How Music Therapy Shaped My Path to Teaching

Written by KOKO Music Teaching Team:
This reflection is based on Tomoko’s professional journey in music therapy and education.
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I studied music therapy in both Japan and the United States. Through that journey, I came to realize that human beings are not as simple as we might think.
Studying music therapy gave me more than professional training—it changed the way I see people. It also became an opportunity to reflect deeply on myself. I learned to observe more carefully, to listen beyond what is visible, and to understand that each individual carries a unique and complex inner world.
From a young age, I was a serious piano student, and in many ways, I had a strong performer’s mindset. However, through music therapy, that perspective gradually shifted. It became more neutral, more open, and more attentive to others.
For a long time, I assumed that I would eventually become a music therapist. It felt like a natural path.
But when I encountered music education, something unexpected happened—I found a place where I truly belonged.
This was not something I had planned. In fact, I believe I would not have discovered this path if I had started in music education from the beginning. It was only because I moved from performance into music therapy that I am able to teach the way I do now.
My teaching is shaped by all of these experiences. It is grounded in musical discipline, informed by therapeutic understanding, and guided by a deep respect for each individual child.
In that sense, music therapy is not something I left behind. It continues to live quietly within my teaching.