Music therapy can be difficult to define within traditional system structures. Experiential knowledge of people receiving music therapy often goes unheard within traditional research hierarchy. Lived experience research is challenging this status quo, gaining global momentum and being increasingly recognised as an essential component of research and service reform (Banfield & Palmer, 2025). Leading funding bodies internationally and in Australia (ie. Medical Research Future Fund) now position the inclusion of lived experience as a fundamental requirement. This shift is prompting even the most traditional institutions to adopt more inclusive and participatory approaches. So, what can we learn from this in music therapy, a field where we so often challenge the status quo? How can embedding the priorities of the people we work with, support continued advocacy for our profession’s value?

This presentation will draw on participatory co-design research conducted between 2022-2025 with 365 people across Australia with lived experience of mental ill health, trauma and emotional distress who shared their priorities for future mental health care (Banfield et al., 2024). A cross-sectional, open-ended survey was conducted nationally followed by emotion mapping (an experience based co-design method) where people mapped their priorities based on their feeling toward a topic (Palmer et al., 2025). Some of the key priority areas identified were holistic care, psychosocial care and alternatives to medication and standard clinical approaches. These priorities can be addressed through increased access to music therapy. In addition, 70 people in the study spoke about creative arts-based approaches and music therapy being essential to addressing their complex mental health and wellbeing. This presentation will share their priorities and propose how we can learn from what matters most to people with lived experience to continue challenging the status quo.