Music Therapy: Healing Mental Health Through Sound

Music And Its Therapeutic Benefits For Mental Health

There are many activities people engage in to manage stress, some healthier than others. In this article, we’ll explore the relationship between stress, music, and how music therapy with a licensed clinical social worker may help manage stress and various mental health conditions.

Music therapy: understanding the therapeutic benefits

It’s no coincidence that people enjoy listening to music during a massage, or that elite athletes often wear earbuds while warming up for competition. People experience profound responses to their musical preferences. Music seems intrinsically connected to our human nature. Calm music helps reduce stress, upbeat music energizes household chores, heavy metal music can invigorate you, while reggae might relax you and brighten your mood. But have you considered creating music in a therapeutic context?

Most people recognize music’s impact on their emotions and use it accordingly. Music therapy can significantly influence mood, perspective, and motivation. It’s also associated with physiological responses including reduced muscle tension, decreased heart rate, and more. Your body’s physiological response varies depending on the sounds and your individual music preferences. Music’s power can be harnessed in numerous ways, including through professional music therapy services. Telehealth is an excellent starting point if you’re interested in exploring how music therapy might help achieve your therapeutic goals. While ReachLink’s licensed clinical social workers don’t specifically offer music therapy, they can help you understand how various therapeutic approaches might benefit your mental health journey.

The American Music Therapy Association demonstrates that approved music therapy programs can support physical rehabilitation efforts, improve physical health, reduce blood pressure, aid brain injury recovery, or provide chronic pain management. Evidence also suggests creative music therapy benefits treatment for mental health disorders, neurological conditions, and more. Music therapy as a sound healing method has proven remarkably effective.

Music therapy overview

What exactly is music therapy? Nordoff Robbins music therapy gained prominence following World Wars I and II. Music therapy’s history begins with therapists theorizing that music could calm people or improve their mood.

According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy is an “established health profession in which music is used in a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals.”

An approved music therapy program operates based on five factors defined by the American Music Therapy Association to maximize effectiveness.

The first factor is the modulation of attention.

Modulation of attention

Modulation of attention is one of the five factors defined by the American Music Therapy Association for maximizing music therapy’s effectiveness. This refers to music capturing listeners’ attention, distracting from stimuli that trigger negative thoughts and feelings. Physical pain, worry, and anxiety can diminish when listening to attention-grabbing music. Pleasant sound frequencies can reduce stress in young adults with anxiety disorders by helping them remain present. Guided imagery can complement this technique, according to the American Music Therapy Association.

Modulation of communication

The American Music Therapy Association notes that music can enhance communication skills. Musical improvisation helps musicians refine their instrumental techniques by playing off each other. Non-verbal individuals or those with communication challenges, such as people with late-stage Alzheimer’s disease, can use music to communicate and develop therapeutic coping skills.

Modulation of behavior

Behavior modulation is the third factor identified by the American Music Therapy Association. We’ve already touched on how music modulates behavior. Most people notice how soothing music calms them when upset, angry, or frustrated. Music evokes feelings, and specific music types can induce desired moods. In sound therapy with a board-certified therapist, the relationship between listening to classical music and reduced blood pressure exemplifies how therapists work with clients to evoke certain moods through analytical music therapy.

Modulation of cognition

As the American Music Therapy Association states, music affects our cognitive abilities. Research suggests premature infants show improved cognitive capabilities after participating in supportive music therapy. Just as certain aromas might evoke childhood memories, particular songs can recall fond memories, and music therapy generally operates on this principle. Music directly relates to memory processes. When trying to remember a childhood incident, listening to music from that period might jog your memory.

Modulation of emotion

This is another aspect of music you’ve likely noticed, as defined by the American Music Therapy Association. When hearing a choir sing about salvation in church, their harmonious voices may help capture the spiritual feelings you seek. The song playing on your wedding day might evoke emotion when recalling that happy occasion.

Mental health professionals, including therapists with music therapy knowledge, may employ this technique during sessions to help clients achieve individualized goals, such as developing stronger coping skills for emotional situations. When therapy, music, and therapist empathy combine, the effects can be significant.

According to current research, music therapy may support cognitive, social, motor, and communication skill development in autistic children or those with other developmental disabilities. Additionally, therapeutic music interventions are increasingly effective treatments for various psychological disorders, improving overall health and confidence.

Music therapy methods

Music can reduce stress through two principal therapeutic approaches:

• Receptive music therapy interventions: With receptive music therapy, you listen to music to help calm down, process traumas, etc.
• Active music therapy interventions: Active music therapy involves learning to play instruments, creating music, writing songs, or engaging in other music-related activities.

Overall, music interventions supporting lower stress levels benefit both physical and emotional health.

The benefits of the receptive method

The receptive method may help with cognitive disorders and feelings of stress or anxiety. Rather than only discussing problems, clients listen to music during therapy sessions to achieve a more relaxed mindset before returning to daily life. After listening to music during therapy, clients may become more willing to discuss painful childhood experiences. Music might even trigger suppressed memories, bringing them into the open so the client can address them and accomplish individualized mental wellness goals.

For more information about these methods, visit the American Music Therapy Association website.

The benefits of the active method

The active method of music therapy services helps clients process emotions while also enhancing cognitive abilities. Learning to play instruments or create music activates the brain, requiring focus and attention. This can help redirect focus away from anxious feelings while improving reflexes and timing. Music therapy can also be incorporated into educational settings, improving learning ability and overall cognitive skills—just one of many benefits according to the American Music Therapy Association.

If participating in this method, your therapist might engage you in drumming, singing familiar songs, writing lyrics, composing music, or creating choreography. Even without prior musical knowledge, stepping outside your comfort zone to tackle this challenging new world can shift you away from negative thought patterns.

Finding music therapists

If you’re interested in music therapy to reduce stress and improve well-being, you’ll need to find a qualified music therapist. Consider asking your doctor for recommendations in your area. You can also use the American Music Therapy Association website to search for certified music therapists.

American Music Therapy Association

A music therapist typically has a musical background and desires to apply that knowledge to address mental health needs. Qualified music therapists hold at least a bachelor’s degree in music therapy, involving specialized coursework and clinical training.

While ReachLink’s licensed clinical social workers don’t provide specialized music therapy services, they can help you understand how various therapeutic approaches might complement your mental health treatment plan and provide appropriate referrals to certified music therapists when beneficial. Our telehealth platform makes it easy to connect with mental health professionals who can guide you toward the most effective therapeutic interventions for your unique situation.