Grace Thompson

Grace Thompson is an Associate Professor in Music Therapy in the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music at the University of Melbourne, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. She holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne awarded in 2013 and is a registered music therapist. Thompson has worked with disabled children, young people, and their families for over 20 years in early childhood intervention and special education sectors. She coordinates the Master of Music Therapy program, contributes to the Creative Arts and Music Therapy Research Unit, and has been involved in university learning and teaching initiatives, including developing simulated practice programs. Previously, she served as a Senior Academic Fellow at the Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education and received the GEM Scott Teaching Fellowship in 2022.

Thompson's research specializations focus on music therapy to foster interpersonal relationships and social connection through accessible music making, particularly with children on the autism spectrum and families, using mixed methods approaches. Her academic interests include goal processes in music therapy, constructing safety with young people who have experienced adversity or trauma, music in everyday life for autistic children, parent-child relationships, studio music teacher professional development for students with disabilities, and online music therapy placements during COVID-19. Key publications include the co-edited book Music Therapy with Families: Therapeutic Approaches and Theoretical Perspectives; Reliability of the Music in Everyday Life (MEL) Scale: A Parent-Report Assessment for Children on the Autism Spectrum; Long-term Music Therapy With Young Autistic Children: Mothers' Perspectives; We've got a special connection: qualitative analysis of descriptions of change in the parent-child relationship by mothers of young children with autism spectrum disorder; Exploring How Music Therapists Describe Constructing Safety with Young People with Adverse or Traumatic Experiences; Studio music teacher perspectives of undertaking professional development in pedagogy for students with disabilities; and Music therapists' perceptions of creating safety in the context of therapeutic relationships with young people who have experienced adversity. Her work impacts music therapy practice and higher education.

Professional Email: graceat@unimelb.edu.au