventions in action
Whether you’re refining your trauma-informed practice or seeking new frameworks to guide your work, this tutorial offers both theoretical grounding and practical insight to enhance your work with children who have experienced trauma.
Bonus content and optional learning activities are included to deepen your understanding and earn CMTE/CPD credits.
Sarah Dunston is a Brisbane (Australia) based Registered Music Therapist (RMT) specialising in community work. She has worked in many different contexts across the life span including residential aged care, community mental health, adult disability, schools (Flexi, special and mainstream) and early childhood (capacity building and early intervention). She developed a special interest in trauma informed practice quite early in her career and it continues to be a driving force in all her work due to its focus on making all clients feel safe, seen and valued. Sarah began an MPhil on the topic of trauma informed early childhood music therapy in 2019 and this tutorial is a result of this study and her ongoing work in this space.
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The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund.
Yes, you certainly do! You will automatically receive a certificate once you finish watching the tutorials. For verification of your bonus content activities please see your TUTORIAL SUMMARY & SUBMISSION INFO for specific information on claiming your CMTE/CPD credits.
You'll need to watch ALL of the video's before you can receive your certificate.
Scroll down to see which CBMT board certified domains you can use to submit this activity for CBMT credits.