Newcastle Music & Art Therapy

29/09/2025

🎶 Music therapy spots available - book now for term 4! 🎶

Why choose music therapy?
⭐ strengthen emotional regulation skills
⭐ improve language and communication
⭐ increase mobility and movement
⭐ boost self esteem and confidence

Music therapy sessions are flexible, and are led by your interests and goals. No two music therapy sessions look alike! Our focus is on you having a safe space to explore and express yourself.

Secure your spot - fill out our self-referral form here: https://bit.ly/NMAT_MTReferral

IMAGE DESCRIPTION 🖼️
A red background, with a close up photograph of a young girl holding a bright yellow ukulele, with an adult leaning in from the left to strum the ukulele's strings. There is black cursive bubble font with thick white outline in the top left corner that reads "Music Therapy" with a black musical note encased in a bubble at the left of the M. The same font is in the bottom right corner, reading "Book now!".

16/09/2025

Newcastle Music & Art Therapy will be at the at Newcastle Racecourse in October!

Come along and check out our booth, and chat to us about how and can make a difference in your life.

📅 Date: 15th October
⏰ Time: 9 AM - 3 PM
📍 Venue: Newcastle Racecourse
🎟️ Entry is free, all you need to do is register by clicking this link: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/aged-disability-expo-newcastle-tickets-1227153742879?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwY2xjawM1lwxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFCR3VEcVh0SWp6N1Rhemo0AR4YH_DthsECdSTBu3YxC3dYHSne98VDv0nUKxGUDv_fZB9Jdd6jCshSdcxAmg_aem_ILN_JU9aHhdoXg-ipOJAVA

Find out more about the expo and the other providers here: https://disabilityexpo.com.au/

15/09/2025

🎸 IMMEDIATE START - Music Therapy spots available now! 🎸

We have daytime and after school spots available *right now* - just use the link below to fill out our referral form, pop in your details, and we’ll take care of the rest!

Music Therapy is more than just playing music. It’s a powerful, creative way to:
🎵Help you function in your daily life through practicing skills
🎵Understand, express and regulate emotions
🎵Build self confidence through musical achievements

Whether you're looking for a new way to navigate emotional regulation, improve communication, or feel more connected socially - we're here to support you.

Ready to explore Music Therapy? Fill out a referral form here: https://bit.ly/NMAT_MTReferral

VIDEO DESCRIPTION 🎥
A white square reading "MUSIC THERAPY SPOTS AVAILABLE". The writing is transparent, and through the letters a close up of two musician's hands can be seen; in the left foreground is a black and white djembe drum being played by hand, and in the right background a light brown guitar is being strummed.

11/09/2025

Our very own Saiya (RMT) will be presenting at the Australian Music Therapy Association 2025 Conference next month!

Saiya's presentation, '"I Do It My Way": Reflections on Music Therapy with Autistic Children with PDA Characteristics', draws on her professional experience to talk about neuroaffirming music therapy interventions for kids with PDA characteristics.

AMTA are celebrating 50 years as an industry association, and their 50th conference!

10/09/2025

🛑 Media release: AMTA welcomes recognition of music therapy under NDIS but raises concern over price cuts

The Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA) welcomes the report of the Independent Review of NDIS Funded Music and Art Supports led by Dr Stephen Duckett AM, which:

- reaffirms music therapy as a recognised therapeutic support under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
- confirms that only AMTA-registered music therapists are eligible to deliver music therapy.

This recognition aligns music therapy with other allied health professions such as speech pathology and dietetics, underscoring the profession’s standards and clinical expertise.

However, AMTA is deeply concerned by the pricing cuts announced by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) upon publication of Dr Duckett’s report.

🔗 Read AMTA's media statement: https://www.austmta.org.au/news-item/20618/media-release-amta-response-to-duckett-report


📷 A woman and child sit together at a keyboard.

10/09/2025

🚨 Independent review into art and music supports 🚨

NDIS National Disability Insurance Scheme have released the independent review into music therapy and art therapy by Dr Stephen Duckett AM.

The good news? You can still use your NDIS funding for music therapy and art therapy! We are still recognised as a therapeutic support under NDIS.

NDIS have also confirmed that only Australian Music Therapy Association registered music therapists and ANZACATA registered art therapists are eligible to deliver music therapy and art therapy services under NDIS. All of our therapists here at Newcastle Music & Art Therapy are registered, so you can continue your sessions using NDIS funding.

NDIS have decided to cut the rate we can charge, which will mean a change to services for our business, but not for you as participants. We have been charging a standard allied health therapy rate of $193.99 as per the NDIS Price Guide, but from November we will be required to charge a maximum hourly rate of $156.16 (a reduction of 20%).

The Independent Review made 19 recommendations. Fifteen are for the NDIA, 3 are for the Evidence Advisory Committee (EAC) and one recommendation is for the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission). The NDIA have said that they support or support in principle all 15 recommendations directed to it, but that recommendations supported in principle may be implemented differently to what has been proposed by the Independent Review.

You can read Dr Duckett's full report, and the NDIA's response to the review, by clicking the link below:
https://dataresearch.ndis.gov.au/research-and-evaluation/decision-making-access-and-planning/independent-review-art-and-music-supports

05/09/2025

Thank you to Bridgit Hogan, CEO of Australian Music Therapy Association, and Kate Dempsey, Executive Officer of ANZACATA, for your representation today at an NDIS Roundtable with the Minister for the NDIS, Senator the Hon. Jenny McAllister and member organisations of Allied Health Professions Australia.

We feel very fortunate to have such strong leadership from our industry bodies throughout all of these NDIS changes!

AMTA's CEO, Bridgit Hogan RMT, represented registered music therapists today at an NDIS Roundtable with the Minister for the NDIS, Senator the Hon. Jenny McAllister, and member organisations of Allied Health Professions Australia.

The roundtable focused on:

- NDIS and therapy pricing policy
- Thriving Kids and foundational supports
- Evidence-based therapy supports.

Bridgit introduced the section on evidence-based therapy supports. Thanks to AHPA, the allied peak associations that form its membership, the minister and her staff for a productive discussion.

📷 AMTA CEO Bridgit Hogan RMT, on the left, with participants to the NDIS Roundtable with Minister for the NDIS Senator the Hon Jenny Mcallister and representatives of Allied Health Professions Australia members.

03/09/2025

‼️ HAVE YOUR SAY - Foundational supports for children under 9 (Thriving Kids program, Inklings, NDIS changes) ‼️

The Department of Communities and Justice has opened registration for community and sector consultation on Foundational Supports for children in NSW.

This is your chance to have your say on the proposed Thriving Kids program, the roll out of the Inklings program, and the NDIS reforms for kids under 9 who require early intervention and/or are autistic.

The events are free but you MUST register to attend, as numbers are strictly limited.

📅 NEWCASTLE
Monday 10 November 2025, 10:00am - 1:30pm
Mercure Newcastle - 12 Steel Street Newcastle West, NSW 2302
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/community-consultation-on-the-design-of-foundational-supports-for-children-tickets-1641933650749?aff=oddtdtcreator

📅 LAKE MACQUARIE
Tuesday 11 November 2025, 10:00am - 1:30pm
Club Macquarie - 458 Lake Road Argenton, NSW 2284
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/community-consultation-on-the-design-of-foundational-supports-for-children-tickets-1642017240769?aff=oddtdtcreator

You can find out more about the community consultation and the governments plans here:

All Australian governments have committed to significant reforms to build an inclusive Australian society where people with disability can access the support they need.

31/07/2025

A huge thank you to Red Frog: for Families for featuring Newcastle Music & Art Therapy in their winter magazine!

Music and art can often do what words can’t. In this issue of our digital magazine, we go behind the scenes at Newcastle Music & Art Therapy and chat with Susan & Katishe, and discover how creativity can support individuals of all ages and abilities to improve their lives and achieve therapeutic goals.
🎵🎨 Therapy. Not classes. Not crafts. Real impact!

14/07/2025

‼️📣 HAVE YOUR SAY! 📣‼️

The Department of Social Services is running a survey about the rules that decide what supports NDIS participants can spend their funding on.

You might remember that back in October 2024 some temporary rules were brought in (Section 10) to define what kinds of supports the NDIS will pay for.

Now those rules are getting an update.

Before that happens, you have a chance to share your thoughts in this survey. If you’ve got feedback about the current list of NDIS supports or how things are defined (and we know that many of you do!), now’s your chance to tell the NDIS your thoughts.

Click here to start the survey:
https://engage.dss.gov.au/ndis-supports-rule/your-experience-of-the-ndis-supports-rules-support-lists/

04/07/2025

The 2025 Newcastle Maritime Art Prize is on again, and artists have until 14th July to submit their artwork!

This year's theme is: "Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity—a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to protect and sustain our marine environments." Artists will have to provide a short statement explaining how their Artwork responds to the theme.

The Prize has six categories, supporting eight awards:
- Best in Show $5000 Acquisitive Prize
- People’s Choice $1000 Prize
- CAT 1: $1500 Newcastle MTS Open Award (max 200 entries will be accepted)*
- CAT 2 :$1000 Indigenous Artist Award (max 200 entries will be accepted)*
- CAT 3: $1000 Seafarer / Port Worker Artist Award (max 200 entries will be accepted)*
- CAT 4: $500 High School Students Artists Award
- CAT 5: $500 Primary School Students Class / School Artist Award
- CAT 6: $100 Primary School Student Artist Award (Three $100 vouchers will be awarded to three students)

*There is an entry fee of AUD $35.00 (inc. GST) for Categories 1,2 and 3.

You can find out more, or enter here: https://mtsnewcastle.org.au/exhibition/

02/07/2025

🎸 Music Therapy spots available - immediate start! 🎵

We have daytime and after school spots available right now - just head to our referral form using the link below, pop in your details, and we’ll take care of the rest.

Music Therapy is more than just playing music. It’s a powerful, creative way to:
✨Help you function in your daily life through practicing skills
✨Understand, express and regulate emotions
✨Build self confidence through musical achievements

Whether you're looking for a new way to navigate emotional regulation, improve communication, or feel more connected socially - we're here to support you.

Ready to explore Music Therapy? Let’s create beautiful music together. Fill out a referral form here: https://bit.ly/NMAT_MTReferral

VIDEO DESCRIPTION 🎥
A white square reading "MUSIC THERAPY SPOTS AVAILABLE". The writing is transparent, and through the letters a close up of two musician's hands can be seen; in the left foreground is a black and white djembe drum being played by hand, and in the right background a light brown guitar is being strummed.