Sing Out! International utilizes a community music therapy (CoMT) approach, which can be thought of as a way of working with individuals in social and cultural contexts.¹Brynjulf Stige, a music therapy professor at the University of Bergen, Norway, is a respected contributor to the CoMT literature. He provides a way for us to visualize the beginnings of CoMT by relating the “roots” of CoMT to the Ficus benghalensis, a banyan tree in Asia, known for its roots that grow from its branches. The Ficus benghalensis continues to grow by developing multiple trunks, thereby constantly establishing new roots.¹ This metaphor describes the continuous growth of ways in which music therapists can work with people in different contexts.

¹Stige, B. (2002). The relentless roots of community music therapy. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 2(3). Retrieved from https://voices.no/index.php.voices/rt/printerFriendly/98/75

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