Final Essay: Music Therapy

More than 5,000 musical therapists work in hospitals, schools, rehabs, nursing homes, prisons, and at people’s homes in the United States today and more than half of them are working with the mentally ill, disabled, or the elderly(Campbell 126). As early as the 19th and early 20th centuries Americans have been using music for medicinal reasons(Campbell 121). In early 1899 James L. Corning conducted the first controlled study using music to treat his patients(Campbell 122). Using the musical styles of Wagner and other Romantic composers he concluded their styles helped reduce the morbid thoughts of the patients and

Music therapy helps individuals with disabilities to identify and express his or her emotions as well as to assist in the development of verbal communication, speech and language skills. The data collection tool implemented to track the progress of students focused on student participation and independence levels. These levels were tracked weekly and broken down into 5 sections: Independent, Verbal, Gestural, Physical, and No Participation. Data was also collected when measuring a student’s response to musical selection and to see if a rhythm was followed in either double or triple meter.

There are many different ways that we benefit from music. Music can inspire better self-esteem, and confidence. It’s a great way to set the mood, and a wonderful tool. Music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program (Gram, 2005). Music therapy can reach out to anyone, age, race, gender it doesn’t matter. Children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly with mental health needs can benefit from music therapy. As well as, those who have developmental and learning disabilities, those who suffer from Alzheimer's

Music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by an accredited professional who as completed an approved music therapy program. “Music therapists hope that scientific research continues to define how their work differs from entertainment, and how it benefits patients as much as other more familiar complementary therapies such as art therapy.” (Mellskog) This shows how even though there is little research and evidence on music therapy, it is still very effective and a

This article helps explain and break down exactly what music therapy is. Music therapy is a gentle, and effective form of actual therapy. Music therapy helps those in need of help mentally, physically, and emotionally. Whether the patient was domestically abused, raped, witnessed a tragedy, or anything. Therapists believe that music can help and solve anything. The article exclaims its importance to those who suffer from different forms of anxieties, depressions, and traumatic events. This article helps the reader understand specifically just how fully music therapy can help any situation, and anyone out of anything. The article also states the side effects

Throughout my research, I have analyzed music therapy and the effects this can have with individuals who have depression, anxiety, autism, dementia, Alzheimer’s and many other mental illnesses that are rampant in our society. Music therapy is used to soothe an individual and create a relaxing environment.

Research is shedding light on a number of treatments and therapies. One of the most promising is music therapy.

I have found some interesting facts on music therapy. Some people may already know about these facts but some people may have no clue. Before I even researched what music therapy was I had no clue what it was. Since I’ve never heard of it before or anything until I researched it and started taking a music class. One of the find’s I have found is music therapy stimulates different parts of your brain. These parts are responsible for your physical functions and mental function as well.

As a musician, the relationship between client, therapist, and music is integral in the healing process of body, mind, and spirit. Having experienced the power of music, I knew that music therapy was something I would never feel complete without. There was an undeniable pull towards the study of music

Needle pricks, medicine, exhaustion, sickness, pain, feeling different ‒ these are just a few of the things that people with mental disabilities and serious diseases have to go through on a daily basis. But what if there was a different kind of treatment that could comfort them or reduce their pain even a little bit? Fortunately, for the people facing these issues, there is. Music therapy is a relatively new approach that doctors, teachers, and many others are taking to help heal and improve the quality of life for their patients and students. It’s starting to become more common around the United States and is expected to become even more popular in the future. Books like Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart support the idea of music therapy by demonstrating how music can be used to soothe and improve the moods of individuals regardless of what they may be going through. Music therapy is an effective way to speed up the healing process and improve the emotional state of a wide range of people facing different obstacles in life.

Music Therapy to Be Used As as Treatment To Alleviate the Symptoms That Parallel Those Of ADHD

Music therapy, a clinical use of music interventions to accomplish therapeutic goals, involves a broad range of activities including playing an instrument, singing, or listening to music. Similar to occupational and physical therapy, this expressive arts therapy remedies psychological conditions, such as depression, anxiety, or hypertension to maintain the well-being of an individual. Likewise, music has been a therapeutic tool that has shown positive effects to parts of the brain including regions involved in emotion, sensation, movement, and cognition. Although music therapy is a somewhat new-found treatment, it is used prominently today. Administered by a trained therapist, this type of therapy is used in correctional facilities, nursing homes, hospices, and special education schools.

In both facilities, music implementation of music interventions happened sporadically, if at all, without any discernable pattern or consistency. Moreover, when speaking with care staff about the utilization of the music program, the responses were generally positive, but was clearly not a priority, a method they considered an alternative to medication, or a tool thought to be behavior changing. Rather, care staff described music interventions more as an activity to pass the time than possessing therapeutic value.

Aside from emotions, music can also have an impact on mental illnesses like ADHD, depression, and dementia. To combat depression, Cadena states that “music therapy alleviates pain and promotes calmness by slowing the heart rate and other bodily functions” (2). It provides the patient with a means of escape from the stressful and painful ordeals of life, and can even encourage them to recover from depression. To help children with ADHD, music therapy and medications can be used conjointly. Music, Cadena affirms, “can provide a calming, sedative affect and assist a child with focusing on the task at hand” (2). In regards to dementia, a study was done to investigate the effects that music would have on people with the disease. The findings demonstrated that “mean agitation levels were significantly lower while listening to music than before listening to the music” (3).

A song or a piece of music has the power to transform an individual and take them not only to a different state of mind, but quite possibly a different consciousness. Making or singing music also has the power to transform an individual. “There is a resemblance of music in pitch, volume, rhythm, melody and structure to the natural human expression of emotion in voice, demeanor and behavior” (Ushedo, 2006, 1). Making music can create an environment where it indirectly teaches individuals communication and social skills through the emotions brought out by the music. The social interaction between individuals with behavioral problems has been aided by using musical activities. It can “encourage or motivate communication through musical activities, which are responsive to the child to promote eye contact, turn taking, sharing, joint attention” (Stephenson, 2006, 297). While creating a calmer and more relaxed environment with musical activities, behavioral problems can be aided through the use of this form of music therapy.