Skip to main content
Headshot image

Guylaine Vaillancourt, PhD, MTA

  • Associate Professor, Music Therapy, Creative Arts Therapies

Contact information

Biography

Education

  • Ph. D. in Leadership and Change in the Profession, Antioch University, OH (2009)
  • MA (Music Therapy), New York University (1993)
  • BA (Music/Music Therapy), Université du Québec à Montréal (1990).
  • Training in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music. Creative Arts Therapy Institute, New York (1994)
  • Level 1 training in Mandala (MARI) (1994)
  • DEC (Nursing), CEGEP de Sherbrooke (1978)

Professional affiliations

  • Association canadienne des musicothérapeutes/Canadian Association of Music Therapists
  • Association québécoise de musicothérapie
  • Association for Music and Imagery
  • Association for Music and Medicine
  • American Dance Therapy Association/Danse Movement Therapy Association in Canada

Research interests / expertise

  • Partnership Development Networking project to create a network of partners for development of Creative arts therapies practicum sites in the community; to offer services to populations with psychological and physical distresses who have very limited access to creative arts therapies; develop professional jobs/employment in Creative Arts Therapies (art, drama, music) in Quebec.
  • Research interests include: Mentoring, Community music therapy, Building partnership networking, Mental Health, Peace and social justice through music; Arts-based research and Participatory action-research
  • Concordia Arts in Health Center faculty member
  • Arts in Health Research Collective 
  • https://www.concordia.ca/finearts/creative-arts-therapies/research/ahrc.html

About

Guylaine Vaillancourt is an Associate Professor in music therapy and the Chair of the Department of Creative Arts Therapies. She is a certified music therapist (MTA) by the Canadian Association of Music Therapists and has extensive clinical experience in oncology/palliative care, mental health, and in private practice, as well as in internship supervision. Since 1978, she has worked as a registered nurse in Intensive Care Unit and Dialysis while training and working in music therapy as well. Prior to coming to Concordia, she was an adjunct teacher in music therapy at Université du Québec à Montréal (2001-2008) and Université de Montréal (2008). Her research interests relate to community music therapy, mentoring apprentice music therapists, and medical music therapy where she privileges arts-based research and participatory action research. She has worked in Switzerland, Venezuela and United States and has taught in Cuba and Martinique.She is past President of the Canadian Association of Music Therapists (2009-2011) and of Association québécoise de musicothérapie (2003-2009). She is a fellow and a Primary Trainer of The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) and was a North-American co-editor for VOICES: A World Forum for Music Therapy (2005-2013). She is a past French co-editor of the Canadian Journal of Music Therapy/Revue canadienne de musicothérapie. Finally she has presented regularly at national and international conferences and is the author of Musique,musicothérapie et développement de l'enfant (Éditions du CHU Sainte-Justine) translated in Italian, Spanish,and English.

Teaching activities

Graduate Diploma in Music Therapy: 
        MTHY 301: Introduction to Music Therapy        
        
Master Degree: 
        MTHY 693. Research in Music Therapy

Research activities

Visit "Faculty Research Projects" for more details on her research.

(2018-2020) Un pas à la fois. FRQ-Audace grant with the Grands Ballets Canadiens/Centre national de danse-thérapie, co-researcher with researchers from Concordia U., McGill U., Université de Montréal, Université du Québec à Montréal. 

(2011) Children’s Right to Music/Le droit des enfants à la musique. Canadian Heritage/Human Rights Grant. Primary investigator: Dr.Sandi Curtis. Role: Collaborator.

(2012) 38th Canadian Association for Music Therapy Conference Research Symposium. Montreal. Aids to Related Research Events-Concordia.

(2011) Developing partnership with Université Paul Valery Montpellier III, France. Strategic International Partnership Seed Funding-Concordia.

(2010) Translation of the book Musique, musicothérapie et développement de l’enfant from French to English: Music, music therapy and child development. Editions CHU Sainte-Justine. Aids to Related Research Events-Concordia.

(2009) Partnership Networking Development. Faculty Research Development Program-Concordia. 

Publications

External reviewer

  • Past French co-editor for the Revue canadienne de musicothérapie/Canadian Journal of Music therapy (2015-19)
  • Co-editor for North America and Reviewer (2005-2013)
    VOICES: A Word Forum for Music Therapy.
        https://www.voices.no/

        

Vaillancourt, G., Brault, A. Étude qualitative auprès d’un groupe de musicothérapie virtuel avec des proches aidants en santé mentale. (in progress)

Vaillancourt, G., Peyrin, J., Brault, A., Thibeault, C-A., Gosselin, N. (2022).Personalized Audio Montage: Impact of a Receptive Music Therapy Method-Variation on Youth Experiencing Homelessness. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy.

Vaillancourt, G. (2022). Devenir musicothérapeute et le demeurer : un parcours unique à chaque musicothérapeute. Revue canadienne de musicothérapie/Canadian Journal of Music Therapy.

Brault, A., Vaillancourt, G., (2022). Group telehealth music therapy with caregivers: A qualitative inquiry. Journal of Patient Experience 9, 1-9.

Archambault, K., Vaugon, K., Deumié, V.,Brault, M., Perez, RM., Peyrin, J., Vaillancourt, G., Garel, P. (2019). MAP: A Personalized Receptive Music Therapy Intervention to Improve the Affective Well-being of Youths Hospitalized in a Mental Health Unit. Journal of Music Therapy 56(4):381-402.

Vaillancourt, G. (2017).Musicothérapie et santé mentale : l’expérience de musicothérapeutes québécois. Revue canadienne de musicothérapie/Canadian Journal of Music Therapy (23)1.  

Vaillancourt,G. (2016). When the client is a music therapist. Experiencing five approaches to music psychotherapy. Revue canadienne de musicothérapie/Canadian Journal of Music Therapy(22)1. 

Vaillancourt, G., DaCosta, D.,Han, E., Lipski, G. (2016).An intergenerational singing group: a community music therapy research and graduate students mentoring initiative.  VOICES: A World Forum for Music Therapy (18)1.

Vaillancourt, G. (Ed.).L’héritage de Josée Préfontaine, musicothérapeute et mentor : La formation à la musicothérapie, thèse de doctorat. VOICES.NO

Curtis,S. & Vaillancourt, G. (2012). The Children’s Right to Music Project. VOICES: A World Forum for Music Therapy, (12) 3. 

Vaillancourt, G. (2012). Music therapy: A community approach to social justice. The Arts in Psychotherapy (39), 173-178.

Vaillancourt,G. (2012). Une musicothérapeute en musicothérapie : ou quand la cliente est une musicothérapeute! Revue canadienne de musicothérapie/Canadian Journal of Music Therapy (18)1, 8-25.

Vaillancourt,G.(2011). Creating an apprenticeship music therapy model through arts-based research. VOICES: A World Forum for Music Therapy (11).

Vaillancourt, G. (2007). La musicothérapie dans un hôpital francophone pour enfants :une pratique à développer ! Revue canadienne de musicothérapie/Canadian Journal of Music Therapy, 13(1),38-52.

Vaillancourt, G. (2007). Multicultural music therapy as an instrument for leadership: Listening–vision–process. VOICES: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 7(2).

Vaillancourt, G. (2003). La musicothérapie pour apprivoiser la douleur. Revue canadienne de musicothérapie/ Canadian Journal of Music Therapy, 10(1), 33-43.


Participation activities

Selected Conferences

Vaillancourt, G., Brault, A.,Thibeault, C-A. (2019). Une approcheinnovatrice auprès de jeunes adultes en situation de grande précarité : ladétente psychomusicale en musicothérapie réceptive. 45th CanadianAssociation of Music Therapists Conference, Gatineau, QC. 

Vaillancourt, G. & Young, L. (2018). The Bonny Method of GIM: an invaluable resource for music therapists. 44th Canadian Association of Music Therapists Conference, St-John’s, NL.

Baines, S., DaCosta, D., Vaillancourt, G. (2017). Growing music therapy research in Canada. 43th Canadian Association of Music Therapists Conference, Vancouver, BC. 

Vaillancourt, G. (September 2016). The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music in Canada. 12 European Guided Imagery and Music Conference. Athens, Greece. 

Bradt, J. and coll. (July 2016) Authors’ Roundtable: Scientific Writing, Peer Review, and Publication across Journals.10th European Music Therapy Conference. Vienna. Austria.

Vaillancourt, G. & Young, L. (2015). GIM: To be or not to be psychotherapy? 23th International Conference of the Association for Music and Imagery. Elizabeth, NJ, United States. 

Vaillancourt, G. (March 2014). Séminaire Musicothérapie en soins palliatifs. Université Paul Valéry III. Montpellier. France.


Vaillancourt, G.(January 2014). Guided Imagery and Music in oncology. Armstrong Center for Music & Medicine/Converging Disciplines at the Crossroads of Cancer Care. New York City, United States.

Vaillancourt,G. (November 2013). La musicothérapie: une approche à découvrir! Music for Children Carl Orff Canada Musique pour enfants chapitre du Québec (Orff-Québec). Montréal, QC.

Vaillancourt, G. (October 2013). La musicothérapie pour les personnes atteintes de cancer. Centre de santé et de services sociaux de Laval. Programme québécois de dépistage du cancer du sein. Soutien et entraide pour femmes atteintes du cancer du sein. (SEFACS). Laval, QC.

Vaillancourt, G. (July 2013). Musicoterapia: Un Enfoque Comunitario sobre la Justicia Social. V Congreso Latino american ode Musicoterapia. Sucre, Bolivia.

Vaillancourt, G. (June2013). Music Therapy in medicine. Sigma Theta Tau (STT)Gamma Delta Chapter. Plattsburgh (NY), États-Unis.

Vaillancourt, G. (May 2013). Les médiations thérapeutiques aujourd’hui. Université du Québec à Montréal/Département de psychologie. Montréal, QC. 

Vaillancourt, G. (April 2013). La musicothérapie: diminuer les effets secondaires reliés aux traitements. 5e Conférence nationale de la lutte contre le cancer-Vivre dans la dignité. Montréal, QC. 

Vaillancourt, G. (March 2013). Ateliers de musicothérapie pour les enfants et familles. Centre des sciences de Montréal/Pas de relâche pour la musique. Montréal, QC.

Vaillancourt, G. (November 2012). Créativité, improvisation en musicothérapie et apprentissage de la musique. Congrès international du Groupe de recherche en pédagogie instrumentale et musicale (GRePIM/Centre d'excellence en pédagogie musicale) de l'Observatoire interdisciplinaire de la création et de la recherche en musique. L’apprentissage de la musique : son apport pour la vie de l’apprenant du 21e siècle. Québec, QC. 

Vaillancourt, G. (June 2012). La musique au terme de la vie. Music Care Conference. Fredericton (NB).

Curtis, S.,Vaillancourt, G., Young, L. (May 2012). Research in Music Therapy atConcordia/La recherche en musicothérapie à l’Université Concordia. 38th Canadian Association for Music Therapy Conference. Montréal, QC.

Curtis, S. & Vaillancourt, G. (February 2012). Séminaire Le droit des enfants à la musique/Children’s Right to Music Project Conference. Concordia University. Montréal, QC.

Vaillancourt, G. (November 2011). Devenir musicothérapeute. Congrès de la Fédération des musiciens éducateurs duQuébec. Montréal,QC. 

Vaillancourt, G. (November 2011). Panel El Sistema. Quebec Music Educators Association Symposium/Canadian Music Educators Association Symposium. Montréal, QC.

Vaillancourt, G. & Kutarna, B. (May 2011). Maintaining a safe practice in music therapy. 37h Canadian Association for Music Therapy Conference. Winnipeg, MB.

Collaborators. (November 2010). Voices and the Open Access Revolution: Culture, ethics, Authenticity. Panel of Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. American Music Therapy Association 60th Conference. Cleveland, United States.

Vaillancourt, G. (June 2010). Mentoring apprentice music therapist for peace and social justice through community music therapy: an arts-based study. Canadian Peace Research Association Congress of the Humanities & Social Sciences. Concordia University. Montréal, QC.

Vaillancourt, G. & collaborators. (November 2010). Voices and the Open Access Revolution: Culture, ethics, Authenticity. Panel of Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. American Music Therapy Association 60th Conference. Cleveland (US).

Vaillancourt, G.(November 2009). Mentoring apprentice music therapist for peace and social justice through community music therapy: an arts-based study. American Music Therapy Association 59th Conference. San Diego, United States.

Vaillancourt, G., Milis, S., Gaudette-Leblanc, A. (July 2008). Arts-Based Research and Participatory Action Research in Music Therapy. XII World Federation of Music Therapy Conference. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Vaillancourt, G. (May 2008). Recherche-action participative et application de la recherche basée sur les arts en musicothérapie communautaire. 34th Canadian Association for Music Therapy Conference. Québec, QC.

Vaillancourt, G.(August 2007). Music therapy in oncology. 7th European Music Therapy Congress. The Netherlands.

Awards

Selected awards

Canadian Association for Music Therapy Peers Recognition Awards (2013)

Electronic Thesis Dissertation (ETD) Innovative Award granted by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) (2010)

Ohio Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Award for Innovation (2010)

Fondation de musicothérapie du Canada (2007)

Fondation internationale d’éducation Laflamme (1991) 

Bourse de la Fondation UQAM (1990)
Took 11 milliseconds
Back to top

© Concordia University