Imagine a country known for its deep love of music, yet music therapy remains largely unknown. In this context, where infrastructure is limited and awareness is still growing, creating access to music therapy calls for more than clinical expertise. It demands persistence, advocacy, and innovation.

This PechaKucha presentation tells the story of a pioneering university-based community music therapy program created to support student mental health in a post-pandemic academic environment marked by high stress, emotional disconnection, and limited services.

Rooted in community music therapy principles, the program focuses on participation, shared authorship, and cultural relevance. Sessions provide a space for students to process emotions, explore identity, and build supportive peer relationships through music. Instead of replicating Western clinical models, the program is shaped by local musical traditions, social dynamics, and institutional needs. This context-responsive approach has opened up new and meaningful ways to offer care.

The presentation will highlight key moments of growth, student responses, and reflections on the challenges of introducing music therapy in a setting unfamiliar with the profession. Through visual storytelling, the audience will follow the program’s evolution from a single pilot group to a growing, community-recognized mental health initiative.

This work contributes to broader conversations about expanding music therapy beyond traditional clinical spaces and highlights the power of culturally grounded innovation. It offers a hopeful reminder: even in places where resources are few and recognition is new, music therapy can take root when it listens first, adapts boldly, and builds with community.