Music Therapy Internship

Here, your clinical confidence grows roots.

As a private practice specializing in neurologic rehabilitation, we work with individuals of all ages and abilities. Rooted Music Therapy supports recovery and quality of life for people navigating stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, movement disorders, and more. Our work blends medical precision with community accessibility, and interns become active participants in this mission from day one.

A music therapy internship is one of the most pivotal seasons in a therapist’s professional journey. We believe internship is where skill and confidence begins to take root. We’re committed to providing a rigorous, supportive, and growth-focused internship experience for music therapy students preparing for board certification, ensuring they step into the field with clarity, competence, and a strong clinical foundation. Students will spend approximately 6 months earning the remainder of their 1200 clinical hours needed to sit for board certification.

We are looking for students who are curious, motivated, and ready to engage deeply with neurologic rehabilitation. Ideal candidates are excited to work across ages and abilities, eager to collaborate with medical and community teams, and passionate about helping expand access to care—especially in underserved and rural areas. Our internship is designed for students who want to emerge as confident, capable clinicians equipped with the skills needed for today’s evolving healthcare landscape.

Supervisors: Hannah Oakes, MT-BC, NMT™ & Weldon Langham, MT-BC, NMT™

Your internship experience will place you right in the heart of Birmingham’s robust rehabilitation community. You’ll help lead our weekly Parkinson’s Choir, a community voice rehabilitation program supported by the Parkinson’s Foundation and UAB Arts in Medicine. You'll provide one-on-one sessions to clients rebuilding their lives after TBI, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or navigating autism. You’ll support music therapy behavioral health initiatives at UAB St. Vincent’s East, and you’ll be part of Rise and Rewire, our interdisciplinary Parkinson’s Bootcamp that blends Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Music Therapy.

Throughout internship, you’ll receive hands-on mentorship in navigating home health systems, setting functional goals that actually improve daily living, communicating with medical teams, and treatment planning & documentation. You’ll learn to work alongside Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, and nursing staff, building the confidence to work as part of an interdisciplinary team. We strive to prepare students to be ready for board certification and to step into any clinical setting to make meaningful, lasting change.

Your Internship in Birmingham, AL

Internship Requirements

Academic Requirements

Senior status in an AMTA-approved program or completion of a bachelor’s/master’s degree in Music Therapy

Strong academic performance and practicum experience in medical, neurologic, or adult rehabilitation settings are preferred

Functional Music Skills

A. Vocal Skills

  • Sing with accurate pitch, rhythm, and appropriate clinical volume

  • Sight-read simple melodies

B. Guitar Skills

  • Play functional chord progressions in at least three keys

  • Demonstrate both strumming and fingerpicking styles

  • Transpose accompaniments into multiple keys

C. Piano Skills

  • Play functional chord progressions in at least three keys

  • Demonstrate a range of accompaniment styles

  • Transpose simple melodies and accompaniments

D. Percussion Skills

  • Maintain a steady beat

  • Use common rhythm and percussion instruments confidently in clinical contexts

E. General Music Skills

  • Maintain a working repertoire appropriate for pediatric, adult, geriatric, and neurologic rehabilitation populations

  • Improvise or compose simple therapeutic songs

  • Demonstrate functional music theory knowledge

Professional Qualities

  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills

  • Receptivity to feedback and committed to continuous learning

  • Adaptability and flexibility in dynamic environments

  • Willingness to learn additional competencies relevant to neurologic rehabilitation (e.g., safe transfers, gait belt use, mobility awareness)

Internship Start Date: October 2026

Applications are due by Feb. 27th, 2026.

Apply

Rooted Music Therapy is a University-Affiliated Internship site. For additional information or questions, please contact:

Hannah Oakes, Music Therapy Internship Director

hannah@rootedmusictherapy.com