HoiShuen Mary Chan

Mary is a London-based Music Therapist and Neurologic Music Therapist specialising in working with children and young people with complex emotional needs. Her work integrates psychodynamic and trauma-informed approaches with improvisational music therapy. Her doctoral research explores the role of music therapy in treating Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) across the UK and Europe.

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Background

Supervisory team: Prof Annie Heiderscheit, Dr Jonathan Pool

Mary completed her undergraduate studies in music with a double major in Music and Translation (Chinese and English) at the University of Hong Kong, and was awarded an Excellent Exchange Student recognition during her studies at the University of Sydney. She later undertook a Master’s degree in Music Therapy at the University of Roehampton.

As a trained pianist and musician, Mary's clinical work centres on improvisation, using music as a non-verbal medium to support communication, emotional expression, and relational development, particularly for those who may struggle to engage through words alone. She has experience working across educational and healthcare settings with children and young people presenting with mental health challenges, eating disorders, trauma, attachment difficulties, SEND, and learning disabilities.

Her proposed PhD research investigates the role of music therapy in treating ARFID across the UK and Europe, examining current clinical use, therapeutic approaches, multidisciplinary integration, perceived therapeutic processes and outcomes, and challenges encountered in practice.

Spoken Languages

• Cantonese
• Mandarin

Research interests

• Music therapy
• Eating disorder treatment
• Mixed methods research
• Trauma-informed and psychodynamic approaches in music therapy

Qualifications

• Master of Music Therapy, University of Roehampton
• Bachelor of Arts (Double Major in Music and Translation), The University of Hong Kong
• Bachelor of Arts (Double Major in Music and Translation): Exchange Programme, The University of Sydney

Memberships, editorial boards

• Member, Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• Member, British Association for Music Therapy (BAMT)
• Neurologic Music Therapy® Music Therapist, Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy®

Recent presentations and conferences

Chan, H. (2026) ‘Navigating Instability: identity and self-care in music therapy employment', British Association of Music Therapy Conference, online, 21-22 November.

Chan, H. (2026) ‘Meeting the Unreachable: A Music Therapy Case Study with a Boy with ARFID, Reluctance to Engage, and Emerging Masculine Defences’, World Congress of Music Therapy 2026, Bologna (Italy), 7-12 July.

Chan, H. (2024) ‘Exploring Music Therapists’ Experiences and Challenges Working with People with Eating Disorders’, British Association of Music Therapy Conference, Leicester (UK), 17-19th May.

Media experience

Guest on Open Minded Podcast 118, 1 December 2025.