As a former paediatric occupational therapy assistant and current Master of Music Therapy student, I have encountered the ongoing challenge of integrative creative person-centred practices with the clinical rigour increasingly expected in health care settings. Drawing upon interdisciplinary frameworks – including neurodevelopmental approaches such as the Bobath concept, sensory integration theory, attachment theory, and cognitive models – this presentation reflects on how body development can serve as essential foundations for a child’s gradual emotional and cognitive development. In many allied health contexts, supporting functional movement is considered a prerequisite for higher-level interaction and learning. Similarly, in music therapy, attention to the body’s positioning and activation can offer an accessible entry point into therapeutic engagement. However, the increasing emphasis on measurable clinical outcomes may obscure these foundational, embodied processes that underpin a client’s capacity to participate meaningfully in therapy. Reflecting on the evolution of music therapy in Australia over the past 50 years, I propose a commitment to whole-person care that honours the interconnection between body, emotion, and cognition. In this view, music is not the central agent of change, but rather a responsive and adaptable medium that supports individual needs across multiple domains. This presentation calls for a rebalancing of professional identity and evidence-based practice – challenging us to communicate the value of relational, embodied, and person-led work in ways that are clinically credible and ethically grounded. Rooted in both clinical and academic experience, this reflection highlights how music therapy can continue evolving as a profession while remaining deeply responsive to the lived experience and holistic needs of the individuals we serve.