Dr. Mary Boyle's contribution to music therapy

Abstract

The unsung hero, Dr. Mary Boyle, a founder of the master's of music therapy degree that complied with Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) requirement in State University of New York at New Paltz (SUNY NP), certainly brought the field of music therapy to a higher level. In addition, despite her contribution to development of music therapy for patients with Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness (PDOC), she has not yet been recognized by professionals as she deserves. There is not much information available about her life and her achievements in music therapy. Through the historical information and interviews of people close to Dr. Boyle, this narrative history illustrates the extent that Dr. Boyle had worked to develop music therapy field as an educator, clinician, researcher, leader, committee member, and editor throughout the world.