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Music therapy is increasing in popularity – there are numerous individuals who take advantage of mental health therapy through music whether they are children or adults. More and more therapists offer their patients to deal with anxiety, loneliness, and stressful circumstances by embracing music, and there are many reasons to try out this scientifically proven approach.
In this guide we will introduce you to the significance of music therapy for mental health, explain how music therapy benefits the person’s health, and give you advice on how to integrate music in your daily routine to feel stronger and healthier emotionally in the long run.
What is Music Therapy?
Music therapy can be defined as a unique therapeutic approach that helps people to utilize music in treating their mental health issues. Recommended to kids and adults alike, this kind of therapy is based on various types of engagement with music – listening to it, composing, dancing, singing, and discussing musical compositions and the feelings the person experiences when hearing them.
Many people associate certain songs with happy times in their lives – this is also another technique to try in order to boost your mood and get rid of harmful thoughts that plague your brain.
How Music Therapy Benefits Mental Health
Emotional Release and Mood Regulation
Instead of bottling up your emotions and damaging your relationships with others because of occasional mood swings, you should challenge your energy into something positive and creative – music will be an indispensable tool for you.
Stress and Anxiety Reduction
It is crucial to manage the levels of stress you are experiencing – if you are anxious too often, it may lead to more serious mental and physical problems including depression and heart disease.
Enhancing Cognitive Function
Experts have noted that one of the main benefits of music therapy is the improvement of attention span, memory, and problem-solving skills – your brain will work better if you are playing an instrument or listening to musical compositions in your spare time.
Building Social Connections
Whether you are working one-on-one with a therapist or interacting with others, music therapy will boost your social skills and teach you how to cooperate with others especially if you have been struggling with feelings of isolation.
Types of Music Therapy Techniques
Receptive Music Therapy
The purpose of this type of therapy is to simply listen to music – in some cases, the therapist will invite you to respond to the music you are hearing by dancing or drawing images that you visualize in your mind as the music impacts your brain.
Active Music Therapy
A patient and a therapist who get together to play musical instruments are doing active music therapy – find the composition you like or listen to the suggestions of your therapist and see how different music makes you feel. Additionally, you can sing on your own or come up with ideas to sing with the therapist.
Improvisational Music Therapy
Instead of preparing something at home or playing the music composed by someone else, a person with musical training can benefit from improvising – create your own compositions, collaborate with a therapist, or see how a musical performance impacts your mind and mood.
Guided Imagery and Music
A well-documented practice of guided imagery is meant to generate positive mental scenes and images in the patient’s mind. The music therapist will offer the person undergoing treatment to listen to a certain composition and then describe their feelings in order to get rid of negative emotions.
Who Can Benefit from Music Therapy?
| Group of People | Description |
Young Children | Whether your child is struggling with mental issues or you just want them to participate in interactive music-based experiences, music is an invaluable tool for kids who are discovering the world for the first time. Music therapy will hone their communication abilities and motor skills as well as provide an outlet for negative emotions; besides, a musically gifted child can dive deeper into the world that already interests them |
People Diagnosed With Depression | While music therapy alone will not be enough for an individual with the symptoms of depression, their therapist may refer them to a person specializing in music therapy to support them during the recovery – listening to music and playing any instrument improves brain functioning and builds coping mechanisms the patient can apply whenever they feel down |
Individuals With Cognitive Issues | If you or someone you know well is struggling with cognitive impairments – from bad memory to inability to make decisions – music therapy can be the solution to the problem. Even people diagnosed with dementia have managed to improve their quality of life with the therapeutic effects of music |
Scientific Evidence Supporting Music Therapy
Based on real-life success stories of music therapy, scientists have concluded this type of therapy can positively impact the life of the individual both playing and listening to music.
People with chronic pain, symptoms of depression, anxiety, dementia, and sleep disturbances have responded well to music therapy – at the minimum, it improves the mood benefitting the person short-term while at a maximum, it allows the individual to get rid of insomnia, lessen physical pain caused by a chronic illness, and manage panic attacks on a daily basis.
Incorporating Music Therapy in Daily Life
Your self-care routine should not begin and end with therapy sessions or music classes – it makes complete sense to introduce music to your daily activities to further benefit from this valuable tool for mental wellness improvement. Here is what you can do to utilize music in your daily life:
| Music Therapy Practice | Description |
Exercise With Music | Instead of surrounding yourself with silence or watching random videos while you are working out, try to focus on the physical activity with the help of music that gets you into rhythm and energizes you. In case you prefer yoga and meditation, music can let you get in the zone quicker, and of course, music in your headphones is great company when you simply go on a walk |
Sing Out Loud | Have you ever felt like bursting into a song when your mood is elevated? Well, why not try to reverse these two experiences? Start with humming a tune when you are doing the household chores or showering and see how much better you will feel |
Listen to Music While You Work or Study | Although some people find music a distraction during an important task, others have noted calming music and songs they love allow them to focus on whatever is in front of them so give classical and minimal music a chance |
How to Find a Qualified Music Therapist
Just like with all other therapists, the best music therapist is usually the one you are referred to by your primary care doctor or a specialist recommended to you by a relative or close friend who has positive experience working with them. However, these options are not available to everyone which is why you need to take your time picking the right therapist for you.
Make sure the person you choose to guide you via music therapy has the relevant education – there are numerous universities and colleges that offer courses and programs in music therapy. Moreover, a music therapist is supposed to have more than a thousand hours of internship in their resume. Ask them for proper certifications, thoroughly check their credentials, and do not hesitate to shop for a therapist if anything makes you suspicious or uncomfortable – there is nothing wrong with booking one therapy session and realizing this individual is not a good fit for you.
Embracing Music Therapy for Mental Health
There is a strong connection between engaging in music therapy and mental health improvement – whether you struggle with panic attacks, feel you are not in control over your emotions and mood, or experience mental health issues that start to affect your physical condition as well, add a bit of music to your life.
Working with a qualified music therapist will help you regain your confidence, come out of your shell, and create a safe space for yourself where you can create art and work on your mental wellness at the same time. If you or a loved one have been considering therapy to boost your mental health, reach out to a music therapist and start a new journey today.
FAQs
- Is music therapy real?
It has been proven music has a positive influence on a person’s mind – whether you are picking up a musical instrument to calm yourself down during an anxiety attack or taking a break to meditate with tunes that reduce your stress, these practices will certainly benefit you.
- What are the benefits of music for mental health?
Higher quality of sleep, lower blood pressure, less frequent panic attacks, deeper connection with your inner self, improved communication with other people who play music or just enjoy it in their free time – individuals that tried music therapy have noticed tangible benefits of this therapeutic approach.
- What are the ways to practice music therapy?
From listening to music in the office of a therapist to later discuss what you visualized with your eyes closed to composing a melody in your free time – there are many ways to use music to your advantage.
- Do I need to know how to play an instrument for music therapy?
There is a common misconception you need some sort of music education to be able to benefit from music therapy yet it is not so – whether you can create music, perform someone else’s song, or you only want to listen to music to relax, this type of therapy is for everyone willing to try it.
- Do I have to work with a music therapist?
While there is nothing wrong or harmful with listening to music on your own to relieve stress, the best results can be obtained through working with a specialist who will guide you better in your recovery.
