My iPod, YouTube, and our playlists: Connections made in and beyond therapy

Abstract

This chapter will outline young people’s music listening engagement, particularly those who have mental illness, who are often seen to be isolated and disengaged from school and everyday life. Their engagement with preferred music in music therapy during a stay in an acute adolescent mental health facility provides a rationale for the development of a music-based e-platform in a multimedia youth health portal. Technological advances and current trends in online engagement influence the ways young people engage with each other and mental health promotion. These will be discussed to highlight the importance of connecting in meaningful and relevant ways beyond therapy to improve youth mental health literacy and promote pathways to help-seeking and adolescent wellbeing.