Bedside Harp is now offering our NEWLY re-designed mindfulness-based
Master Harp Therapy Certification Program: Open to graduates of any NSBTM-accredited program and to intermediate level harpists who have worked in healthcare in any capacity
After 24 years of preparing all-level harpists to play in healthcare settings, we now turn our focus onto our Graduate-level mindfulness-based harp therapy certification program designed for those who wish to deepen their knowledge base and therapeutic music skills as they broaden their experience in a variety of clinical settings.
Our original Certified Master of Harp Therapy (CMHT), initially available only to those who completed our first level of studies, was, from 2002-2016, college-based through Bucks County Community College where our graduates earned 12 college music credits.
Since 2017 our harp therapy certification programs have been accredited by the National Standards Board of Therapeutic Musicians (NSBTM) and since 2020, have been presented 100% online.
Our newly re-designed Master Harp Therapy Program is scheduled to begin in early 2026. As all of our programs, class size will be limited, so apply early to avoid disappointment.
Our certified harp therapists and master harp therapists work as healthcare professionals in a wide variety of medical and wellness settings throughout the world, including acute care and behavioral health hospitals, rehabilitation centers, hospices, long-term care facilities, assisted living, memory care, cancer centers, dialysis centers as well as doctors’ and dentists’ offices.
The Bedside Harp mindfulness based, team-taught CHT level consisted of 85 classroom hours divided into four modules, 12 additional hours of music and repertoire development, a 130-hour closely mentored internship, 13 one-on-one contact hours with a mastery level certified harp therapist, and a 12-week, 36-hour online course, on ethics for Therapeutic Musicians. Additional requirements included repertoire and improvisation development, completion of a practicum project, as well as assigned readings, viewings and writings.
To achieve the level of Certified Master Harp Therapist (CMHT) one must have met all of the requirements for the CHT or the first level of training from an NSBTM-accredited program* or play the harp at an intermediate level and have worked in healthcare in any capacity, and have taken an additional hours of studies consisting of a 120-hour mastery level module, music development workshops, a closely mentored 120-150 hour supervised internship, 12-15 one-on-one contact hours, our 12- week, 36 hour online first-level course on ethics, our 48-hour online advanced level online course on research, Module IX, an online workshop/retreat on “Harp Therapy as a MindBody Modality.” Additional requirements include repertoire and improvisation development, assigned readings and writings, as well as a final practicum project presented both in writing and orally. *Candidates may also be required to take additional remedial studies.
Graduates of other NSBTM- accredited programs and intermediate harpists who have worked in any capacity in healthcare are welcome to register for our Bedside Harp mastery level of certification after their successful completion of required pre-requisites.
Certification candidates are required to complete readings, viewings, and writing assignments and will, as well, submit professional recordkeeping reports, maintain an hours log and personal journal throughout their internship. To be awarded certifications, candidates must have attended all classroom modules and workshops, completed their internships and practicum project(s), submitted all reports, reflections, records and assignments and completed a final review. After receiving approval, candidates may begin their internship.
Our mindfulness-based certification programs are personal journeys. Students receive one-on-one mentoring from Edie Elkan as well as other mastery level professionals throughout their closely mentored internships. As a mindfulness-based program, we learn to pay close attention to our body, thoughts and emotions, as we offer loving presence and healing tones to those whom we serve—in a particular way, on purpose, moment-to-moment, and non-judgmentally.
All certifications must be renewed bi-annually and shall include completing continuing professional units (CPUs), earned by attending relevant workshops and/or by taking relevant courses or studies.
First Level Modules
Spring 2025 Class: Saturday, Sunday February 22,23 and March 8, 9
This module/retreat, presented over two weekends live, focuses on music, the history and science of sound therapy, and spirituality—all of which are at the heart of our work.
Much attention is given to healing music fundamentals, modal playing, noodling and playing by ear. We’ll explore the fascinating links between spirituality and science as well as the science of vibration and sound. Work on our self, our fears and on healing our own wounds are part of this and every module.
Spring 2025 Guest presenters: Robert Bednar: Harmonic Discipline: The Science Behind the Sound–Music and Listening
Carol Carpenter,BFA, MCAT, MT-BC, HCMHT, NMT: Music Therapy and Harp Therapy: Differences & Similarities
David Penn, Yoga Instructor
Spring 2025 Class: Saturday, Sunday March 29,30 and April 5,6
The focus of this module/retreat is on our coming to understand what brings us to do this work. We explore a number of self reflection tools including Angeles Arrien’s Signs of Life, Elaine Aron’s Highly Sensitive Person, dream therapy, and mindfulness meditation. We also begin our work on putting our own affairs, issues, hopes and dreams in order as we set out to serve others.
Like all the modules, this module has a good number of creative and musical freeing interactive exercises and activities built into it, along with numerous segments on repertoire building and music development.
Spring 2024 Guest presenters: Chaunce Monta, DC, RN: Pressure Point Therapy for Harp Therapists
Brian Stevenson: Meyers-Briggs for Harp Therapists
Peggy Tileston, MA, MT-BC, NIT: Morning Altars
Spring 2025 Class:
Friday through Sunday May 2,-4 and Saturday, Sunday June 16, June 18
Module III is a 5 day retreat and must be taken before students are given permission to begin playing one-on-one. A good amount of time is devoted to healthcare protocols and practices, modal playing, repertoire development, and the exploration of various styles of playing and delivering harp therapy. Forgiveness is a major theme of this module—self work that is essential to our continuing development of compassion both for ourselves and for others. We look with kindness at our own attitudes on death and dying and gently consider fresh perspectives.
Spring 2025 Guest Presenters:
Dr. Sharon Brown: Becoming a Healthcare Professional
Mary McCann: The Alexander Technique for Harp Therapists
Sister Jane Urban: Special presentation
Norine Stewart, Hospital-Certified Master Harp Therapist and Bedside Harp Certified Instructional Harp Teacher, Music Presentation
Spring 2025 Class: Saturday, Sunday August 23,24 and September 6.7
The spotlight in Module IV, another 4 day retreat, again offered live in real time, is on the challenges that lie immediately ahead: getting to certification and creating job opportunities for ourselves. We begin to develop our own marketing tools and strategies and have a chance to learn from others who have walked the walk.
Spring 2024 Class Presenters:
Rev. John Marcantonio, Perchance to Dream Workshop
Linda Motashami, Hospital-Certified Master Harp Therapist, Playing in Long-term care
Karen Peterson, CMP, Enjoy the Modes Workshop
Jacob Penchansky, Technology for Harp Therapists
Panel: Bedside Harp Harp Therapist Professionals and Interns
Accordion Content
Certification Pricing
- Online Ethics Course (36 Hours) $350
Classes will be taken through Bucks County Community College’s portal.
- Materials Fee
Includes workbooks, music books, handouts, thumb drives and other essential materials.
- Harp Therapy Certification- Certified Harp Therapist level (274 hours) $3750
Four team-taught classroom modules (131 hours), 13 contact hours and one 130 hour closely mentored internship module.
. - Grand total ( includes all classroom and internship modules, materials fee, online Ethics Course) $4100
PLEASE NOTE!!! Due to rising costs, Bedside Harp regrets that tuition for the classroom modules will increase January 1, 2024 from the current rate of $720.00/module (or a total of $3600.00) to $750.00/module, (or a total of $3750). If Spring 2024 students pay at least for Modules I and V prior to December 31, 2023, they will be guaranteed the $720.00 rate for the remaining modules. Please also note that we have eliminated the materials fee. To register, students may pay for the classroom modules all at once or may pay for Module I and V at least a month prior to Module I's presentation and then pay for Modules II, III and IV a month prior to each of those presentations. Tuition may be paid by check. If paid by credit card, a 3% convenience fee will be added. ***Students must have a dependable, high speed internet connection, as well as either a laptop or desktop computer with a functional camera. Tablets are acceptable but not preferable. While connecting by phone is possible, doing so does not allow for maximum interaction and is therefore unacceptable for participation in all of our online offerings.