Music therapy experiences may include singing, playing instruments or writing music. Some sessions may involve listening to music and talking about its meaning. Music therapy is the use of music and/or elements of music (like sound, rhythm and harmony) to accomplish goals, like reducing stress or improving quality of life.
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With online therapy, you can meet with your therapist via phone, video call, and/or in-app messaging from anywhere you have an internet connection, making support fit into your everyday life. As depression symptoms can sometimes make it difficult to leave home or have the motivation to attend sessions, an online therapy session can make receiving support more convenient and offer key benefits. Categorising these thoughts and emotions, and analysing their correlation with brain data, can provide valuable information for future therapeutic interventions. This resurgence can primarily be attributed to recent breakthroughs in neuroscientific research, which have substantiated music’s therapeutic properties such as emotional regulation and brain re-engagement. This has led to a growing integration of music therapy with conventional mental health treatments.
Balancing your playlist with uplifting and calming tunes can help maintain emotional equilibrium. From ancient Gregorian chants to modern sound therapy, cultures worldwide have used music for its incredible healing power. And now, science is catching up, showing us that specific frequencies can do more than just set a vibe—they can calm your mind, boost your energy, and even help you heal. Spalding became a musical collaborator in Jones’ dissertation project, which will include an album with music-based mindfulness interventions by Jones and guided meditations from Owens. In addition, many people find music cathartic when they can feel the rhythm in their body and experience it in a sensory way. If you partake in music therapy involving improvised dance or musical creation, you may be able to further experiment with your creativity and expression through the effects of music by following your own rhythm.
A healthcare provider called a music therapist talks to you to learn more about your needs, music preferences and experiences, and designs each session specifically for you. They also evaluate your progress each step of the way, and may work with your other healthcare providers to coordinate your care. When you listen to music, it activates key regions like the amygdala (the emotional center) and the prefrontal cortex (the decision-making hub).
This refers to music played by an accredited therapeutic musician that provides a positive environment for a patient to promote their healing. Music has been a part of culture since the first human civilizations. It has been used in many ways to tell stories, connect with others, and provide joy. According to the World Health Organization, music is an essential part of art and expression that can allow individuals a greater capacity for empathy.
What’s going on inside our brain?
- Over time, regular music therapy sessions can ease anxiety and help sustain overall well-being.
- Soon after, I was invited to share my music in plant medicine ceremonies, and there I came to understand the therapeutic power of song on a much deeper level.
- It shifts focus away from worry and into rhythm, breath, and creativity.
- We also recommend exercises like curating a personal playlist filled with songs that evoke happy memories and deep gratitude.
- So why does sad music have the power to impact psychological wellbeing?
Simply curating playlists for different moods, singing in the shower, or learning an instrument can boost well-being. The key is intentionality—using music as a tool rather than just background noise. Singing and dancing together may have helped early human groups strengthen cooperation and cohesion. Today, music continues to foster connection—choir members often report feelings of unity and belonging, while families bond through lullabies and shared playlists.
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This approach can build a trusting therapeutic relationship and support both mental health and physical wellness. Key benefits include a personalized path to healing that fits each person’s unique needs. Listening to music at home or playing music in a group may lower stress, ease pain, and support physical health by slowing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure. In nursing homes and senior centers, shared musical experiences often boost self-esteem and self-confidence, bringing residents together. For hospitalized patients, a simple favorite song can be a comforting reminder of home and normalcy, reducing perceived pain and speeding recovery from physical ailments.
Different areas of the brain synchronize with rhythm, melody, and harmony, creating a complex neural symphony. Your music therapist will evaluate the effectiveness of the session and determine if it met your goals. People can listen to these songs intimately, in their own space, and receive the expression that we captured in that moment. Recorded music exists out of time-space; ritual live music is shaped by context. I’ve put everything I’ve collected from these experiences into my new record.
- For those struggling with depression, music can provide comfort, expression, and a sense of connection.
- In 2018, I experienced a profound burnout after a 21-city tour in 23 days, and realized that the path the conventional music industry had me walking was not working.
- Studies reveal that listening to music reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, helping you unwind after a tough day.
- And now, science is catching up, showing us that specific frequencies can do more than just set a vibe—they can calm your mind, boost your energy, and even help you heal.
Healing Through Music: Depression Music Therapy Benefits And Uses
These include any history of trauma or other aspects that may influence your response to music. Sharing this information, to the extent that you’re comfortable, will allow your therapist to tailor the session to your needs. Your therapist will do everything possible to create a comfortable, safe and meaningful experience for you. Relatable words have the power to comfort or validate feelings, helping you process tough emotions. But just as positive lyrics can inspire, negative or aggressive themes can subtly affect your mindset. Music therapy is a therapeutic approach that utilizes music to help foster health and well-being.
Some sessions may use playing instruments to engage the brain and increase motor function and coordination, while others might use singing to improve emotional regulation. The goal is to support emotional well-being with personalized, evidence-based methods. Music therapists work with each person to provide music therapy that Healing through music matches their treatment goals. Sessions can involve making music or creating music to unlock expression, while writing music might give clients a new way to process feelings. For example, a songwriting exercise can reveal personal insights and guide growth.
That said, we can see how music’s effect on the brain extends beyond mere pleasure. Music in the subsequent Neolithic Era went through significant development within permanent settlements across the world. Babies hear and respond to music even before birth, recognizing the rhythm of their mother’s voice and heartbeat. Lullabies not only soothe infants but also strengthen parent-child bonds. The act of making music—whether singing, drumming, or playing an instrument—can be equally therapeutic.
How music can affect pain levels
Students might learn by example through ensemble practice, which shows how collaboration can spark growth. Research reveals key benefits ranging from pain relief to improved mood. This field demonstrates how art and science can come together to enrich life.
Parkinson’s patients often find it easier to walk when guided by rhythmic cues. In cardiac care, listening to calming music after a heart attack can reduce stress on the heart and improve outcomes. With her new album Living Through Collapse, she aims to create a healing experience—both personal and collective. Lyrically, the album explores big questions about ancestry and revolution as well as intimate ones about Doe Paoro’s personal experience. In this interview, Doe Paoro reflects on the ways she brings her experience designing sound baths and guided meditations to the recording and performance of music. Pop tracks can inspire motivation during physical therapy, while classical compositions enhance focus during cognitive exercises.
Cecily Gardner, a jazz singer in Culver City, said she used music to help get through a serious illness and has sung to friends battling pain. A series focused on the personal side of Harvard research and teaching. Cecily Gardner, a jazz singer in Culver City, California, said she used music to help get through a serious illness and has sung to friends battling pain. What seems to matter most is that patients — or their families — choose the music selections themselves and listen intently, not just as background noise. By Jaime R. Herndon, MS, MPHHerndon is a freelance health/medical writer with a graduate certificate in science writing from Johns Hopkins University. Listening to certain sounds is believed to evoke or inhibit certain emotions and affect a certain organ.
These musical surprises activate the brain’s reward system, flooding it with dopamine. At every stage, music adapts to human needs, shaping health and emotions in ways both subtle and profound. Throughout history, humans have gathered around music for ritual, celebration, and solidarity.
