Catherine Carr PhD, PGDip

Catherine initially studied Music Technology at the University of York, before training as a music therapist at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Her first study was a pilot randomized controlled trial of group music therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. She then undertook an NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship at the Queen Mary University of London which focused on modeling processes and outcomes of intensive group music therapy for acute adult psychiatric inpatients. Since then, Catherine has completed a number of studies funded by an NIHR Clinical Lectureship and a further study on group songwriting for chronic depression (SYNCHRONY study), funded by NIHR Research for Patient Benefit. These studies have developed concepts of group music therapy for different clinical environments and populations. In 2019, she completed an NIHR Clinical Trials Fellowship and is now leading a multicentre trial, funded by the NIHR HTA program in collaboration with East London NHS Foundation Trust.

Catherine continues to work as a music therapist in the NHS and is currently a music therapist in Mental Health Care for Older People’s services in East London NHS Foundation Trust, where she provides group and individual music therapy, alongside staff psychological supervision. Catherine is currently training in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery in Music and has completed training in Music Imagery methods.