About
Joycelyn is a graduating music therapist and former special education teacher whose experience spans both healthcare and special education settings.
She has worked with students with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), adults living with dementia, and patients across acute, rehabilitative and palliative care settings. Her clinical practice is grounded in creating relational and responsive musical spaces that support emotional expression, engagement, connection and overall well-being.
Drawing from both her therapeutic and educational background, Joycelyn works with individuals across diverse communication, cognitive and physical abilities, with a particular interest in supporting those whose experiences may be difficult to express through words alone. She is especially interested in the ways music can function as a non-verbal and accessible medium for communication, connection, and quality of life.
This interest is reflected in her research exploring the perspectives of allied health professionals working alongside music therapists in Singaporean special education settings, specifically regarding the impact of music therapy on the quality of life of students with PMLD. Through this work, she deepened her understanding of how music therapy can support emotional expression, engagement and meaningful participation for individuals with complex cognitive, physical and communication needs.
Joycelyn also volunteers in church ministries focused on special-needs support, reflecting her broader commitment to community, accessibility, inclusion and care.
As both a clinician and musician, Joycelyn views music not only as an artistic medium, but also as a way of relating to others and holding space for individuals in moments of vulnerability, connection and human expression.
Therapists’ Perspectives on Music Therapy and Quality of Life (QoL) in Students with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD)
Students with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) have complex needs due to their cognitive, physical, and communication challenges. Music therapy may enhance emotional expression, engagement, and overall quality of life (QoL) for this group of students, as it can be considered a non-verbal approach.
The aim of this qualitative study is to investigate the perspectives of allied health professionals (AHPs) working alongside music therapists concerning the impact of music therapy on the QoL of students with PMLD in Singaporean special education settings.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 5 participants who met the inclusion criteria through snowball sampling. The interviews were transcribed and analysed through a mix of answering the interview questions asked and identifying themes for the QoL segments.
The findings do suggest and support the potential benefits of music therapy and having an impact on the QoL of students with PMLD in areas such as autonomy and parent relation, psychological well-being, social support & peers, and the school environment aspects of the QoL framework used by Singapore to determine the QoL of children and youth below the age of 18 years.
The findings also provided a more thorough, multidisciplinary understanding of how music therapy can improve the QoL of students with PMLD in the local context of Singapore.
These findings may also assist schools, healthcare providers and policymakers in more intentionally incorporating music therapy into inclusive healthcare ecosystems, thereby helping Singapore meet its vision of enabling every person with a disability to participate, thrive and have a better QoL.
Professional practice
Her clinical practice is informed by both biomedical and biopsychosocial-spiritual frameworks within medical settings, while adopting a developmental approach in educational contexts.
Across these environments, she remains grounded in a person-centred philosophy that emphasises autonomy, strengths-based practice, and the cultivation of meaningful therapeutic relationships through music.
She views music-making as a collaborative and relational process that can support agency, attunement, emotional expression, and connection, creating spaces where individuals feel heard, empowered and supported.
Clinical placements
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St Luke's Hospital
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Thye Hwa Kwan Early Intervention Centre
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Ng Teng Feng General Hospital, Intensive Care Unit (independent placement)
Tan Jia Rou
Lee Pui Yee Rosalind
Chia Jing Xuan (Jingle)
Valerie Teo Minyi
Liu Huiyi
Valerie Tiong Hui Ling
