Trauma-informed positive music education represents a powerful shift in how we support vulnerable young people through music.
New research published in Music Education Research reveals how an innovative Australian community music program is using trauma-informed positive music education to help vulnerable youth heal and grow through music-making.
A Strengths-Based Revolution
Trauma-informed positive music education (TIPE) combines trauma-informed practices with positive psychology—the science of human flourishing. Unlike traditional deficit-based approaches that focus on what’s wrong, this strengths-based model recognizes that every young person offers inherent strengths, regardless of their experiences or background.
The study followed three young people—Ronna, Lucy, and Finn—participating in a specialized program for youth experiencing adversity, including mental illness, homelessness, abuse, and discrimination. Through their stories, we learn how music becomes far more than entertainment or skill development.
Building Capacity Through Music
Trauma-informed positive music education works across three developmental domains drawn from positive psychology:
Self-regulation through music: Young people described music as stable, constant, and reliable when everything else felt uncertain. Music created a safe space where participants could escape overwhelming realities and process difficult emotions. Songwriting emerged as a particularly powerful tool for emotional regulation and stress management, helping youth articulate feelings they struggled to express in conversation.
Building healthy relationships: The program fostered connections through shared musical interests and collaborative creation. Young people who previously felt isolated discovered community and belonging. This strengths-based approach emphasized attachment and attunement, with facilitators and peers modeling healthy relationships in a safe, trusted environment. Through their original music, participants reached beyond the program to help others experiencing similar struggles, reinforcing that no one faces challenges alone.
Developing psychological resources for wellbeing: Drawing from positive psychology, the program cultivated growth mindsets and a deep sense of purpose. Musical accomplishments—like releasing first songs or completing recordings—generated confidence that extended into other life domains. Participants transitioned from passive consumers of music to active contributors, discovering meaning through creative expression and recognizing their potential for future careers in music.
Lessons for Schools
This research offers important insights for educators and policymakers seeking to transform music education:
Adopt person-first approaches: Trauma-informed positive music education prioritizes people over perfection, recognizing that every young person is inherently musical regardless of prior training or experience. Schools can shift from exclusively performance-focused curricula to inclusive programs that value all students’ musical contributions.
Expand the music educator role: Program facilitators functioned as both musical and life mentors, modeling healthy relationships while teaching practical skills like budgeting, employment seeking, and relationship building. Music teacher preparation programs can integrate trauma-informed pedagogy and wellbeing science alongside traditional musical training.
Leverage music as a pedagogical bridge: Music served as an intentional tool for teaching broader life skills. Educators presented life lessons, then provided creative space for participants to process and internalize these concepts through songwriting and performance. School music programs can formally integrate self-regulation strategies, relationship-building activities, and positive psychology principles into their curriculum.
Create safe and inclusive musical spaces: The program succeeded by building trust and safety first. Schools can implement routine-based structures—like sharing meals and circle gatherings—that foster connection before diving into musical content. Physical spaces can be reimagined to promote comfort and collaboration rather than hierarchy and evaluation.
Value diverse musical pathways: Participants engaged with songwriting, hip-hop, popular music, and electronic production—genres often marginalized in traditional school settings. Curriculum designers can expand musical offerings to reflect students’ lived musical experiences and aspirations.
Recognize music’s role in student wellbeing: This research demonstrates that music education can be formally positioned as a wellbeing intervention. Schools can integrate trauma-informed positive music education into broader mental health and student support frameworks, acknowledging music’s unique capacity to support healing alongside skill development.
A Call for Reimagining Education
This study challenges one-size-fits-all educational models. Vulnerable young people thrived in an environment that valued their strengths, acknowledged their trauma, and leveraged their passion for music as a pathway to broader learning and growth.
The implications reach beyond music classrooms. Educational systems can integrate strengths-based approaches rooted in positive psychology across all disciplines. Teacher preparation programs can equip educators as trauma-informed practitioners who facilitate student flourishing alongside academic achievement.
This research charts a hopeful pathway forward—one where trauma-informed positive music education creates spaces for healing, growth, and human flourishing for all learners.
Source
Goopy, J. (2025). Young people healing and growing in trauma-informed positive music education. Music Education Research, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2025.2591059