Understanding Music Therapy: Foundations for Care Teams is an informative workshop about the background and clinical use of music therapy within a variety of healthcare settings, with a specific focus on music therapy interventions and interdisciplinary collaboration on a palliative care unit. The music therapy program at Dartmouth General Hospital started recently in November 2025, so this workshop will also outline successes and tips of introducing a new psychosocial clinical service to patients receiving palliative care in a hospital setting.

BIO

Emma Barss is a Certified Music Therapist currently supporting inpatients in palliative care and acute geriatric psychiatry care. She works at Dartmouth General Hospital and The Nova Scotia Hospital in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Graduating from Acadia University in 2012, Emma spent much of her career working as a music therapist in a long-term care facility in Halifax before transitioning into a more medical music therapy role in the Dartmouth hospitals in 2024. With a passion for maintaining autonomy and supporting emotional expression of patients and families at end-of-life, Emma strives to bring depth and closure to the bedside of individuals in a safe and supported way through music within an intimate therapeutic relationship.