What is the legal basis for GETAT music therapy in Turkey? A plain guide to the 2014 regulation, who may practise, training and the limits of the evidence.
Have you ever seen a "Traditional and Complementary Medicine Practice Centre" sign in a hospital corridor and wondered what goes on inside? Or, when a relative said, "I'm going to start music therapy at the hospital; apparently there's a government regulation for it," did you wonder what that actually meant? The subject of GETAT music therapy sits between a centuries-old darüşşifa (historic Seljuk and Ottoman hospital) tradition on one side and modern health legislation on the other, and it is often misunderstood. In this article we calmly look at when the regulation came into force, the framework in which it places music therapy, what is known about who is authorised to practise, and a question that is at least as important: what the regulation does not say. This article is not legal advice; current legislation should always be followed through official sources.
What Is GETAT Music Therapy? What the Abbreviation Means
GETAT is the Turkish abbreviation for "Geleneksel ve Tamamlayıcı Tıp", meaning "Traditional and Complementary Medicine". In Turkey, practices in this field are governed by a regulation issued by the Ministry of Health, and music therapy is one of the methods defined in that regulation. In everyday language, "GETAT music therapy" usually refers to music therapy practices carried out in healthcare institutions within the framework of this regulation.
Two words deserve emphasis here:
- Traditional: describes practices with a long history, passed down through generations. This does not mean that a method has been proven by modern scientific research.
- Complementary: just as the name says, it means something that complements, that is added to something else. In other words, as their name suggests, these practices are intended not to take the place of medical treatment but to sit alongside it.
Reading these two words correctly makes the rest of the subject easier to understand. If you are curious about what music therapy is in general and what happens in sessions, you can start with our article on music therapy.
What Does the Regulation Say? The Basics
The Regulation on Traditional and Complementary Medicine Practices (Geleneksel ve Tamamlayıcı Tıp Uygulamaları Yönetmeliği) came into force on publication in the Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete) dated 27 October 2014, issue number 29158. Music therapy is one of the 15 traditional and complementary medicine methods defined in this regulation.
The main points that stand out in public statements about the regulation are as follows:
- Authority to practise rests mainly with physicians. In GETAT methods, the authority to practise has been granted to physicians who hold a certificate in the relevant field.
- In some methods, allied health personnel may take part. According to a statement made by the Minister of Health at a promotional meeting in 2019, in a few methods such as music therapy, certified allied health personnel may work under a physician's supervision. This information is based on the Ministry's statement; for details, the current text of the regulation and its annexes should be consulted.
- The practices are positioned within a healthcare framework. The inclusion of music therapy in this regulation takes it out of the realm of a casual activity and defines it in the context of healthcare.
A note on certificate hours
Different figures circulate online about how many hours of theoretical and how many hours of practical training GETAT music therapy certificate programmes involve. Because these figures vary from source to source, we do not give a number here. For current and accurate information, the soundest route is to consult the Ministry of Health's official announcements and the texts published in the Official Gazette.
The inclusion of a practice in a regulation governs who carries it out and within what framework; it does not show that the practice is a cure for every ill.
What the Regulation Does Not Say About GETAT Music Therapy
To understand legislation properly, you need to know not only what it governs but also what it does not. Some conclusions drawn simply from the existence of the regulation are mistaken.
"If the state has approved it, it must work"
A method being defined in a regulation means that the conditions under which it is practised have been set. It does not show that the method has been scientifically proven to be effective for every illness. How well a practice works can only be understood through well-designed research. We look separately below at what this research says about music therapy today.
"The maqam list is an official treatment protocol"
On social media, lists of "which maqam is good for which illness" (maqams being the modal systems of Turkish classical music) are often shared with phrases such as "under GETAT" or "approved by the Ministry". Yet these lists are pairings based on Ottoman-era treatises on music and medicine, and they contradict each other from source to source. For example, some treatises state that the rast maqam is good for paralysis; this is not scientifically supported knowledge today. These pairings rest on the theory of the four humours inherited from Hippocrates and Galen, which modern medicine has abandoned. Treating illness with maqam music is not recommended.
"Music therapy can replace my treatment"
As the word "complementary" itself indicates, music-based practices are supportive. They are not a substitute for psychotherapy, medication or medical care. If you are taking part in music therapy at a hospital, it is important not to stop or change your current treatment without consulting your doctor.
"Every activity using the name 'music therapy' falls under this framework"
A "healing sound workshop" held in a café, a rhythm activity at a festival or "frequency music" sold online is not the same thing as the healthcare practices defined by this regulation. Commercial claims such as "frequency music" or "healing music" are not scientifically supported.
What might a music therapy session in a hospital look like?
Practices vary from institution to institution and according to the person's needs; there is no one-size-fits-all session. In general, two types of method are described in music therapy. In active methods, the person produces music themselves: they keep rhythm on simple percussion instruments, sing or improvise; no musical training is needed for this. In receptive methods, the person listens to music, and the feelings, images or memories the piece evokes are then talked about. In some practices, music accompanies relaxation or breathing exercises.
Imagine that, during a long hospital stay, the ward team suggests to a middle-aged woman that she take part in music therapy. At first she hesitates: "I don't know anything about music; what good would it do me?" In the first meeting she is asked about the folk songs she loved in her youth; they listen together, and then talk about her life before she was admitted. This experience does not cure her illness; but during long and exhausting days it can make room for her to feel like a person with a story rather than only a patient. Before taking part in such a practice, it is wise to ask your doctor how it will work alongside your treatment.
From History to Today: From the Darüşşifa to the Hospital Clinic
The promotion of GETAT music therapy often refers to Ottoman and Seljuk darüşşifas. It is important to separate the accurate part of this historical link from the exaggerated part.
According to documented information, it is said that in the darüşşifa of Sultan Bayezid II in Edirne, people with mental illness were cared for with the sound of water, music and the scent of flowers. The traveller Evliya Çelebi writes in his Seyahatname (Book of Travels) that an ensemble of musicians performed for the patients there three days a week. At the Hafsa Sultan Darüşşifa in Manisa, too, care involving handicrafts, music and the sound of water is mentioned.
On the other hand, details such as "ten-person ensembles playing a different maqam for each illness" are not documented. That music was regarded as part of care in the darüşşifas is a historical fact; but this does not mean that maqam music has been proven as a treatment method in today's sense. We have discussed the separation of history from today's science in detail in our article on music and healing in the Ottoman period.
Music Therapy Training and Professional Titles: The Situation in Turkey
While the GETAT regulation governs the framework for practice in healthcare institutions, academic training in music therapy is a separate matter. A certificate programme, a postgraduate degree and a professional title are different things; not confusing the three reduces confusion both for those who wish to work in this field and for people who will take part in these practices.
- Academic programme: Anadolu University's Institute of Health Sciences has a Department of Music Therapy and a non-thesis master's programme. The university presents the programme as Turkey's first master's degree in music therapy. According to the programme description, applicants need a bachelor's degree in health, music, education or special education plus instrumental skills, and at least 700 hours of practice are completed. As admission requirements may change from year to year, the current announcements should be checked.
- A separate professional title: there does not appear to be a separate, legally defined professional title in Turkey for those working in music-, art- or drama-based therapy. Developments in legislation on this should be followed.
- The title of psychologist: in Turkey, the psychology profession is not regulated by a comprehensive professional law, and the Turkish Psychological Association (Türk Psikologlar Derneği) has long called for one. The definition of "clinical psychologist", however, was included in Law No. 1219 through an amendment made in 2011.
The practical meaning of this information is that music- and art-based work is carried out by people who are trained and competent in the mental health field, together with psychotherapy or medical treatment where necessary. If you are curious about how the roles of a psychologist and a psychiatrist differ, our article on the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist may be helpful.
What Does the Research Say About Music Therapy?
The regulation sets the legal framework; research draws the scientific one. The overall message of systematic reviews on music therapy is "promising, but most studies are small and the certainty of the evidence is low to moderate".
- Depression: a 2017 Cochrane review examined 9 studies and 421 participants and found that music therapy, when added to usual care, may reduce depressive symptoms in the short term. The evidence is of low to moderate certainty, and guidelines do not yet recommend adding it routinely.
- Autism: a 2022 Cochrane review reported a probable improvement in global symptoms at the end of treatment, while finding the effect on social interaction and communication uncertain.
- Dementia: the current version of the Cochrane review shows that music-based interventions probably reduce depressive symptoms, while no clear effect on agitation or cognition is to be expected.
- People with cancer: a 2011 Cochrane review examined 30 studies and 1,891 patients and reported that music interventions may reduce anxiety and may have positive effects on mood, pain and quality of life, but that the evidence for some outcomes was of low quality.
The common limitations of these studies are small samples, the impossibility of blinding, measurements based on self-report and short follow-up periods. In addition, Cochrane defines music therapy as a therapeutic framework plus musical interaction between the therapist and the participant; simply listening to recorded music does not fall within this definition.
When reading these findings, it is also worth approaching news headlines with caution. A headline such as "Music beats depression" may in fact be describing a study that says "when added to usual treatment, a short-term reduction in symptoms may be seen". The difference may seem small, but it can be decisive in important decisions such as whether a patient continues their treatment.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
Music can do many people good, whether in a hospital programme or when you are listening on your own at home. However, it is important to speak to a mental health professional in the following situations:
- Low mood, lack of motivation or an inability to enjoy anything lasting for weeks
- Anxiety, panic or sleep problems that are disrupting your daily life
- Struggling to cope after a serious illness, an operation or a loss
- Thoughts of harming yourself or others
Taking part in music therapy does not prevent you from receiving psychological support; the two can complement each other. In individual therapy, research-supported methods such as cognitive behavioural therapy are used, and an assessment by a psychiatrist is recommended where necessary. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life, call 112 (emergency services) in an emergency.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the GETAT music therapy regulation issued?
The Regulation on Traditional and Complementary Medicine Practices came into force on publication in the Official Gazette dated 27 October 2014, issue number 29158. Music therapy is one of the 15 methods defined in this regulation.
Who may practise music therapy under GETAT?
According to publicly available information, the authority to practise rests mainly with certified physicians. According to Ministry of Health statements, in some methods such as music therapy, certified allied health personnel may work under a physician's supervision. For details, the current text of the regulation should be consulted.
Does inclusion in the regulation mean music therapy has been scientifically proven?
No. The regulation governs under what conditions and by whom a practice is carried out. Scientific evidence is established through research; the current evidence for music therapy is promising but mostly of low to moderate certainty.
Is treating illness with maqam music part of GETAT?
Popular maqam–illness lists are pairings based on historical treatises and have never been scientifically tested. They should be read not as a treatment protocol but as historical information reflecting the beliefs of their time. Maqam music is not recommended for treating any illness.
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Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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