Foundations of
Therapeutic Music
A 14-week experiential training and mentorship program
From January 12 to April 7 2026 | Online via Zoom
A brand new approach combining three core competencies
Therapeutic
Musicality
The capacity to perceive and modify musical qualities in service of a therapeutic practice.
This does not concern the mastery of a musical instrument or the learning of music theory. Neither does it's development depend on these.
Therapists often express a lack of enough knowledge and skill for the use of music. You may for example argue that you do not play an instrument, that you do not understand music theory, or more broadly that you do not understand music enough.
The reality is that these are not needed to develop the most fundamental skill needed for working with music therapeutically, which is the development of your musicality.
By developing your therapeutic musicality, this course is designed to improve your abilities to:
- Recognise distinct musical properties.
- Intuit and predict musical narratives.
- Provide better attuned musical experiences.
You will develop therapeutic musicality across the following axes:
- Listening: You will learn how to perceive distinct properties that define a piece of music, and widen your spectrum of experiences with music.
- Becoming: You will (re)connect with your musical personality as a therapist, and recognise the musical language that best represents you and your ways of working.
- Responding: You will learn how to adapt subjective qualities of music to your client, and how to organise and adapt musical processes into musical narratives.
From day 1 you are guided into new ways of relating with music. Both experientially and conceptually. You will be engaging creatively in a wide variety of listening experiences within your own setting.
Situational
Flexibility
The capacity to tailor your ways of responding to the dynamic needs of the present context.
This does not discard models, protocols, guidelines, but teaches how to appraise and apply them into the reality of your practice.
Therapists can fall in the trap of searching for components to copy-paste directly into their practice. You may for example follow a set of prescriptions to use for specific use-cases, or collect playlists made by others.
Although models and protocols have clear value, when applied too procedurally this can create a dissociation between therapist and client.
By growing new layers of modularity and flexibility, this course is designed to improve your ability to:
- Enhance insightfulness into your client’s experience and needs.
- Recognise different options and consequences of responding.
- Optimise intersubjective dynamics between you, client and music.
You will familiarise yourself with a number of models and frameworks that directory bridge theory with practice. Here are a few examples:
- The different reasons a client may reject/dislike music, and possible ways of responding as a therapist.
- The variety of therapeutic roles and functions that music and your use of music can inhabit.
- Variables that define subjective effects and therapeutic use of music
- Defining and modifying music-centredness to client and context.
- Modes of listening and how these can be applied during preparation, session, and integration.
- Methods for curating and organising your own music library
- Methods for personalising and designing musical narratives.
- Avenues to optimise the therapeutic setting.
- And more.
A variety of models and frameworks will be explored via the theory lectures and group discussions. These are combined with listening experiences and reflective exercises, aiming to make the teachings come most alive, relatable and translational to you and your practice.
Multidisciplinary
Integration
The ability to hold distinct paths of meaning-making together simultaneously and inclusively.
This is not only about seeing value in different perspectives, but how they interweave as different expressions of the same phenomena.
Many tend to box themselves into one or a few orientations, typically determined by one’s education history. This however can become limiting when responding to phenomena that are intrinsically multifaceted and ambiguous – such as music and consciousness.
Using music therapeutically therefore invites an openness to a multitude of ways of being, listening, interpreting and relating.
By encouraging such integrative attitude this course aims to:
- Broaden the spectrum of understandings at hand of mechanisms, origins and use cases for therapeutic music, and thereby enrich the therapeutic approach and its possible avenues.
- Inspire a a more inclusive attitude towards different disciplines and recognise their unique contributions, values, pitfalls, opportunities and connections.
- Reduce tendencies to seek refuge within one stance or framework, and strengthen capacities for containing different polarities and positions that can emerge within both patient and therapist.
This course presents a number of perspectives on music, the self and the processes of therapy, that borrow for example from Evolutionary Theory, Culture Studies, Anthroplogy, Child and Human Development, Neuroscience, Complexity Science, Medicine & Psychiatry, Cognitive Sciences, Object Relations Theory, Somatic Psychology, Humanistic Psychology, Transpersonal Psychology, and more
These will be presented through teaching the following integrative frameworks:
- How Music Works
- Musical Enactment
- A Meta-model of Self-Development
- The Musical Triad
- A Map of Therapeutic Music
- And More.
This models and frameworks will be teached primarily via lectures, conversations fuse-case studies and additional reading suggestions, and will be synchronised with relevant experiential exercises.
A practice-first program
This is not a course that you’ll just study, it’s one that you’ll embody
Whether through self-guided exercises or live group interactions: you’ll use music in practice from day one, including one month of playlist design workshops, where you’ll receive expert guidance and experience each others’ approach. This practice includes methods for preparing, personalising, sequencing, guiding, mixing, adapting, etc.
Theory Lectures
Interactive Conversations
Experiential Practices
Reflective Exercises
Group Experiments
Case Studies
Listening Sessions
Playlist Design Workshop
Music Recommendations
Optional 1:1 Mentorship
Who is this for?
Practitioners who want to use music with more insightfulness, depth and impact
You’ll acquire a flexible framework that originates in psychedelic therapy research but is adaptable to various orientations. Within the course you will apply teachings directly into your own practice, guided by real-world examples, templates and collaborative learning groups.
Psychedelic Therapists
PAT / KAP
1:1 Therapy
Group Work
Therapists & Trainees
Psychotherapists
Psychiatrists
Counsellors
Body-Mind Practitioners
Breathwork
Body / Somatic
Coaching
Musicians & Producers
Composers
Instrumentalists
Creators
Course Structure
Delivery
14 Weeks
Live via Zoom
Recordings
Readings
Private Portal
Formats
Interactive Working Groups
Lectures & Q&A
Recorded & Written
Self-guided Practices
Optional 1:1 Mentorship
Live Scheduling
Live sessions are scheduled for Thursdays and last 1–2 hours. To ensure accessibility across time zones, you’ll have the opportunity to choose your preferred times when registering.
07:00 UTC / 18:00 AEDT (+1) / 20:00 NZDT (+1)
16:00 UTC / 11:00 EST / 08:00 PST
20:00 UTC / 15:00 EST / 12:00 PST / 07:00 AEDT (+1) / 09:00 NZDT (+1)
Every Week
⏱️ 45-90min
💻 Live and Recorded
⏱️ 5-60min
💻 Written and Recorded
Every 2 Weeks
⏱️ 60-180min
💻 Live only
⏱️ 30-90min
💻 Live and Recorded
Events
⏱️ 1-month period
🧑🤝🧑 In triads and small groups
💻 Live only
⏱️ Sessions with Mendel will be made available on monthly basis (payment not included in course purchase and pricing TBD).
💻 Live only
About Your Instructor
Dr Mendel Kaelen, founder of Wavepaths, is internationally recognised for pioneering research on the therapeutic power of music. In this course, he shares the essence of more than 15 years of research and practice.
He completed his PhD in neuroscience at Imperial College London in 2017, specialising in the role of music in psychedelic therapy. He has co-authored more than 50 academic papers and is widely regarded as a thought leader in this field.
His platform, Wavepaths, has supported over 50,000 clinical sessions. He also has had an active and diverse music practice for several decades, has guided hundreds of group and individual sessions, and curated therapeutic playlists that have reached more than 100,000 listeners worldwide.
Course Pricing
Very Early Bird pricing closes 1st November
What is included
- Live Sessions & Q&A
- Playlist Design Workshop
- Guided Listenings
- Music recommendations
- Recorded Lectures
- Self-Guided Practices
- Wavepaths Subscription
- Course E-book (at closure)
Expert
Live | Interactive | Guided
- €1,300
- 20+ Hours
- 1 Month
- Each week
- Included
- 20+ Hours
- 14 Modules
- 3 months
- Included
Best for those who value real-time dialogues, personalised feedback and deeper experiential learnings.
We offer buy now, pay later options at checkout. Alternatively, email [email protected] for payment plans.
Essentials
Independent | On-Demand
- €350
- -
- -
- -
- -
- 20+ Hours
- 11 Modules
- 3 months
- Included
Ideal for those who prefer autonomy and self-paced study, while still developing new foundations in therapeutic music.
Access from January 2026
Expert
Live | Interactive | Guided
€1,300
Ideal for those who value real-time dialogues, personalised feedback and deeper experiential learnings.
Live Sessions & Q&A
- 20+ Hours
Playlist Design Workshop
- 1 Month
Interactive Experientials
- Every two weeks
Guided Listenings
- Every week
Music Recommendations
- Included
Pre-recorded Video-Lectures
- 20+ Hours
Self-guided Practices
- 14 Modules
Wavepaths Subscription
- 3 Months
Course E-book
- Included
- We offer buy now, pay later options at checkout. Alternatively, [email protected] to request a payment plan.
Essentials
Independent | On-demand
€350
Pre-recorded content for those who prefer autonomy and self-paced study, whilst still developing new foundations in therapeutic music.
Access from 15 January 2026
Pre-recorded Video Lectures
- 20+ Hours
Self-guided Practices
- 11 Modules
Wavepaths Subscription
- 3 months
Course E-book
- Included
1:1 Mentorship
Opportunities to work directly with Mendel, during or after this course, will be released in December.
Content & Syllabus
Course Opening
Orienting and Getting Started
You will be introduced to the key structures, tools, and methods that will guide you through this course. We will explore the three core competencies in more context, outline what lies ahead, and begin connecting with your teacher Mendel and your fellow participants. These live meetings are only accessible for the live cohorts
Foundations
Foundations of Music
We start the course by asking ourselves what music actually is, really, and what makes it so powerful? You’ll delve into music’s evolutionary and cultural roots, discover the difference between music and musicality, between acoustic and musical properties, and start opening up your own ears to new ways of relating to music. You will learn a multidisciplinary model that explains the mechanisms of music listening and the development of the “musical self”.
Foundations
Foundations of Change
Here you will be introduced to the essential dimensions of therapeutic work and the distinct modes of change that can happen to clients in therapy. You’ll explore the mechanisms that enable such change, from the neuroscience of learning to the evolving architectures of self and consciousness. These insights converge within a meta-model that unifies biological, psychological and spiritual perspectives on the mechanisms of change.
Foundations
The Therapeutic Music Map
We often hear that music has been used in medicinal and spiritual contexts for tens of thousands of years. But what does this mean? Why is this so? And why might this not so much be the case anymore in contemporary times? In this module you will discover in what ways and at what levels of being music can act therapeutically. From the physical to the transpersonal, the module concludes with an analysis of the features of music that charge it with unique therapeutic opportunities.
Foundations
Musical Enactment
This module introduced and unpacks Musical Enactment as an integrative framework, to offer a better, more complete, more inclusive and heuristic understanding of the diversity of effects that music can have. The model unifies insights from cognitive neuroscience, object-relations, and other disciplines. It leads to new ways of conceptualising musical preferences, and highlights core traits informing each person´s unique musical language.
Practice
Holodelic Listening
You will be introduced to Holodelic Listening: a holistic mode of listening inspired by deep-, psychedelic- and ritual listening, that can be applied both personally and in your work with clients. Through guided directions and experiential exercises, this module helps deepen your connection with your own individual musical personality as a therapist. From this ground, you’ll learn to identify, curate, and shape music with clear and intentional therapeutic purpose.
Practice
The Therapeutic Music Triad
At the heart of every music-based therapeutic encounter lies the Therapeutic Music Triad: provider, music, and seeker. You will learn how the relational dynamics of this triad can influence therapeutic alliance, depth of engagement and the quality and efficacy of your approach.
Practice
Person-Centred Music
The Person-Centred Music model introduces the key principles underlying personalised approaches to music. You will familiarise yourself with five distinct therapeutic functions of music, how the key principles underlie these categories, and learn how to recognise and apply these frameworks to your music.
Practice
Ways of Knowing
This module introduces methods for getting to know your client, within the initial phase of the therapeutic relationship. You will be introduced to a variety of approaches and tools. But most importantly, you will explore how to modify these into a framework where music can be used to enhance the relational qualities of your sessions, in a way that best fits your ways of working,
Practice
Ways of Approaching
This module focuses on applying and condensing prior teaching into the creation of template playlists. You will learn how to design a high-level session structure and familiarise yourself with a number of concepts and considerations. You will find new ways to create a foundational musical climate that matches your client’s unique musical self and their landscapes of therapeutic needs and themes.
Practice
Ways of Responding
Here you will learn ways to know what your client is experiencing and needing. You will explore the foundations of attunement and presence, delve into practical strategies and therapeutic considerations, and learn from the most common dilemmas and pitfalls you will likely encounter in practice yourself. You will also receive a framework to navigate the distinct forms of musical dissociation/ rejection/ resistance clients can express, including ways to recognise and understand mis-attunement and rupture as they arise.
Practice
Integration and Transformation
This module examines how to harness the use of music within later and final stages of the therapeutic relationship. Integrating psychological, cultural and developmental perspectives, we will look at the role of relational dynamics, rituals, holodelic listening, metaphor, and more. To create paths for your clients to move beyond integration into durable transformational change.
Practice
Creating Therapeutic Environments
Here we will creatively explore a wide variety of frameworks and means to craft an ideal environment for your therapeutic work. We will discuss characteristics and qualities, of music, of you the therapist, of the client, of the physical, interior and aesthetic decisions of the room, of sound delivery, and overall, uncover various ways to optimise the experiences for your clients.
1-Month Workshop
Playlist Design Workshop
This one-month Playlist Design Workshop brings your learning into direct practice. Within triads and small groups, you’ll explore and experience each other’s playlists and approaches. This is the playground where you have the opportunity to experiment with your ways of interviewing, personalising, sequencing, mixing, and adapting music. You will learn by doing, listening, and reflecting. And in sharing the creative fun of this all together.
Course Closure
Synthesis and New Beginnings
Here we will bring together the threads of our learning. We set the time to revisit the frameworks, principles and practices explored throughout the course, and together draw connections and transitions into our practices. This final stage is both a shared closure and beginning: a moment to recognise your growth, articulate your direction, and carry this work forward with clarity and confidence. We will consider and offer various ways for alumni to stay connected and informed. These live meetings are only accessible for the live cohorts
FAQs
All the live sessions are happening via zoom, whereas all recorded lectures, written materials, practice guidance, and community spaces will be accessible via a private portal.
We recommend to dedicate a minimum of 1-1.5h per week, and an ideal of 2–4 hours per week, combining theoretical exploration, experiential listening, and reflective practice. The pace is designed to integrate well alongside your professional and personal commitments.
You need a device to access the zoom sessions and/or recordings, and just a pair of headphones or speakers. If you have an eye-mask, that is great. Any additional tools and recommendations will be introduced during the course, with guidance on how to use them most effectively.
All lectures are recorded and made available to you afterwards. You’ll be able to follow along at your own pace and revisit key moments as often as you wish.
Yes. You will retain access to all recorded content and resources for at least 12 months online, allowing you to revisit and deepen your learning over time. In addition, you will receive a digital handout, an e-book summary of all core materials covered during the course.
Participation is always encouraged and never mandatory. You can engage as actively or privately as feels right.
All sessions and materials are in English.
You will receive a Certificate of Completion. CE accreditation is currently in progress, and participants will be notified as soon as it becomes available.
The course is designed to suit any profession that offers a care- or therapeutic service, and is interested in introducing or deepening the use of music in this practice. Therefore, psychotherapists, psychedelic therapists, hospice care, body-mind practitioners such as breathworkers, teachers, coaches and guides - are all welcome to join and form a collaborative, diverse learning collective.
Not at all. The focus on the development of therapeutic musicality does not require any musical skill, instrument played, or knowledge of music theory.
Absolutely. This course in fact encourages you to bring your own musical landscape into the learning process. You’ll be guided to explore, expand and work with music that resonates with your own musical personality.
A 100%. While the course is not explicitly focused on any specific psychedelic medicine, it provides a new approach to and a strong foundation for the use of music in these contexts.
Yes, plenty! You’ll experience a wide variety of musical examples across genres, styles and cultures, while simultaneously acquiring new modes of listening.
Very much so. Ethical integrity, safety, and cultural sensitivity are woven throughout the course. You’ll learn how to work with music responsibly, especially when supporting clients in vulnerable or expanded states of consciousness.
This training bridges scientific research, psychotherapy theory, and experiential music practices. It integrates a number of disciplines into a coherent framework for the therapeutic application of music. In fact, the majority of these teaches are introduced for the first time publicly within the 2026 January-April Cohorts.
Absolutely. Many practitioners enter this course with already an established musicality, a set of intuitive skills, or credentials in music therapy. What they will gain are new ways of understanding, enriching and using these in practice.
The course creates a gentle and confidential space where you can participate at your own pace, and as much and as little as you want.
This course will be a starting point, a catalyst for a renewed relationship to music and listening itself. Whether in therapy, work, or daily life, you will likely find yourself to be more attuned, intentional, and aware of the dimensions of sound, music and human experience.
If you are curious to explore ways to introduce or deepen the use of music in your practice, this is an ideal learning environment for you. The course gives you both a new understanding and a lived confidence in therapeutic music. You will be part of an emerging new wave of care-providers that like to expand their awareness and repertoire of offering experiences that are most impactful and meaningful.