Music Therapist Mock Interview

Practice 35 Music Therapist interview questions covering clinical techniques, client assessment, and therapeutic interventions.

Question 12 of 35

How do you handle difficult patients?

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Krista Wenz

Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.

Music therapists work with a variety of patients with mental, physical, and cognitive difficulties. There will be times that you will have a patient that is difficult to work with, and the interviewer wants to hear how you communicate, and problem solve. It is critical to remain calm, empathetic, and compassionate to your patient's needs. Describe how you professionally handle difficult patients.

Krista Wenz

Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.

"When I have a difficult patient, I take the time to discover why they are being difficult while being empathetic to their situation. I have found that sometimes a certain song will trigger an undesirable emotion, which is why the patient is acting out. I change my approach to therapy based on each patient's needs."

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35Music Therapist Interview Questions & Answers

Discovery

1.When did you realize you wanted to be a music therapist?

Discovery

2.What do you like most about being a music therapist?

Communication

3.How do you describe music therapy when explaining what it is you do for work?

Education

4.Tell me about your education.

Discovery

5.Why do you feel that music therapy is the right career for you?

Discovery

6.Why did you choose to pursue a career as a music therapist?

Direct

7.What do you know about our organization?

Direct

8.Why are you the best candidate for us?

Behavioral

9.What is your greatest strength?

Behavioral

10.What is your greatest weakness? What are you doing to improve it?

Discovery

11.What are your career goals?

Behavioral

12.How do you handle difficult patients?

Behavioral

13.How do you handle stressful situations?

Discovery

14.What have you done in the past year to better yourself as a music therapist?

Operational

15.Talk about your experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team. What was music therapy's unique contribution?

Operational

16.How would you describe your music therapy approach/philosophy?

Operational

17.What type of intervention do you use when working with nonverbal patients or patients who are very low functioning?

Operational

18.What do you do when a patient is reluctant to participate in music therapy sessions?

Operational

19.What activities do you suggest to help a patient in their continued recovery after discharge?

Education

20.How have your professional and educational experiences prepared you to work in this position?

Operational

21.How do you go about involving family members in patient treatment?

Discovery

22.What is your favorite musical instrument to play in therapy sessions?

Discovery

23.What is your primary instrument?

Communication

24.How are your communication skills?

Behavioral

25.How would your former employer describe you?

Behavioral

26.Describe a session that went really well. Why was it successful and what did your patient gain from it?

Behavioral

27.Describe a session plan that did not go well. Why was it not successful and what did you learn from it?

Operational

28.What music therapy techniques have you used? Which one was most effective?

Operational

29.If you have a parent who is skeptical about using music therapy for their child, what do you do to convince them that music therapy can be beneficial?

Discovery

30.Tell me about yourself.

Discovery

31.What do you like to do in your free time?

Behavioral

32.Do you consider yourself a compassionate person?

Behavioral

33.How do you handle conflict?

Direct

34.How did you hear about this position?

Direct

Music Therapist Mock Interview

How do you handle difficult patients?

35Music Therapist Interview Questions & Answers

1.When did you realize you wanted to be a music therapist?

2.What do you like most about being a music therapist?

3.How do you describe music therapy when explaining what it is you do for work?

4.Tell me about your education.

5.Why do you feel that music therapy is the right career for you?

6.Why did you choose to pursue a career as a music therapist?

7.What do you know about our organization?

8.Why are you the best candidate for us?

9.What is your greatest strength?

10.What is your greatest weakness? What are you doing to improve it?

11.What are your career goals?

12.How do you handle difficult patients?

13.How do you handle stressful situations?

14.What have you done in the past year to better yourself as a music therapist?

15.Talk about your experiences as part of an interdisciplinary team. What was music therapy's unique contribution?

16.How would you describe your music therapy approach/philosophy?

17.What type of intervention do you use when working with nonverbal patients or patients who are very low functioning?

18.What do you do when a patient is reluctant to participate in music therapy sessions?

19.What activities do you suggest to help a patient in their continued recovery after discharge?

20.How have your professional and educational experiences prepared you to work in this position?

21.How do you go about involving family members in patient treatment?

22.What is your favorite musical instrument to play in therapy sessions?

23.What is your primary instrument?

24.How are your communication skills?

25.How would your former employer describe you?

26.Describe a session that went really well. Why was it successful and what did your patient gain from it?

27.Describe a session plan that did not go well. Why was it not successful and what did you learn from it?

28.What music therapy techniques have you used? Which one was most effective?

29.If you have a parent who is skeptical about using music therapy for their child, what do you do to convince them that music therapy can be beneficial?

30.Tell me about yourself.

31.What do you like to do in your free time?

32.Do you consider yourself a compassionate person?

33.How do you handle conflict?

34.How did you hear about this position?

35.Do you have any questions for me?