Welcome to our newly designed hybrid mindfulness-based Harp Therapist and Master Harp Therapist Certification Programs!
After 25 years of preparing harpists to play in healthcare in live presentations, we have now turned hybrid. In this new format, students will both work independently by viewing videos of each module and also be invited to attend live sessions (all of which are recorded) deepening their knowledge base and therapeutic music skills as they broaden their experience in a variety of clinical settings.
Our original certification programs were, from 2002-2016, in-person and college-based through Bucks County Community College where our mastery level graduates earned 12 college music credits. Since 2017 our certification programs have been accredited by the National Standards Board of Therapeutic Musicians (NSBTM) and since 2020, both levels have been presented 100% online.
Now, in 2026, students will both watch video presentations of the modules as well as meet in live sessions. These sessions will be recorded and made available to students so should they not be able to attend, they will still have access to the materials.
For 2026, we are offering three cohorts: Fall, Winter, and Spring. Winter and Spring are already underway.
We are now accepting applications for Fall 2026. As before, class size will be limited, so apply early to avoid disappointment.
Our graduates 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.
Our original first level (CHT) had 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. Our new CHT level consists of about 25 hours of a combination of videos and live sessions.
This first level of certification is now newly priced at $1,809.95. Payable to Bedside Harp is $1,459.95 ($625 for 4 classroom modules; plus $750.00 for your closely mentored 130 hour internship, and $84.95 for our two required texts). The texts we use for all of our programs is the two-volume, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Harp and Music and Strike the Harp and Join the Chorus which we offer at the reduced student rate of $54.95 and $30.00 respectively. In addition, you will need to pay $350.00 directly to Bucks County Community College for our required course on Ethics for Therapeutic Musicians.
To achieve the level of Certified Master Harp Therapist (CMHT) one must have met all of the requirements for our first level of training or the equivalent from Bedside Harp or another 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 equivalent to our first level of certification. Our mastery level consists of the module, Harp Therapy As A MindBody Modality, music development workshops, a closely mentored hour supervised internship, our 48-hour online advanced level online course, Research for Therapeutic Musicians, 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 entering at our mastery level 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.
All 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 will 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
This module/retreat, presented both in videos and live presentations, 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.
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
David Penn, Yoga Instructor
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.
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
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.
Guest Presenters:
Dr. Sharon Brown: Becoming a Healthcare Professional
Sister Jane Urban: Special presentation
Norine Stewart, Hospital-Certified Master Harp Therapist and Bedside Harp Certified Instructional Harp Teacher, Music Presentation
The spotlight in Module IV, another 4 day retreat, again offered both in videos and live sessions, 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.
Guest Presenters:
Rev. John Marcantonio, Perchance to Dream Workshop
Linda Motashami, Hospital-Certified Master Harp Therapist, Playing in Long-term care
Jacob Penchansky, Technology for Harp Therapists
Accordion Content
Certification Former 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.