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The Healing Power of Music

Music therapy is increasingly used to help patients cope with stress and promote healing.

By Richard Schiffman

“Focus on the sound of the instrument,” Andrew Rossetti, a licensed music therapist and researcher said as he strummed hypnotic chords on a Spanish-style classical guitar. “Close your eyes. Think of a place where you feel safe and comfortable.”

Music therapy was the last thing that Julia Justo, a graphic artist who immigrated to New York from Argentina, expected when she went to Mount Sinai Beth Israel Union Square Clinic for treatment for cancer in 2016. But it quickly calmed her fears about the radiation therapy she needed to go through, which was causing her severe anxiety.

“I felt the difference right away, I was much more relaxed,” she said.

Ms. Justo, who has been free of cancer for over four years, continued to visit the hospital every week before the onset of the pandemic to work with Mr. Rossetti, whose gentle guitar riffs and visualization exercises helped her deal with ongoing challenges, like getting a good night’s sleep. Nowadays they keep in touch mostly by email.

The healing power of music — lauded by philosophers from Aristotle and Pythagoras to Pete Seeger — is now being validated by medical research. It is used in targeted treatments for asthma, autism, depression and more, including brain disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy and stroke.

Live music has made its way into some surprising venues, including oncology waiting rooms to calm patients as they wait for radiation and chemotherapy. It also greets newborns in some neonatal intensive care units and comforts the dying in hospice.

While musical therapies are rarely stand-alone treatments, they are increasingly used as adjuncts to other forms of medical treatment. They help people cope with their stress and mobilize their body’s own capacity to heal.

“Patients in hospitals are always having things done to them,” Mr. Rossetti explained. “With music therapy, we are giving them resources that they can use to self-regulate, to feel grounded and calmer. We are enabling them to actively participate in their own care.”

Even in the coronavirus pandemic, Mr. Rossetti has continued to perform live music for patients. He says that he’s seen increases in acute anxiety since the onset of the pandemic, making musical interventions, if anything, even more impactful than they were before the crisis.

Mount Sinai has also recently expanded its music therapy program to include work with the medical staff, many of whom are suffering from post-traumatic stress from months of dealing with Covid, with live performances offered during their lunch hour.

It’s not just a mood booster. A growing body of research suggests that music played in a therapeutic setting has measurable medical benefits.

“Those who undergo the therapy seem to need less anxiety medicine, and sometimes surprisingly get along without it,” said Dr. Jerry T. Liu, assistant professor of radiation oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

A review of 400 research papers conducted by Daniel J. Levitin at McGill University in 2013 concluded that “listening to music was more effective than prescription drugs in reducing anxiety prior to surgery.”

“Music takes patients to a familiar home base within themselves. It relaxes them without side effects,” said Dr. Manjeet Chadha, the director of radiation oncology at Mount Sinai Downtown in New York.

It can also help people deal with longstanding phobias. Mr. Rossetti remembers one patient who had been pinned under concrete rubble at Ground Zero on 9/11. The woman, who years later was being treated for breast cancer, was terrified by the thermoplastic restraining device placed over her chest during radiation and which reawakened her feelings of being entrapped.

“Daily music therapy helped her to process the trauma and her huge fear of claustrophobia and successfully complete the treatment,” Mr. Rossetti recalled.

Some hospitals have introduced prerecorded programs that patients can listen to with headphones. At Mount Sinai Beth Israel, the music is generally performed live using a wide array of instruments including drums, pianos and flutes, with the performers being careful to maintain appropriate social distance.

“We modify what we play according to the patient’s breath and heart rate,” said Joanne Loewy, the founding director of the hospital’s Louis Armstrong Center for Music & Medicine. “Our goal is to anchor the person, to keep their mind connected to the body as they go through these challenging treatments.”

Dr. Loewy has pioneered techniques that use several unusual instruments like a Gato Box, which simulates the rhythms of the mother’s heartbeat, and an Ocean Disc, which mimics the whooshing sounds in the womb to help premature babies and their parents relax during their stay in noisy neonatal intensive care units.

Dr. Dave Bosanquet, a vascular surgeon at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, Wales, says that music has become much more common in operating rooms in England in recent years with the spread of bluetooth speakers. Prerecorded music not only helps surgical patients relax, he says, it also helps surgeons focus on their task. He recommends classical music, which “evokes mental vigilance” and lacks distracting lyrics, but cautions that it “should only be played during low or average stress procedures” and not during complex operations, which demand a sharper focus.

Music has also been used successfully to support recovery after surgery. A study published in The Lancet in 2015 reported that music reduced postoperative pain and anxiety and lessened the need for anti-anxiety drugs. Curiously, they also found that music was effective even when patients were under general anesthesia.

None of this surprises Edie Elkan, a 75-year-old harpist who argues there are few places in the health care system that would not benefit from the addition of music. The first time she played her instrument in a hospital was for her husband when he was on life support after undergoing emergency surgery.

“The hospital said that I couldn’t go into the room with my harp, but I insisted,” she said. As she played the harp for him, his vital signs, which had been dangerously low, returned to normal. “The hospital staff swung the door open and said, ‘You need to play for everyone.’”

Ms. Elkan took these instructions to heart. After she searched for two years for a hospital that would pay for the program, the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton, N.J., signed on, allowing her to set up a music school on their premises and play for patients at all stages in their hospitalization.

Ms. Elkan and her students have played for over a hundred thousand patients in 11 hospitals that have hosted them since her organization, Bedside Harp, was started in 2002.

In the months since the pandemic began, the harp players have been serenading patients at the entrance to the hospital, as well as holding special therapeutic sessions for the staff outdoors. They hope to resume playing indoors later this spring.

For some patients being greeted at the hospital door by ethereal harp music can be a shocking experience.

Recently, one woman in her mid-70s turned back questioningly to the driver when she stepped out of the van to a medley of familiar tunes like “Beauty and the Beast” and “Over the Rainbow” being played by a harpist, Susan Rosenstein. “That’s her job,” the driver responded, “to put a smile on your face.”

While Ms. Elkan says that it is hard to scientifically assess the impact — “How do you put a number on the value of someone smiling who has not smiled in six months?”— studies suggest that harp therapy helps calm stress and put both patients and hospital staff members at ease.

Ms. Elkan is quick to point out that she is not doing music therapy, whose practitioners need to complete a five-year course of study during which they are trained in psychology and aspects of medicine.

“Music therapists have specific clinical objectives,” she said. “We work intuitively — there’s no goal but to calm, soothe and give people hope.”

“When we come onto a unit, we remind people to exhale,” Ms. Elkan said. “Everyone is kind of holding their breath, especially in the E.R. and the I.C.U. When we come in, we dial down the stress level several decibels.”

Ms. Elkan’s harp can do more than just soothe emotions, says Ted Taylor, who directs pastoral care at the hospital. It can offer spiritual comfort to people who are at a uniquely vulnerable moment in their lives.

“There is something mysterious that we can’t quantify,” Mr. Taylor, a Quaker, said. “I call it soul medicine. Her harp can touch that deep place that connects all of us as human beings.”

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What to Know About Music Therapy

Music can help improve your mood and overall mental health.

Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Verywell / Lara Antal

Effectiveness

Things to consider, how to get started.

Music therapy is a therapeutic approach that uses the naturally mood-lifting properties of music to help people improve their mental health and overall well-being.  It’s a goal-oriented intervention that may involve:

• Making music
• Writing songs
• Listening to music
• Discussing music  

This form of treatment may be helpful for people with depression and anxiety, and it may help improve the quality of life for people with physical health problems. Anyone can engage in music therapy; you don’t need a background in music to experience its beneficial effects.

Types of Music Therapy

Music therapy can be an active process, where clients play a role in creating music, or a passive one that involves listening or responding to music. Some therapists may use a combined approach that involves both active and passive interactions with music.

There are a variety of approaches established in music therapy, including:

• Analytical music therapy : Analytical music therapy encourages you to use an improvised, musical "dialogue" through singing or playing an instrument to express your unconscious thoughts, which you can reflect on and discuss with your therapist afterward.
• Benenzon music therapy : This format combines some concepts of psychoanalysis with the process of making music. Benenzon music therapy includes the search for your "musical sound identity," which describes the external sounds that most closely match your internal psychological state.
• Cognitive behavioral music therapy (CBMT) : This approach combines cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with music. In CBMT, music is used to reinforce some behaviors and modify others. This approach is structured, not improvisational, and may include listening to music, dancing, singing, or playing an instrument.
• Community music therapy : This format is focused on using music as a way to facilitate change on the community level. It’s done in a group setting and requires a high level of engagement from each member.
• Nordoff-Robbins music therapy : Also called creative music therapy, this method involves playing an instrument (often a cymbal or drum) while the therapist accompanies using another instrument. The improvisational process uses music as a way to help enable self-expression.
• The Bonny method of guided imagery and music (GIM) : This form of therapy uses classical music as a way to stimulate the imagination. In this method, you explain the feelings, sensations, memories, and imagery you experience while listening to the music.
• Vocal psychotherapy : In this format, you use various vocal exercises, natural sounds, and breathing techniques to connect with your emotions and impulses. This practice is meant to create a deeper sense of connection with yourself.

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Music Therapy vs. Sound Therapy

Music therapy and sound therapy (or sound healing ) are distinctive, and each approach has its own goals, protocols, tools, and settings: 

• Music therapy is a relatively new discipline, while sound therapy is based on ancient Tibetan cultural practices .
• Sound therapy uses tools to achieve specific sound frequencies, while music therapy focuses on addressing symptoms like stress and pain.  
• The training and certifications that exist for sound therapy are not as standardized as those for music therapists.
• Music therapists often work in hospitals, substance abuse treatment centers, or private practices, while sound therapists may offer their service as a component of complementary or alternative medicine.

When you begin working with a music therapist, you will start by identifying your goals. For example, if you’re experiencing depression, you may hope to use music to naturally improve your mood and increase your happiness . You may also want to try applying music therapy to other symptoms of depression like anxiety, insomnia, or trouble focusing.

During a music therapy session, you may listen to different genres of music , play a musical instrument, or even compose your own songs. You may be asked to sing or dance. Your therapist may encourage you to improvise, or they may have a set structure for you to follow.

You may be asked to tune in to your emotions as you perform these tasks or to allow your feelings to direct your actions. For example, if you are angry, you might play or sing loud, fast, and dissonant chords.

You may also use music to explore ways to change how you feel. If you express anger or stress, your music therapist might respond by having you listen to or create music with slow, soft, soothing tones.

Music therapy is often one-on-one, but you may also choose to participate in group sessions if they are available. Sessions with a music therapist take place wherever they practice, which might be a:

• Community health center
• Correctional facility
• Private office
• Physical therapy practice
• Rehabilitation facility

Wherever it happens to be, the room you work in together will be a calm environment with no outside distractions.

What Music Therapy Can Help With

Music therapy may be helpful for people experiencing:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Anxiety or stress
• Cardiac conditions
• Chronic pain
• Difficulties with verbal and nonverbal communication
• Emotional dysregulation
• Feelings of low self-esteem
• Impulsivity
• Negative mood
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Problems related to childbirth
• Rehabilitation after an injury or medical procedure
• Respiration problems
• Substance use disorders
• Surgery-related issues
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Trouble with movement or coordination

Research also suggests that it can be helpful for people with:

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Schizophrenia
• Stroke and neurological disorders

Music therapy is also often used to help children and adolescents:

• Develop their identities
• Improve their communication skills
• Learn to regulate their emotions
• Recover from trauma
• Self-reflect

Benefits of Using Music as Therapy

Music therapy can be highly personalized, making it suitable for people of any age—even very young children can benefit. It’s also versatile and offers benefits for people with a variety of musical experience levels and with different mental or physical health challenges.

Engaging with music can:

• Activate regions of the brain that influence things like memory, emotions, movement, sensory relay, some involuntary functions, decision-making, and reward
• Fulfill social needs for older adults in group settings
• Lower heart rate and blood pressure
• Relax muscle tension
• Release endorphins
• Relieve stress and encourage feelings of calm
• Strengthen motor skills and improve communication for children and young adults who have developmental and/or learning disabilities

Research has also shown that music can have a powerful effect on people with dementia and other memory-related disorders.

Overall, music therapy can increase positive feelings, like:

• Confidence and empowerment
• Emotional intimacy

The uses and benefits of music therapy have been researched for decades. Key findings from clinical studies have shown that music therapy may be helpful for people with depression and anxiety, sleep disorders, and even cancer.

Depression 

Studies have shown that music therapy can be an effective component of depression treatment. According to the research cited, the use of music therapy was most beneficial to people with depression when it was combined with the usual treatments (such as antidepressants and psychotherapy). 

When used in combination with other forms of treatment, music therapy may also help reduce obsessive thoughts , depression, and anxiety in people with OCD.

In 2016, researchers conducted a feasibility study that explored how music therapy could be combined with CBT to treat depression . While additional research is needed, the initial results were promising.

Many people find that music, or even white noise, helps them fall asleep. Research has shown that music therapy may be helpful for people with sleep disorders or insomnia as a symptom of depression.

Compared to pharmaceuticals and other commonly prescribed treatments for sleep disorders, music is less invasive, more affordable, and something a person can do on their own to self-manage their condition.

Pain Management

Music has been explored as a potential strategy for acute and chronic pain management in all age groups. Research has shown that listening to music when healing from surgery or an injury, for example, may help both kids and adults cope with physical pain.

Music therapy may help reduce pain associated with:

• Chronic conditions : Music therapy can be part of a long-term plan for managing chronic pain, and it may help people recapture and focus on positive memories from a time before they had distressing long-term pain symptoms. 
• Labor and childbirth : Music therapy-assisted childbirth appears to be a positive, accessible, non-pharmacological option for pain management and anxiety reduction for laboring people.
• Surgery : When paired with standard post-operative hospital care, music therapy is an effective way to lower pain levels, anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure in people recovering from surgery.

Coping with a cancer diagnosis and going through cancer treatment is as much an emotional experience as a physical one. People with cancer often need different sources of support to take care of their emotional and spiritual well-being.

Music therapy has been shown to help reduce anxiety in people with cancer who are starting radiation treatments. It may also help them cope with the side effects of chemotherapy, such as nausea.

Music therapy may also offer emotional benefits for people experiencing depression after receiving their cancer diagnosis, while they’re undergoing treatment, or even after remission.

On its own, music therapy may not constitute adequate treatment for medical conditions, including mental health disorders . However, when combined with medication, psychotherapy , and other interventions, it can be a valuable component of a treatment plan.

If you have difficulty hearing, wear a hearing aid, or have a hearing implant, you should talk with your audiologist before undergoing music therapy to ensure that it’s safe for you.

Similarly, music therapy that incorporates movement or dancing may not be a good fit if you’re experiencing pain, illness, injury, or a physical condition that makes it difficult to exercise.  

You'll also want to check your health insurance benefits prior to starting music therapy. Your sessions may be covered or reimbursable under your plan, but you may need a referral from your doctor.

If you’d like to explore music therapy, talk to your doctor or therapist. They can connect you with practitioners in your community. The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) also maintains a database of board-certified, credentialed professionals that you can use to find a practicing music therapist in your area.

Depending on your goals, a typical music therapy session lasts between 30 and 50 minutes. Much like you would plan sessions with a psychotherapist, you may choose to have a set schedule for music therapy—say, once a week—or you may choose to work with a music therapist on a more casual "as-needed" basis.  

Before your first session, you may want to talk things over with your music therapist so you know what to expect and can check in with your primary care physician if needed.

Aigen KS. The Study of Music Therapy: Current Issues and Concepts . Routledge & CRC Press. New York; 2013. doi:10.4324/9781315882703

Jasemi M, Aazami S, Zabihi RE. The effects of music therapy on anxiety and depression of cancer patients . Indian J Palliat Care . 2016;22(4):455-458. doi:10.4103/0973-1075.191823

Chung J, Woods-Giscombe C. Influence of dosage and type of music therapy in symptom management and rehabilitation for individuals with schizophrenia . Issues Ment Health Nurs . 2016;37(9):631-641. doi:10.1080/01612840.2016.1181125

MacDonald R, Kreutz G, Mitchell L. Music, Health, and Wellbeing . Oxford; 2012. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199586974.001.0001

Monti E, Austin D. The dialogical self in vocal psychotherapy . Nord J Music Ther . 2018;27(2):158-169. doi:10.1080/08098131.2017.1329227

American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). Music therapy with specific populations: Fact sheets, resources & bibliographies .

Wang CF, Sun YL, Zang HX. Music therapy improves sleep quality in acute and chronic sleep disorders: A meta-analysis of 10 randomized studies . Int J Nurs Stud . 2014;51(1):51-62. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2013.03.008

Bidabadi SS, Mehryar A. Music therapy as an adjunct to standard treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder and co-morbid anxiety and depression: A randomized clinical trial . J Affect Disord . 2015;184:13-7. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2015.04.011

Kamioka H, Tsutani K, Yamada M, et al. Effectiveness of music therapy: A summary of systematic reviews based on randomized controlled trials of music interventions . Patient Prefer Adherence . 2014;8:727-754. doi:10.2147/PPA.S61340

Raglio A, Attardo L, Gontero G, Rollino S, Groppo E, Granieri E. Effects of music and music therapy on mood in neurological patients . World J Psychiatry . 2015;5(1):68-78. doi:10.5498/wjp.v5.i1.68

Altenmüller E, Schlaug G. Apollo’s gift: New aspects of neurologic music therapy . Prog Brain Res . 2015;217:237-252. doi:10.1016/bs.pbr.2014.11.029

Werner J, Wosch T, Gold C. Effectiveness of group music therapy versus recreational group singing for depressive symptoms of elderly nursing home residents: Pragmatic trial . Aging Ment Health . 2017;21(2):147-155. doi:10.1080/13607863.2015.1093599

Dunbar RIM, Kaskatis K, MacDonald I, Barra V. Performance of music elevates pain threshold and positive affect: Implications for the evolutionary function of music . Evol Psychol . 2012;10(4):147470491201000420. doi:10.1177/147470491201000403

Pavlicevic M, O'neil N, Powell H, Jones O, Sampathianaki E. Making music, making friends: Long-term music therapy with young adults with severe learning disabilities . J Intellect Disabil . 2014;18(1):5-19. doi:10.1177/1744629513511354

Chang YS, Chu H, Yang CY, et al. The efficacy of music therapy for people with dementia: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials . J Clin Nurs . 2015;24(23-24):3425-40. doi:10.1111/jocn.12976

Aalbers S, Fusar-Poli L, Freeman RE, et al. Music therapy for depression . Cochrane Database Syst Rev . 2017;11:CD004517. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004517.pub3

Trimmer C, Tyo R, Naeem F. Cognitive behavioural therapy-based music (CBT-music) group for symptoms of anxiety and depression . Can J Commun Ment Health . 2016;35(2):83-87. doi:10.7870/cjcmh-2016-029

Jespersen KV, Koenig J, Jennum P, Vuust P. Music for insomnia in adults . Cochrane Database Syst Rev . 2015;(8):CD010459. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010459.pub2

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Effectiveness of music therapy: a summary of systematic reviews based on randomized controlled trials of music interventions

Hiroharu kamioka.

1 Faculty of Regional Environment Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan

Kiichiro Tsutani

2 Department of Drug Policy and Management, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

Minoru Yamada

3 Kyoto University Graduate School Research, Kyoto, Japan

Hyuntae Park

4 Department of Functioning Activation, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan

Hiroyasu Okuizumi

5 Mimaki Onsen (Spa) Clinic, Tomi, Nagano, Japan

Koki Tsuruoka

6 Graduate School of Social Services, Japan College of Social Work, Tokyo, Japan

Takuya Honda

7 Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan

Shinpei Okada

8 Physical Education and Medicine Research Foundation, Tomi, Nagano, Japan

Sang-Jun Park

Jun kitayuguchi.

9 Physical Education and Medicine Research Center Unnan, Shimane, Japan

Takafumi Abe

Shuichi handa, takuya oshio.

10 Social Welfare Service Corporation CARE-PORT MIMAKI, Tomi, Nagano, Japan

Yoshiteru Mutoh

11 The Research Institute of Nippon Sport Science University, Tokyo, Japan

Associated Data

References to studies excluded in this review

Abbreviations: NICU, neonatal intensive care unit; RCT, randomized controlled trial; SR, systematic review.

The objective of this review was to summarize evidence for the effectiveness of music therapy (MT) and to assess the quality of systematic reviews (SRs) based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Study design

An SR of SRs based on RCTs.

Studies were eligible if they were RCTs. Studies included were those with at least one treatment group in which MT was applied. We searched the following databases from 1995 to October 1, 2012: MEDLINE via PubMed, CINAHL (Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature), Web of Science, Global Health Library, and Ichushi-Web. We also searched all Cochrane Database and Campbell Systematic Reviews up to October 1, 2012. Based on the International Classification of Diseases , 10th revision, we identified a disease targeted for each article.

Twenty-one studies met all inclusion criteria. This study included 16 Cochrane reviews. As a whole, the quality of the articles was very good. Eight studies were about “Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-99)”; there were two studies on “Diseases of the nervous system (G00-99)” and “Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-99)”; and there was one study each for “Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-90)”, “Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-99)”, and “Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O60)”. MT treatment improved the following: global and social functioning in schizophrenia and/or serious mental disorders, gait and related activities in Parkinson’s disease, depressive symptoms, and sleep quality.

This comprehensive summary of SRs demonstrated that MT treatment improved the following: global and social functioning in schizophrenia and/or serious mental disorders, gait and related activities in Parkinson’s disease, depressive symptoms, and sleep quality. MT may have the potential for improving other diseases, but there is not enough evidence at present. Most importantly, no specific adverse effect or harmful phenomenon occurred in any of the studies, and MT was well tolerated by almost all patients.

Article focus

Although many studies have reported the effects of music therapy (MT), there is no review of systematic reviews (SRs) based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Key messages

The key messages of this paper are as follows.

• This is the first SR of SRs of the effectiveness of cure based on music interventions in studies with RCT designs.
• Our study is unique because it summarizes the evidence for each target disease according to the International Classification of Diseases , revision 10 (ICD-10).
• We propose the future research agenda for studies on the treatment effect of MT.

Strength and limitation of this study

The strengths of this study are as follows: 1) the methods and implementation registered high on the PROSPERO database; 2) it was a comprehensive search strategy across multiple databases with no data restrictions; and 3) there were high agreement levels for quality assessment of articles.

This study has three limitations. Firstly, some selection criteria were common across studies; however, the bias remained due to differences in eligibility for participation in each original RCT. Secondly, publication bias was a limitation. Lastly, since this review focused on summarizing the effects of MT for each disease, we did not describe all details on quality and quantity, such as type of MT, frequency of MT, and time on MT.

Introduction

MT is widely utilized for treatment of and assistance in various diseases. In one literature review, the authors found seven case reports/series and seven studies on MT for multiple sclerosis patients. The results of these studies as well as the case reports demonstrated patients’ improvements in the domains of self-acceptance, anxiety, and depression. 1 Another review examined the overall efficacy of MT in children and adolescents with psychopathology, and examined how the size of the effect of MT is influenced by the type of pathology, the subject’s age, the MT approach, and the type of outcome. 2 The analysis revealed that MT had a medium to large positive effect (effect size =0.61) on clinically relevant outcomes that was statistically highly significant ( P <0.001) and statistically homogeneous. A more recent SR assessed the effects of musical elements in the treatment of individuals with acquired neurological disorder. 3 The results showed that mechanisms of recovery remained unclear: two of the three studies that examined mechanisms of recovery via neuro-imaging techniques supported the role of the right hemisphere, but reports were contradictory, and exact mechanisms of recovery remained indefinable. An interesting meta-analysis described results that justified strong consideration for the inclusion of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) MT protocols in best practice standards for NICU treatment of preterm infants: examples of these therapies were listening to music for pacification, music reinforcement of sucking/feeding ability, and music as a basis for pacification during multilayered, multimodal stimulation. 4

Examining the curative effects of MT has unique challenges. A review article by Nilsson 5 described how nurses face many challenges as they care for the needs of hospitalized patients, and that they often have to prioritize physical care over the patient’s emotional, spiritual, and psychological needs. In clinical practice, music intervention can be a tool to support these needs by creating an environment that stimulates and maintains relaxation, wellbeing, and comfort. Furthermore, the Nilsson article 5 presented a concrete recommendation for music interventions in clinical practice, such as “slow and flowing music, approximately 60 to 80 beats per minute”, “nonlyrical”, “maximum volume level at 60 dB”, “patient’s own choice, with guidance”, “suitable equipment chosen for the specific situation”, “a minimum duration of 30 minutes in length”, and “measurement, follow up, and documentation of the effects”. In addition, MT has been variably applied as both a primary and accessory treatment for persons with addictions to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs of abuse. However, an SR 6 described that no consensus exists regarding the efficacy of MT as treatment for patients with addictions.

On the other hand, music may be considered an adjunctive therapy in clinical situations. Music is effective in reducing anxiety and pain in children undergoing medical and dental procedures. 7 A meta-analysis confirmed that patients listening to music during colonoscopy, which is now the recommended method for screening colon cancer, was an effective method for reducing procedure time, anxiety, and the amount of sedation. More importantly, no harmful effects were observed for all the target studies. 8 The usual practice following a cervical cancer abnormal cervical smear is to perform a colposcopy. However, women experience high levels of anxiety and negative emotional responses at all stages of cervical screening. An SR of RCTs evaluated interventions designed to reduce anxiety levels during colposcopic examination. Psychosexual dysfunction (ie, anxiety) was reduced by playing music during colposcopy. 9

The definition of musical intervention is complex, but the literature describes two broad categories of music interventions: music medicine and MT. 10 Music medicine is the use of passive listening (usually involving prerecorded music) as implemented by medical personnel. In music medicine studies, the subject’s preference for the music used may be considered by having him or her select from a variety of tapes. Alternately, some studies use predefined music stimuli that do not take the subject’s preferences into account. Furthermore, there is generally no attempt by the researcher to form a therapeutic relationship with the subject, and there is no process involved in the music treatment. In essence, music medicine studies usually allow one to assess the effects of music alone as a therapeutic intervention. In contrast, MT interventions most often involve a relationship between the therapist and the subject, the use of live music (performed or created by the therapist and/or patient), and a process that includes assessment, treatment, and evaluation. Patient preference for the music is usually a consideration in MT studies.

We were interested in evaluating the curative effect of MT according to diseases because many of the primary studies and review articles of much MT have reported results in this way. In particular, we wanted to focus on all cure and rehabilitation effects using the ICD-10. It is well known in research design that evidence grading is highest for an SR with meta-analysis of RCTs. Although many studies have reported the effects of MT, there is no review of SRs based on RCTs. The objective of this review was to summarize evidence for the effectiveness of MT and to assess the quality of SRs based on RCTs of these therapies.

Criteria for considering studies included in this review

Types of studies.

Studies were eligible if they were SRs (with or without a meta-analysis) based on RCTs.

Types of participants

There was no restriction on patients.

Types of intervention and language

Studies included were those with at least one treatment group in which MT was applied. The definition of MT is complex, but in this study, any kind of MT (not only music appreciation but also musical instrument performance and singing, for example) was permitted and defined as an intervention. Studies had to include information on the use of medication, alternative therapies, and lifestyle changes, and these had to be comparable among groups. There was no restriction on the basis of language.

Types of outcome measures

We focused on all cure and rehabilitation effects using the ICD-10.

Search methods for studies identification

Bibliographic database.

We searched the following databases from 1995 to October 1, 2012: MEDLINE via PubMed, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Web of Science, Ichushi Web (in Japanese), the Global Health Library (GHL), and the Western Pacific Region Index Medicus (WPRIM). The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommended uniform requirements for manuscripts submitted to biomedical journals in 1993. We selected articles published (that included a protocol) since 1995, because it appeared that the ICMJE recommendation had been adopted by the relevant researchers and had strengthened the quality of the reports.

We also searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Cochrane Reviews), the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (Other Reviews), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Clinical Trials or CENTRAL), the Cochrane Methodology Register (Methods Studies), the Health Technology Assessment Database (Technology Assessments), the NHS Economic Evaluation Database (Economic Evaluations), About The Cochrane Collaboration databases (Cochrane Groups), the Campbell Systematic Reviews (the Campbell Collaboration), and the All Cochrane, up to October 1, 2012.

All searches were performed by two specific searchers (hospital librarians) who were qualified in medical information handling, and who were experienced in searches of clinical trials.

Search strategies

The special search strategies contained the elements and terms for MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Ichushi Web, GHL, WPRIM, and All Cochrane databases ( Figure 1 and Table 1 ). Only keywords about intervention were used for the searches. First, titles and abstracts of identified published articles were reviewed in order to determine the relevance of the articles. Next, references in relevant studies and identified SRs were screened.

Flowchart of trial process.

Note: *Reduplication.

Abbreviations: CINAHL, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature; CENTRAL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; RCT, randomized controlled trial; SR, systematic review.

The special search strategies

Registry checking

We searched the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), ClinicalTrials.gov , and the University Hospital Medical Information Network – Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR), up to October 1, 2012.

ICTRP in the WHO Registry Network meet specific criteria for content, quality and validity, accessibility, unique identification, technical capacity, and administration. Primary registries meet the requirements of the ICMJE. Clinical ClinicalTrials.gov is a registry of federally and privately supported clinical trials conducted in the US and around the world. UMIN-CTR is a registry of clinical trials conducted in Japan and around the world.

Handsearching and reference checking

We handsearched abstracts published on MT in relevant journals in Japan. We checked the references of included studies for further relevant literature.

Review methods

Selection of trials.

To make the final selection of studies for the review, all criteria were applied independently by four authors (ie, TH, JK, SJP, and TA) to the full text of articles that had passed the first eligibility screening ( Figure 1 ). Disagreements and uncertainties were resolved by discussion with other authors (ie, HK, KT, and YM).

Studies were selected when 1) the design was an SR based on RCTs and 2) one of the interventions was a form of MT. Protocols without results were excluded, and we included only completed studies. Cure and rehabilitation effects were used as a primary outcome measure. Trials that were excluded are presented with reasons for exclusion ( Table S1 ).

Quality assessment of included studies

To ensure that variation was not caused by systematic errors in the study design or execution, eleven review authors (HP, MY, HO, SO, SJP, TO, KT, TH, SH, JK, and HK) independently assessed the quality of the articles. A full quality appraisal of these papers was made using the combined tool based on the AMSTAR checklist 11 developed to assess the methodological quality of SRs.

Each item was scored as “present” (Yes), “absent” (No), “unclear or inadequately described” (Can not answer), or “not applicable” (n/a). Depending on the study design, some items were not applicable. The “n/a” was excluded from calculation for quality assessment. We displayed the percentage of descriptions that were present on all items for the quality assessment of articles. Then, based on the percentage of risk of poor methodology and/or bias, each item was assigned to one of the following categories: good description (80%–100%), poor description (50%–79%), or very poor description (0%–49%).

Disagreements and uncertainties were resolved by discussion with other authors (ie, KT and HK). Inter-rater reliability was calculated on a dichotomous scale using percentage agreement and Cohen’s kappa coefficient (κ).

Summary of studies and data extraction

Eleven review authors (HP, MY, HO, SO, SJP, TH, TO, SH, JK, KT, and HK) described the summary from each article based on the structured abstracts. 12 , 13

Benefit and harm

The GRADE Working Group 14 reported that the balance between benefit and harm, quality of evidence, applicability, and the certainty of the baseline risk were all considered in judgments about the strength of recommendations. Adverse events for intervention were especially important information for researchers and users of clinical practice guidelines, and we presented this information with the description of each article.

Research protocol registration

We submitted and registered our research protocol to the PROSPERO (no 42012002950). PROSPERO is an international database of prospectively registered SRs in health and social care. 15 Key features from the review protocol are recorded and maintained as a permanent record in PROSPERO. This provides a comprehensive listing of SRs registered at inception, and enables comparison of reported review findings with what was planned in the protocol. PROSPERO is managed by UK Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) and funded by the UK National Institute for Health Research. Registration was recommended because it encourage full publication of the review’s findings and transparency in changes to methods that could bias findings. 16

Study selection

The literature searches included potentially relevant articles ( Figure 1 ). Abstracts from those articles were assessed, and 63 papers were retrieved for further evaluation (checks for relevant literature). Forty-two publications were excluded because they did not meet the eligibility criteria ( Table S1 ). A total of 21 studies 17 – 37 met all inclusion criteria ( Table 1 ). The language of all eligible publications was English.

Study characteristics

The contents of all articles were summarized as structured abstracts ( Table 2 ). Sinha et al 17 reported that there was no evidence that auditory integration therapy or other sound therapies are effective as treatments for autism spectrum disorders. Mossler et al 18 concluded that MT as an addition to standard care helps people with schizophrenia to improve their global state, mental state (including negative symptoms), and social functioning if a sufficient number of MT sessions are provided by qualified music therapists. Bradt et al 19 indicated that music interventions may have beneficial effects on anxiety, pain, mood, and quality of life (QoL) in people with cancer. Bradt and Dileo 20 reported that there may be a benefit of MT on QoL of people in end-of-life care. Vink et al 21 reported that the methodological quality and the reporting of the included studies on dementia were too poor to draw any useful conclusions. Bradt et al 22 indicated that listening to music may have a beneficial effect on heart rate, respiratory rate, and anxiety in mechanically ventilated patients. Cepeda et al 23 reported that listening to music reduces pain intensity levels and opioid requirements on patients with chronic, acute, neuropathic, and cancer pain or experimental pain, but the magnitude of these benefits is small and therefore its clinical importance unclear. Bradt et al 24 reported that rhythmic auditory stimulation might be beneficial for gait improvement in people with stroke. Gold et al 25 indicated that MT may help children with autistic spectrum disorder to improve their communicative skills. Laopaiboon et al 26 indicated that music during planned cesarean section under regional anesthesia may improve pulse rate and birth satisfaction score. Bradt and Dileo 27 reported that listening to music may have a beneficial effect on blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, anxiety, and pain in persons with coronary heart disease. Maratos et al 28 suggested that MT is accepted by people with depression and is associated with improvements in mood, but the small number and low methodological quality of studies meant that it is not possible to be confident about its effectiveness. de Dreu et al 29 reported that music-based movement therapy appeared promising for the improvement of gait and gait-related activities in Parkinson’s disease. Cogo-Moreira et al 30 concluded that there is no evidence available on which to base a judgment about the effectiveness of music education for the improvement of reading skills in children and adolescents with dyslexia. Drahota et al 31 reported that music may improve patient-reported outcomes in certain circumstances such as anxiety for hospital patients. Chan et al 32 concluded that listening to music over a period of time helps to reduce depressive symptoms in the adult population. Naylor et al 33 reported that there is limited qualitative evidence to support the effectiveness of music on health-related outcomes for children and adolescents with clinical diagnoses. Irons et al 34 concluded that because no studies that met the criteria were found, their review was unable to support or refute the benefits of singing as a therapy for people with cystic fibrosis. Irons et al 35 reported that they could not draw any conclusion to support or refute the adoption of singing as an intervention for people with bronchiectasis because of the absence of data. de Niet et al 36 concluded that music-assisted relaxation could be without intensive investment in training and materials and is therefore cheap, easily available and can be used by nurses to promote music-assisted relaxation to improve sleep quality. Gold et al 37 reported that MT is an effective treatment which helps people with psychotic and nonpsychotic severe mental disorders to improve global state, symptoms, and functioning.

A structured abstract of 21 systematic reviews

Abbreviations: ASSIA, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts; BPRS, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; CAG, Cochrane Airways Group; CAIRSS, Computer-Assisted Information Retrieval System; CCDANCTR, Cochrane Collaboration Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Controlled Trials Register; CDCIG, Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group; CENTRAL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; CHD, coronary heart disease; CI, confidence interval; CINAHL, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature; ERIC, Education Resource Information Centre; Ham-D, Hamilton Depression Scale; ICTRP, International Clinical Trials Registry Platform; LILACS, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature; MbM, music-based movement; MD, mean difference; MeSH, Medical Subject Headings; NIH, National Institutes of Health; NNT, number needed to treat; PANSS, Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale; PD, Parkinson’s disease; PEDro, Physiotherapy Evidence Database; QoL, quality of life; RAS, rhythmic auditory stimulation; RCT, randomized controlled trial; RR, risk ratio; SANS, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms; SDS, Self-rating Depression Scale; SDSI, Social Disability Schedule for Inpatients; SES, summary effect size; SMD, standardized mean difference; STAI-S, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory – State; UPDRS, Unifed Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale; WHO, World Health Organization.

Based on ICD-10, we identified a disease targeted in each article ( Table 3 ). Among 21 studies, eight studies were about “Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-99)”. There were two studies in “Diseases of the nervous system (G00-99)” and “Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-99)”, and one study in “Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-90)”, “Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-99)”, and “Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O60)”. Because there were a variety of target diseases, there were six articles in which we could not identify a single disease.

International classification of target diseases in each article

Abbreviation: ICD, International Classification of Diseases.

Evidence of effectiveness

Table 4 presents a brief summary of 21 SRs. Five studies (ie, schizophrenia for global and mental state and social functioning, 18 Parkinson’s disease for gait and related activities, 29 depressive symptoms, 32 sleep quality, 36 and serious mental disorders for global and social functioning 37 ) concluded that there are effects of the intervention.

Brief summary of 21 systematic reviews

Abbreviation: QoL, quality of life

Ten studies with a meta-analysis (ie, cancer for anxiety, pain, mood, and QoL, 19 advanced life-limiting illness for QoL, 20 mechanically ventilated patients for heart rate, respiratory rate, and anxiety, 22 multiple pain for intensity level and opioid requirement, 23 acquired brain injury for gait parameters, 24 autistic spectrum disorders for communicative skills, 25 cesarean section for heart rate and birth satisfaction, 26 coronary heart disease for blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, anxiety, and pain, 27 hospital patients for self-reported outcomes such as anxiety, 31 and various clinical conditions for health outcomes in children with learning and developmental disorder 33 ) concluded that there might be an effect of the intervention. An SR without a meta-analysis of depression reported that there might be an effect of the intervention. 28

Two studies (ie, autism spectrum 17 and dementia 21 ) described that the effect of intervention is unclear. There was no evidence for three studies (ie, dyslexia, 30 cystic fibrosis, 34 and bronchiectasis 35 ) because they were not RCTs.

Adverse events

There were no specific adverse events in any of the studies.

Quality assessment

We evaluated eleven items from the AMSTAR checklist in more detail ( Table 5 ). Inter-rater reliability metrics for the quality assessment indicated substantial agreement for all 231 items (percentage agreement 95.3% and κ =0.825). As a whole, the quality of the articles was very good.

AMSTAR is a measurement tool created to assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews

Abbreviations: CENTRAL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; MeSH, Medical Subject Headings; Can’t, can not.

This is the first SR of SRs of the effectiveness of cure based on music interventions in studies with RCT designs. Our study is unique because it summarized the evidence for each target disease according to ICD-10 classification. We assume that this study will be helpful to researchers who want to grasp an effect of MT comprehensively and could provide information that is indispensable for the organization that is going to make the guidelines according to each disease.

Twenty-one SRs based on RCTs were identified, and music intervention was clearly effective for five diseases (ie, schizophrenia for global and mental state and social functioning, Parkinson’s disease for gait and related activities, depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and serious mental disorders for global and social functioning).

A review of all SRs showed that there was no special adverse effect or harm associated with MT.

Tendency of target disease and outcome

The most commonly reported target diseases were “Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-99)”, 17 , 18 , 21 , 25 , 28 , 30 , 32 , 36 and the effect of MT on these diseases was improved mental health (eg, anxiety and mood), pain, QoL, and communication skills. The main reason given in these articles for improved mental health was that the beauty and rhythm of the music tone allowed the patient to be comfortable. In studies about the effects of MT on anxiety, discomfort, fear, and pain, MT has been variably applied as an accessory treatment for persons with addictions, 6 and as evasion of direct discomfort for undergoing medical device procedures such as colonoscopy, 8 colposcopy 9 and dental procedures. 7

The second most frequently reported target diseases were “Diseases of the nervous system (G00-99)”, 24 , 29 and the effects of MT on these diseases showed commonly gait parameters. MT is expected to improve gait and related activities such as rehabilitation in diseases of the central nervous system. There were also several studies that identified “Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-99).” 22 , 35 Improvements seen in these studies were mainly due to effects of singing on breathing function, such as respiratory rate, and on the circulation function, such as heart rate.

Validity of overall evidence based on quality assessment

We performed an evaluation of all SRs by the AMSTAR checklist developed to assess the methodological quality of SRs. There were no serious problems with the conduct and reporting of all target studies. This study included 16 Cochrane Reviews. 17 – 28 , 30 , 31 , 34 , 35 In the Cochrane Reviews, the eligibility criteria for a meta-analysis are strict, and for each article, heterogeneity and low quality of reporting are to first be excluded. Therefore, we assumed that the conclusion of each SR had enough validity.

Overall evidence

Most importantly, a specific adverse effect or harmful phenomenon did not occur in any study, and MT was well tolerated by almost all patients. MT treatment has positive effects for the following: schizophrenia and/or serious mental disorders for global and social functioning, Parkinson’s disease for gait and related activities, depressive symptoms, and sleep quality. We assume that the direct effects of MT are generally improvement of mental health and sense of rhythm, and reduction of pain. In addition, we assume that communication with other people improves through music, the sense of isolation disappears, and QoL rises.

Although further accumulation of RCT data is necessary, MT may be effective treatment for the following diseases and symptoms: cancer and/or advanced life-limiting illnesses affecting mental state and QoL, mechanically ventilated patients with impaired respiratory function and mental state, chronic pain requiring opioid treatment, acquired brain injury affecting gait parameters, autistic spectrum disorders involving communicative skills, cesarean section effects on heart rate and birth satisfaction, coronary heart disease effects on circulatory, respiratory function, and mental state, and self-reported outcomes for hospitalized patients and other patients with various clinical conditions. These SRs describe the need for additional high quality RCTs to assess the effect of MT.

Future research agenda to build evidence

Table 6 shows the future research agenda for studies on the treatment effect of MT. Because only SRs of RCTs were included in this study, their characteristic study designs limited our results to the assessment of short-term effects. Even if a study is not an RCT design, it is necessary to evaluate the long-term effects.

Future research agenda to build evidence of music therapy

Because studies of intervention using music vary in design, a consensus of the framework is necessary. 10 In this study, examination according to a detailed intervention method was not possible, but it would be important for future studies to define MT. Furthermore, studies to assess dose–response relationships according to each disease are clearly necessary. 18

Bowen et al 38 suggested that public health is moving toward the goal of implementing evidence-based intervention. However, the feasibility of possible interventions and whether comprehensive and multilevel evaluations are needed to justify them must be determined. It is at least necessary to show the cost of such interventions. We must introduce an interventional method based on its cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness, and cost-utility.

In addition, MT as an intervention is unique and completely different than pharmacological or traditional rehabilitation methods. Therefore, it may be necessary to add some original items like herbal intervention, 39 aquatic exercise, 40 and balneotherapy 41 to the CONSORT 2010 checklist as alternative or complementary medicines.

Strength and limitations

This review has several strengths: 1) the methods and implementation registered high on the PROSPERO database; 2) it was a comprehensive search strategy across multiple databases with no data restrictions; 3) there were high agreement levels for quality assessment of articles; and 4) it involved detailed data extraction to allow for collecting all articles’ content into a recommended structured abstract.

This review also had several limitations that should be acknowledged. Firstly, some selection criteria were common across studies, as described above; however, bias remained due to differences in eligibility for participation in each original RCT. Secondly, publication bias was a limitation. Although there was no linguistic restriction in the eligibility criteria, we searched studies with only English and Japanese keywords. Thirdly, in order to be specific to SRs based on RCTs, it ignores some excellent results of primary research by other research designs. Fourthly, as a point of terminology for MT, because we applied a broad definition to the use of music in medicine, it may be more confusing or a bit misleading in the cultural context of Western health care.

In addition, since this review focused on summaries of effects of MT for each disease, we did not describe all details on quality and quantity such as type of MT, frequency of MT, and time on MT. Moreover, we could not follow standard procedures as estimates of the effects of moderating variables. Finally, because we broadly defined MT as music appreciation, musical instrument performance, and singing, we could not assess a specific intervention.

This comprehensive summary of SRs demonstrates that MT treatment improved the following: global and social functioning in schizophrenia and/or serious mental disorders, gait and related activities in Parkinson’s disease, depressive symptoms, and sleep quality. MT may have the potential for improving other diseases, but there is not enough evidence at present. Most importantly, a specific adverse effect or harmful phenomenon did not occur in any of the studies, and MT was well tolerated by almost all patients.

To most effectively assess the potential benefits of MT, it will be important for future research to explore 1) long-term effects, 2) a consensus of the framework of music intervention, 3) dose–response relationships, 4) the cost of the intervention, and 5) development of the original check item in MT.

Supplementary material

Acknowledgments.

We would like to express our appreciation to Ms Aya Maruyama (methodology of MT), Ms Rie Higashino, Ms Yoko Ikezaki, Ms Rinako Kai (paperwork), and Ms Satoko Sayama and Ms Mari Makishi (all searches of studies) for their assistance in this study.

This study was supported by the Health and Labour Sciences Research Grants (Research on Health Security Control ID No H24-021; representative Dr K Tsutani) from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan in 2012.

Author contributions

All authors made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data. All authors took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content.

Ethical approval

No ethical approval was required.

Data sharing

No additional data are available.

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

What are the Benefits of Music Therapy?

After World War II, a new profession entered the arena – music therapy. With far-reaching benefits and in a variety of settings, the types and methods of music therapy have had a profound impact.

Used in conjunction with traditional therapies, positive psychology, and even as a stand-alone intervention, music therapy offers a variety of benefits. It is these benefits we will evaluate here.

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This Article Contains:

6 proven benefits of music therapy.

• What are the goals and objectives of music therapy?

What Effects Can Music Therapy Have on a Client?

What can music therapy be used for, 9 interesting facts and statistics, a look at the nordoff-robbins approach, relaxation and music therapy, 4 music therapy ideas and interventions, 12 recommended songs commonly used, 10 music therapy activities and exercises for adults, 5 group ideas and activities, technologies to support music therapy interventions, using music therapy in schools, music therapy for children, 5 ideas for kids, a take-home message.

Jillian Levy (2017) shares the six major health benefits of music therapy:

• Music therapy reduces anxiety and physical effects of stress
• It improves healing
• It can help manage Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease
• Music therapy reduces depression and other symptoms in the elderly
• It helps to reduce symptoms of psychological disorders including schizophrenia
• Music therapy improves self-expression and communication

What are the Goals and Objectives of Music Therapy?

This may include, for example, improving motor function, social skills, emotions, coordination, self-expression and personal growth (Therapedia, n.d.).

Common goals in music therapy, as identified by Everyday Harmony (n.d.) are the development of:

• Communication skills (using vocal/verbal sounds and gestures)
• Social skills (making eye contact, turn-taking, initiating interaction, and self-esteem)
• Sensory skills (through touch, listening, and levels of awareness)
• Physical skills (fine and gross motor control and movement)
• Cognitive skills (concentration and attention, imitation, and sequencing)
• Emotional skills (expression of feelings non-verbally)

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Music can affect a client’s attention, emotion, cognition, behavior, and communication (Koelsch et al., 2009). It can also help bring about relaxation and pleasure (Koelsch et al., 2009). Music also affects perception (Koelsch et al., 2009). Training in music promotes an individual’s skills in the decoding of acoustic features, such as pitch height and frequency modulation (Koelsch et al., 2009).

Music has various effects on the activity of a large range of brain structures (Koelsch et al., 2009). Functional neuroimaging studies have shown that listening to music can have effects on the core structures of emotional processing (the limbic and paralimbic structures) in both musicians and ‘non-musicians’ (Koelsch et al., 2009).

The peripheral physiological effects of listening to music and making music are still being looked into (Koelsch et al., 2009). However, given the effects of emotion on the autonomic nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system – and the fact that music has the power to evoke and modulate emotions – Koelsch and colleagues (2009) suggest that music therapy may be used to treat disorders associated with dysfunctions and imbalances within these systems.

Music therapy can be used for facilitating movement and overall physical rehabilitation and motivating clients to cope with treatment. It can provide emotional support for clients and their families, and provide an outlet for expression of feelings.

Credentialed music therapists can work with patients with an acquired brain injury (AMI). For example, music therapy helped congresswoman Gabby Giffords to regain her speech after she survived a bullet wound to her brain. Music therapy can be used to lessen the effects of dementia, reduce asthma episodes in both children and adults and help reduce pain in hospitalized patients.

Music therapy can also be used to help children with autism spectrum disorder to improve their communication capabilities. Furthermore, it can help premature infants improve sleep patterns and increase their weight gain. Finally, music therapy can be used to help individuals with Parkinson’s disease to improve motor function.

• 86% of users of the Nordoff-Robbins music therapy services said that music therapy had enabled them to develop social skills and interaction (Nordoff Robbins, n.d.)
• Your heartbeat changes to mimic the music that you listen to
• Distinguishing changes in sounds were found to be equipped in those as small as a developing fetus
• Listening to happy vs. sad music can affect the way you perceive the world around you
• An “earworm” is a song that you can’t seem to get out of your head
• A ‘brain itch’ is a need for the brain to fill in the gaps in a song’s rhythm
• Music triggers activity in the same part of the brain that releases dopamine (the ‘pleasure chemical’)
• Music triggers networks of neurons into an organized movement
• Learning a musical instrument can improve fine motor and reasoning skills

These interesting facts were sourced from Ashley Blodgett (2015).

How music can heal our brain and heart – Kathleen M. Howland

The following information was found on the Nordoff Robbins website .

In the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the Nordoff-Robbins approach was developed by Paul Nordoff (an American composer and pianist) and Clive Robbins (a teacher of children with special needs from Britain). This is not a ‘method’. It is an approach designed to harness every person’s potential for engagement in active, communicative, expressive music-making.

The Nordoff-Robbins approach began as a form of collaborative music-making used to engage vulnerable and isolated children. Nordoff and Robbins term this ‘therapy in music’.

The Nordoff-Robbins approach emphasizes the importance of music-making in developing skills, a sense of self and a capacity for satisfying social interaction. It recognizes that all people, regardless of pathology, illness, disability, trauma or social isolation have the potential to make music.

The approach is well known for its work with children and adults with learning difficulties. This is because, like all forms of music therapy, the work has a non-verbal basis.

Every music therapist using the Nordoff-Robbins approach thinks strategically. Using their musical abilities, they help people in ways that are specific to each person, each group, or each community.

While most of us would agree that music can be relaxing, how is relaxation promoted with music therapy? To begin with, music can lead to relaxation of tense muscles. When you allow your muscles to relax and loosen your body, your mind relaxes too. Music is fun, cheap, and simple. It can decrease all the tension, worries and stress you may not even have been aware of (Scott, 2018).

Listening to music can also enhance other stress-relieving activities. For example, it can aid in practicing yoga , self-hypnosis or guided imagery . In other words, music can enhance the stress-relieving properties of other relaxing activities (Scott, 2018).

Music can also help the brain reach a meditative state. This promotes relaxation. Listening to music may be a less intimidating way for a client to practice meditation (Scott, 2018).

1. Singalong

Fandom (n.d.) suggest that music therapy sessions for groups or individuals may include singing together in a way less formal than a choir.

The singalong may use a songbook of the music therapist’s repertoire, or plain copies of popular song lyrics (Fandom, n.d.). Participants could sing preferred and highly familiar songs by memory, or learn a new song by rote (Fandom, n.d.).

Singalongs encourage participation in a fun, music-making process (Fandom, n.d.). They can be used to meet various goals and objectives, including teaching breathing exercises (Fandom, n.d.).

2. ‘Blackout song-writing’ (Seibert, n.d.).

In this session, the therapist provides clients with the lyrics to 4 – 5 different choices of songs which represent recovery – such as overcoming barriers, support, or struggles. Then, clients are encouraged to take some time to read the lyrics of the song they choose, and to select words from the lyrics to make up their own song.

The idea is to ‘blackout’ the lyrics which the client does not want in the song and to use the words that they have chosen to create their own song.

3. Musical Hangman (Seibert, n.d.).

This idea is to draw a thematic picture on a board, and ask clients to guess the missing word before the picture loses its details – e.g. to try and guess the word before the tree loses all its’ leaves.

Then, choose a thematic word and find songs that start with each letter of that word. The aim is for clients to listen to the songs and try and guess the target word. For example, the word ‘happy’ may have the songs “Hey Jude”, “A Little Ray of Sunshine”, “Praying” and so on.

Each letter that is guessed correctly earns the corresponding song to play and sing. The therapist can even coordinate songs that share a thematic idea as well as matching the letter.

4. Blues Song-writing (Seibert, n.d.).

The music therapist explains the background of the blues, so that the client understands the basics – i.e. having a line A, repeating line A and a subsequent line B. Ask the client to share something that they may be feeling ‘blue’ about, and to think of a solution to the problem or a coping mechanism. Then, brainstorm ideas as to how to make the statements sound poetic in song-writing.

After each client has had a chance to write their ‘blues’, have a continuous improvisation/singalong. Sing each person’s ‘blues’ as a group, following the same melody line. This activity can be extended using an iPad: clients can improvise on the blues scale keyboard on the app ‘ GarageBand ’.

According to Rachel Rambach (2011), the following are twelve songs that every music therapist should know:

• ‘American Pie’
• ‘Amazing Grace’
• ‘Blue Suede Shoes’
• ‘Blue Skies’
• ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’
• ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’
• ‘Lean on me’
• ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’
• ‘Take Me to The Ballgame’
• ‘This Little Light of Mine’
• ‘You Are My Sunshine’

The following are research-based music therapy activities (interventions) for adults, found in Wigram and colleagues’ 2002 book.

• Improvisation
• Singing well-known songs
• Vibroacoustic therapy This is a receptive form of music therapy. It involves music being played through speakers which are built into a chair, mattress or bed (which the client lies in). Then, the client directly experiences the vibrations that are brought about by the music (Wigram, Pedersen & Bonde, 2002).
• Stress-reduction techniques
• Music and movement
• Folk dancing or social dancing
• Vibrotactile stimulation
• Music reminiscence
• Music stimulation
• Songwriting

For more information about any of these activities, Wigram et al. (2002) provide the scientific references associated with each activity on pages 193 – 194.

Music therapy in groups are well-known, and the following activities can help you with your next group session.

1. ‘Beach ball autonomy’ (Seibert, n.d.)

Use a blow-up beach ball and draw on a range of shapes. Inside each, write genres, styles and generic artists. Toss the ball to a client. Whichever shape their thumb lands on describes the next song selection.

The therapist encourages the client to choose a selection of appropriate songs so that the therapist can choose the preferred song for that individual. The client also gets to choose whether the group will play instruments, sing, dance, or just listen.

2. Drumming Emotions (Fandom, n.d.).

Each member of the group writes down one word to describe the emotion that they are feeling on a slip of paper. The paper is then put in a hat/bowl and group members take turns in selecting a different piece of paper. The person will then ‘perform’ (demonstrate) on the drum the emotion that is written on the paper. The rest of the group listens and tries to identify who in the group the emotion belongs to.

3. Conversation Drum Circle (Fandom, n.d.).

The group plays a beat, and in pairs take turns in a ‘musical dialogue’ exchange.

4. Name-That-Tune! (Fandom, n.d.).

The music therapist asks clients to form two or three teams and to come up with a team name. Play appropriate music and each team has a turn at earning points for stating the name of the song, the group or artist, or sharing interesting, relevant facts about the song.

It can also be fun to open up the guessing to the whole group if they are unable to identify the song. You could play “free-for-all” lightning rounds or use TV show themes, or popular movie soundtracks.

5. Music trivia (Fandom, n.d.).

This game challenges teams to answer trivia questions on music and pop-culture.

Some interventions invite active engagement, such as through dancing or playing instruments, while others require patients simply to listen to music.

Sometimes, music therapists prescribing passive interventions may choose to invite their clients to take part in these interventions outside of scheduled therapy sessions.

Many will do so with the support of technologies that allow them to design and distribute customized interventions digitally.

For example, besides in-person interventions, such as drumming or sing-alongs, a music therapist might invite their client to listen to guided imagery recordings containing music.

Using a digital psychotherapy platform such as Quenza (pictured here), these pre-recorded audio clips can be sent directly to the client’s smartphone or tablet according to a predetermined schedule.

Likewise, therapists can use platforms such as this to design and administer reflections or exercises that invite clients to explore their emotional reactions or cognitive responses to different music therapy interventions, thereby supplementing the in-person therapy experience.

This is just a couple of examples of how music therapists might adapt the functions of a blended care platform like Quenza to design holistic treatment solutions for their clients. If you’d like to learn more about designing different therapy interventions using Quenza, take a look at this dedicated psychoeducation interventions article.

Music therapy can be used with school-aged students in their school setting. Music therapy can be used at school to focus on higher level social and academic skills, including empathy, turn taking, compromise and problem-solving skills in social situations (Jacobson & Artman, 2013).

It can be used to promote academic understanding in mathematics, such as teaching math facts, telling the time, and money concepts. Music therapy can also target academic improvement in reading and writing. For example, music therapy improves phonic and sight words, and story elements (Jacobson & Artman, 2013).

In schools, music therapy can be used to improve children’s behavior and wellbeing. It can help children learn classroom rules, improving attention and focus, and promoting self-expression (Jacobson & Artman, 2013).

Finally, music therapy can be used in schools to improve social skills and communication . For example, it can help with “wh” questions (who, what, where, and when) and develop vocabulary (Jacobson & Artman, 2013).

Music therapy can also be used in Special Education settings. For example, a music therapist may work with a special needs student in the consideration of an Individual Education Program (IEP). They may work with the IEP team and the student’s family throughout the music therapy process (Jacobson & Artman, 2013).

Music therapy can be a useful way to meet the various psychosocial needs of children, through engagement in song-writing and improvisation. It can provide children with opportunities for self-expression and communication. Music therapy can also give children the opportunity to identify their strengths , providing a way for them to maintain a sense of self-esteem .

For infants and children, a music therapist can use live, familiar music in conjunction with physical, social and cognitive activities to stimulate development. This also promotes interaction and encourages participation and motivation in young children. In order to reduce irritability, pain or anxiety, the music therapist can use soothing music. This also encourages child and family bonding.

To help develop creative self-expression in infants and young children, the music therapist and child can make music together and write songs.

Adolescents can play a more active role in coming up with their own music therapy program. With a therapist, adolescents can explore a range of musical activities and select what feels right to them.

Possible activities for adolescents are song-writing, improvisation and/or singing the songs by their favorite artists or bands. Adolescents may like to use technology to produce personalized audio/visual projects. The use of live music in addition to relaxation techniques can be an effective way to help reduce pain and anxiety in adolescents.

Clinical music therapy may benefit children who are chronically ill (or are long-term hospital patients) or have a developmental delay. It can help children who have autism or are isolated or bed-bound. Music therapy can be used for children who are anxious or depressed, are physically impaired or are frequently admitted to the hospital. Finally, clinical music therapy may benefit children who have experienced trauma.

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Music Therapy and kids. Peanut butter and jelly. Try out these wonderful ideas.

1. Leader of the band (Fandom, n.d.).

The therapist can sing a little song about who’s turn it is to be the ‘leader of the band’. Demonstrate to the group appropriate directions (such as “start”, “stop”, “LOUD”, “fast”, “slooooow”) or anything that the group will understand.

You may choose a child who is cooperating and listening to directions to be the leader. Children are highly reinforced for their behavior when they get to have a turn in communicating their preferred directions to the whole group.

2. “The Hello Song” from Dragon Tales (Fandom, n.d.).

This song, based on simple chords, is a suitable ‘hello’ song for children under 8 years of age. It brings together social skills, interactive responses and allows an opportunity to greet each child individually. This activity also incorporates vocal and musical opposites such as “high” and “low” and “fast” and “slow”.

3. “Hot Potato” (Fandom, n.d.).

The group passes an object around in a circle, and when the music stops the person holding the object can – answer a question; ask a question; say something about themselves, or discuss something related to treatment.

4. ‘Music bingo’ (Fandom, n.d.)

Create bingo sheets for children that use songs instead of letters and numbers.

5. ‘Pictionary’ (Fandom, n.d.).

Prepare cue cards with song titles written on them for individuals to draw pictures of while their team attempts to guess the song.

We all can attest to the power of music, and using it to teach, calm, and encourage recovery, make it a viable therapy to consider.

We hope this article has given you an indication of some of the benefits of music therapy, and look forward to your feedback and examples where music therapy has benefited your clients.

Continue Reading: 17 Best Drama Therapy Techniques, Activities & Exercises

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free .

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Music therapy is one of the most important alternative therapies. Music, like any art form, is a way to find yourself. In my free time, I usually watch online streaming shows. I recently saw the Madama butterfly through Greek National Opera’s GNOTV

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dear madam, thank you verymuch for giving us the knowledge about a most valuable topic.i am a researcher about music therapy.it is realy interesting to do research about music therapy.i hope you will publish more articles about music therapy,and new things about the topic.thank you again and wish you all the best.

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Essay on Music Therapy

Students are often asked to write an essay on Music Therapy in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Music Therapy

Introduction.

Music therapy is a therapeutic technique that uses music to improve health. It’s used by certified professionals to promote emotional, cognitive and social well-being.

Types of Music Therapy

There are two types: active and receptive. In active therapy, individuals make music using instruments. In receptive therapy, individuals listen to music and discuss feelings.

Benefits of Music Therapy

Music therapy helps reduce stress and anxiety. It can also improve mood, concentration, and communication skills. It’s beneficial for all, especially those with mental health conditions.

Music therapy is a powerful tool for healing. It’s a unique way to express emotions and improve overall health.

250 Words Essay on Music Therapy

Music therapy is an evidence-based, clinical use of musical interventions to improve clients’ quality of life. Therapists are professionals trained in psychology and music, using the transformative power of music to enhance health and wellbeing in various settings.

Music Therapy: A Multifaceted Approach

Music therapy is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It can be passive, where individuals listen to music, or active, involving music creation. Techniques are tailored to individual needs, whether it’s to improve cognitive functioning, motor skills, emotional development, or social skills.

Neurological Underpinnings

Music therapy’s effectiveness is rooted in neurology. Music stimulates both hemispheres of the brain, promoting neural plasticity and aiding in recovery from neurological damage. The “Mozart Effect”, a theory suggesting that listening to Mozart’s music can increase IQ, exemplifies the potential neurological benefits of music.

Therapeutic Applications

Music therapy is used in diverse settings like hospitals, schools, and rehabilitation centers. It has proven beneficial for a range of conditions, from autism and dementia to depression and PTSD. The non-verbal, creative, and emotional qualities of music provide unique avenues for therapy.

The power of music therapy lies in its ability to tap into the fundamental human connection to music. This innovative therapy approach has the potential to revolutionize healthcare, offering a holistic, patient-centered method to enhance quality of life. As research continues, it’s clear that the therapeutic power of music is only beginning to be understood.

500 Words Essay on Music Therapy

Introduction to music therapy.

Music therapy, a rapidly evolving field in the realm of health and wellness, is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional. It is an intersection of music, psychology, and healthcare, aiming to improve the quality of life for individuals.

The Mechanism of Music Therapy

Music therapy operates on the principle that our brains process music in a unique way. It stimulates both hemispheres of the brain, making it a holistic treatment approach. Music can evoke emotions and memories, stimulate the release of endorphins, and alter our mood. These effects can be harnessed for therapeutic purposes, helping individuals express feelings they might struggle to put into words.

Applications of Music Therapy

Music therapy has a broad range of applications. It can be used in mental health treatment, aiding in managing stress, anxiety, and depression. It’s also employed in the field of neurology, where it helps patients with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and other cognitive disorders improve motor function and memory recall. In palliative care, music therapy can provide comfort and pain relief. Moreover, in educational settings, it can enhance learning and development in children with special needs.

Evidence Supporting Music Therapy

Empirical evidence validates the effectiveness of music therapy. A meta-analysis published in the Cochrane Library showed that music therapy improves social interaction, verbal communication, and initiating behavior in autistic children. Another study published in the Journal of Music Therapy demonstrated that music therapy can reduce anxiety levels in patients undergoing invasive procedures.

Challenges and Future Directions

Despite its potential, music therapy faces several challenges. The lack of standardized protocols, limited understanding of its mechanisms, and skepticism about its efficacy are some of the hurdles. However, with ongoing research and increasing acceptance in mainstream healthcare, the future of music therapy looks promising.

More research is needed to develop standardized treatment protocols and to understand the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning music therapy. Furthermore, interdisciplinary collaboration between music therapists, neuroscientists, psychologists, and healthcare professionals can foster a more comprehensive understanding of this field.

Music therapy is a potent tool in the arsenal of healthcare, offering a unique approach to treatment. It transcends traditional boundaries of therapy, harnessing the universal language of music to heal and uplift. As we continue to explore its potential, we can expect to see music therapy become an integral part of holistic healthcare, enhancing the quality of life for countless individuals.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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38 Music Therapy Research: Context, Methodology, and Current and Future Developments

Jane Edwards, Deakin University

• Published: 09 June 2015
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Music therapy is an evidence-based profession. Music therapy research aims to provide information about outcomes that support music therapy practice including contributing to theoretical perspectives that can explain why changes occur during treatment. Music therapy research has been conducted in a range of health, education, and community contexts throughout the world. Initially many music therapy developments in the university sector occurred through the establishment of training programmes that were developed and delivered by music therapists with professional experience in leading services in education and health care. Now many music therapy training programmes are led by people with practice experience along with research qualifications, and some universities offer music therapy doctoral pathways. Music therapy research capacity has expanded through a notable increase in PhD graduates as well as an increase in funded research in music therapy. This chapter covers: (1) traditions, (2) trends, and (3) contexts for music therapy research.

Introduction

Research is the process by which new knowledge is developed, existing knowledge is extended, and new theoretical frameworks are founded. In health care, research provides evidence for effective ways of working with patients or clients to achieve positive change; maintaining or improving optimal health and well-being. Research methods in health and education are characterized by a guiding research question or hypothesis, a theoretical or epistemological 1 orientation adopted by the researcher, a data source, and a selected method of data collection and analysis that is agreed in advance of the research commencing. All research is bound by an ethical code which is assured by approval from an Institutional Review Board, or an ethics committee. This process confirms that the processes of the research will cause no harm or discomfort to the participants, and will add value to existing knowledge.

Music therapy research is usually undertaken within the context of a university with outreach to recruit patients or students in health care or education. Initially music therapy in the university sector was built up through training programmes that were developed and delivered by people with professional experience in developing and leading music therapy services in education and health care. As higher education institutions across the world have become increasingly invested in all academic staff being research active including attaining PhDs and regularly applying for competitive research funding this has influenced the landscape of music therapy within the higher education environment. Increasingly it is unusual to find a course leader who does not either have a PhD or is working towards a PhD. Full-time permanent academic positions across the university context internationally usually require that the person has a PhD and a substantial body of work that has contributed to knowledge development in their specialist field.

Traditions of research in music therapy

In the fledgling years of music therapy research a commitment to quantitative methods within a strict positivist epistemology can be observed, especially in research publications within the USA. This was partly because of the influence of behavior modification as a technique in therapy practice ( Madsen et al. 1968 ). Modifying behavior that could be observed and measured was the goal of music therapy. Many researchers used randomized controlled trials (RCT) to examine the effects of music therapy on behaviors of clients. RCTs are studies in which participants are randomly assigned to either a music therapy treatment group, or to a control group which does not receive the treatment. The RCT is considered a gold standard within medical research ( Greenhalgh 2014 ). It is a highly effective method by which to test the effects and benefit of pharmacological medications. It can also show treatment outcomes when groups are compared where one group receives a treatment and another group, matched with the treatment group, do not (see Robb and Burns , this volume). Because of the alignment of music therapy with allied health, and the delivery of many music therapy services within medical contexts, the use of the RCT has been common in music therapy research ( Bradt 2012 ).

The most important historical development in this type of research was the introduction of randomization, where participants or subjects are randomly assigned to one of the groups, whether treatment, control, or placebo (see Robb and Burns , this volume). This random allocation to groups minimizes bias and increases the likelihood that the results of the research will be trustworthy.

In the later part of the twentieth century music therapy research reports using new methods entered the published literature, and references to new methods can be observed (for example, Aigen 1993 ; Amir 1993a , b ; Comeau 1991 ; Forinash 1992 ; Forinash and Gonzalez 1989 ; Langenberg et al. 1993 ). The early years of qualitative methods followed along the same route as other allied health research where qualitative inquiry or qualitative research became a commonly used descriptor ( Edwards 2012 ). Although qualitative is a useful description for many research methods it is not in and of itself a method. Distinctions between methods and epistemologies within qualitative traditions have not always been well defined in music therapy research reports ( Aigen 2008 ), and also in other allied health research writings ( Carter and Little 2007 ). In the maturation of music therapy research a wider range of methods and traditions have been engaged, and knowledge about different methods has become more elaborated and differentiated. It is now agreed that all methods have an underlying epistemology, and in using qualitative method research it is essential to be able to state ones position in relation to the theory of knowledge creation to which one subscribes ( Edwards 2012 ). Frequently used qualitative research methods in music therapy are grounded theory (see Daveson this volume; O’Callaghan 1996b ; 2012 ), and phenomenology ( Ghetti this volume).

An important distinction between research methods is whether they use inductive or deductive processes. Inductive refers to the way in which the researcher allows the information to be induced from the data during analysis ( O’Callaghan and McDermott 2004 ; O’Callaghan 1996a ). The researcher looks closely at the data, usually text or arts based, and reflects on the materials allowing meanings to emerge. Research which is deductive uses a pre-defined criteria to examine the data. For example, looking for particular incidences of a word in text or measuring a baseline behavior then providing treatment and following up with a further measure. Deductive might also refer to research in which the themes to be examined are decided in advance even when a qualitative method is used.

Research is published in journals following a process of anonymous peer review. A paper is submitted to just one journal and then the editor sends an anonymized version of the paper for review to at least two professionals with expertise in the area of the paper’s content. The reviewers read the paper and provide feedback to the editor about their opinion of the paper. Reviewers can recommend the paper should be published, or they can request revisions, or they can recommend that the paper be rejected. It is not unusual that articles are rejected. It can be because the editor or reviewers do not think the topic of the paper is relevant to the journal, or there can be issues of quality with the research that deem it unsuitable for publication. Many researchers make revisions to rejected papers and then submit them to another journal. It is unacceptable to submit to more than one journal at a time, and authors must sign a declaration at submission that the work has not been published elsewhere or been submitted for review to another journal.

Peer reviewed articles appear in the following English language journals of music therapy: Australian Journal of Music Therapy, British Journal of Music Therapy, Canadian Journal of Music Therapy, Journal of Music Therapy, Music Therapy Perspectives, Nordic Journal of Music Therapy , the New Zealand Journal of Music Therapy , and Voices . There are also related journals which publish music therapy research papers including: Psychology of Music, Music and Medicine , and The Arts in Psychotherapy . Music therapy research also appears in medical and therapy journals (for example, Loewy et al. 2013 , O’Callaghan et al. 2014 ). Therefore when students are researching projects or writing papers are encouraged to search the journal literature as well as reading relevant books and book chapters.

Trends in music therapy research

In this part of the chapter three trends in music therapy research will be discussed: (1) music therapy and evidence-based medicine, (2) arts-based research, and (3) mechanisms of change in music therapy.

Music therapy and evidence-based medicine

A number of music therapists have considered the ways that the profession can respond to the imperative of evidence-based medicine (EBM). EBM can be traced back to the 1960s but it more formally entered the lexicon of health care practice through the 1990s ( Smith and Rennie 2014 ). As a PhD researcher in a department of Paediatrics and Child Health in the 1990s the author observed firsthand the shift in thinking about practice and services that occurred when EBM began to be a main point of interest for researchers, not just in medicine but also through nursing and allied health departments. In order to consider the implications for music therapy she gave a series of presentations which were then worked into scholarly papers for publication. After initial rejection some of the ideas were eventually published ( Edwards 2005 , 2004 , 2002 ). Since that time others have also written about EBM and music therapy (for example Abrams 2010 , and Standley 2012 ).

Rather than relying on the outcome of a single RCT to develop new practices in health care, EBM proposed an evidence hierarchy founded on single cases (weak evidence) through to meta-analyses (strong evidence). In a meta-analysis the research findings from a number of studies with patients who have similar characteristics are analyzed statistically to show whether the changes that have occurred across all of the studies are convincing enough to warrant inclusion of the treatment in standard care. Dileo and Bradt concluded that “Overall, EBP [practice] intends to assure that patient treatment is safe, effective, and cost-effective.”(2009, p. 170)

Abrams has positioned evidence-based music therapy having multiple benefits for the profession:

The virtues of an integral understanding of evidence-based music therapy practice are numerous. It can help promote clarity of the different roles, purposes, strengths, and limits of each domain of evidence. It provides accountability to core values, standards of integrity, and standards of rigor, all internally consistent within a given perspective in any given instance. Moreover, it encourages an awareness of the applicability and relevance of evidence to clinical work in any given case. Abrams 2010 , p. 374

Earlier conceptualizations of EBM pointed out that music therapists are often referred clients or patients for whom other therapeutic supports or treatments have not been effective ( Edwards 2005 ). Therefore because of the complexity of the client’s situation and their unique needs traditional processes of matching of clients in control and treatment groups in the traditional RCT might not be possible.

Concepts used in evidence are now turning towards music therapy participants’ views to be a better accessed and utilized form of evidence (for example, Ansdell and Meehan 2010 ). Although initially this author’s concerns about EBM focused on inappropriate application by managers to limit innovation and cut services, in practice EBM has some but not complete influence on service leaders’ decisions to support or close programmes. At the same time it has produced an outstanding number of music therapy meta-analyses published in the most important medical evidence database in the world, the Cochrane Library (for example Mössler et al. 2011 ).

Arts-based research

The arts are increasingly being used in health care and related research to learn about the experiences of care workers and recipients, to gain access to marginalized voices, and to communicate research findings to a wider audience. Ledger and Edwards 2011 , p. 313

Arts-based research is a movement that has developed internationally with minimal input from creative arts therapists. Ledger and Edwards (2011) provided a number of examples in which music therapists appeared reluctant to describe their research methods as arts based . This reluctance was hypothesized as emerging from anxiety about seeming scientific enough, especially when conducting research in health and medical contexts.

As artistic processes within music are central to music therapy practice, the use of music making or other creative arts processes could be considered compatible with the goals of music therapy inquiry. It is therefore puzzling why arts based processes are not more widely used in music therapy research.

Arts-based research was included in the main research textbook to date in music therapy ( Wheeler 2005 ). Dianne Austin and Michele Forinash make a distinction between arts based research and the studies that have analyzed music created in music therapy sessions. They have shown that the arts can be used at every step in the research process to develop rich and expressive findings. Arts-based research is explained as offering a valuable way to gain insights that might not otherwise be discoverable ( Austin and Forinash 2005 ).

Mechanisms of change in music therapy

Research contributes to knowledge about change, but researchers also have a responsibility to theorize why the change occurs. Research relevant to music therapy from the fields of psychology and neuroscience are key to understanding the mechanisms of change in music therapy. For example, music therapy relies on the evocative potentials of music to develop a way of relating between the therapist and the client that is helpful in meeting the client’s needs and contributing to their well-being. Some of these evocative capacities include the ability of music to influence affect. In order to be able to interact and support clients in a way that is helpful and informed, understanding how music influences emotional states is key. Music therapists have extensive experience and expertise in observation of musical responses. As an experienced music therapy practitioner the following mechanism as to how emotional response to music might occur makes sense to the author. Julin and Västfjäll have proposed that when humans listen to music all of the following psychological processes happen, not separately but concurrently, and this is why an emotional response occurs:

(1) brain stem reflexes, (2) evaluative conditioning, (3) emotional contagion, (4) visual imagery, (5) episodic memory, and (6) musical expectancy. Juslin and Västfjäll 2008 , p. 563

Their proposition is interesting for music therapy practitioners to engage in order to understand the instantaneous aspects of response over which an individual has no control, and to confirm that there is no one piece of music that has the same effect on every listener. However, many psychological theories such as these that are relevant to music therapy are silent on the core interpersonal and relational aspects of music therapy. Therefore neuropsychological and physiological theories need to be accessed in order to further understanding of music therapy as a relational practice.

Developing theories about brain growth indicate that infant brains develop in collaboration and interaction with other brains ( Schore 2010 ). Loving, predictable responsiveness from the adult care giver is essential for an infant’s healthy start in life. The failure of the infant-parental bond to coalesce and attachment to be formed is disastrous for the child’s ongoing development. This can occur because of maltreatment and/or neglect, or because of demands on the carer’s own resources result in them being unavailable to the infant’s needs. This has lifelong consequences on development, particularly the skills needed for social interaction with others, and the resilience to deal with stressful experiences and events. Neurosequential modelling proposes that the infant brain develops in stages.

The brain is organized in a hierarchical fashion with four main anatomically distinct regions: brainstem, diencephalon, limbic system, and cortex. During development the brain organizes itself from the bottom up, from the least (brainstem) to the most complex (limbic, cortical) areas. While significantly interconnected, each of these regions mediates distinct functions, with the lower, structurally simpler areas mediating basic regulatory functions and the highest, most complex structures (cortical) mediating the most complex functions. Each of these main regions develops, organizes, and becomes fully functional at different times during childhood… Perry 2009 , p. 243

This theory is important for music therapy because it provides information to explain why children who have not developed self-regulatory processes due to severe early relational trauma, for example what Perry described as the “overanxious, impulsive, dysregulated child” (p. 243), might behave differently in the regulating holding environment of music therapy where predictable structure can contain and support the child’s actions and spontaneity (for relevant case examples, see Drake 2011 ).

The therapeutic opportunities in music therapy lie not only in the client’s responses to music but equally and sometimes more importantly in the therapist-client relating. Porges’ Polyvagal Theory is so named because it associates two physiological systems with feelings of safety and security and explains how these function in interpersonal relating. These are:

(a) the commonly known fight-or-flight system that is associated with activation of the sympathetic nervous system… and (b) a less-known system of immobilization and dissociation that is associated with activation of a phylogenetically more ancient vagal pathway. Geller and Porges 2014 , p. 180

Using the Polyvagal Theory ( Porges 2011 ) Geller and Porges (2014) have illuminated therapeutic presence as a salient factor reliant on neurophysiological processes by which safety, security, and trust are experienced in the therapeutic relationship. Given that many people who seek or are referred to psychological services have experienced a breakdown of their capacity to cope, or to relate successfully with others, the ability to provide safety and security in the interpersonal space is crucial to providing opportunities for capacity building towards growth and change.

Expert therapists have reported that the experience of therapeutic presence involves concurrently (a) being grounded and in contact with one’s integrated and healthy self; (b) being open, receptive to, and immersed in what is poignant in the moment; and (c) having a larger sense of spaciousness and expansion of awareness and perception. This grounded, immersed, and expanded awareness also occurs with (d) the intention of being with and for the client in service of their healing process. By being grounded, immersed, and spacious, with the intention of being with and for the other, the therapist invites the client into a deeper and shared state of relational therapeutic presence. Geller and Porges 2014 , p. 180

Polyvagal theory has contributed to the development of new ways of working as well as supporting existing practices in music therapy. As Loewy (2011) noted:

… [Polyvagal Theory] contributes to the theoretical justification for the role that music therapy can play in activating neural circuits that regulate reactivity. Porges’ rationale for and description of feeding and rocking as primal attachment behaviors which influence vagal afferent pathways is an essential contributor to the current thinking about the importance of the quality of care in the first stage of life. Music therapy practices that activate somatomotor components which trigger visceral change influence attachment practices which are critically important in the early years. Loewy 2011 , p. 182

The relational dimensions of music therapy practice are underpinned by multiple psychobiological principles including those encapsulated in communicative musicality initially developed by Stephen Malloch in his postdoctoral work at Edinburgh University, which was then further elaborated ( Malloch and Trevarthen 2009 ). Malloch and Trevarthen (2009) documented how the development of the theory and observation of the presence of communicative musicality occurred through many decades of research in the last century. Importantly multiple theorists and researchers from a range of fields, whether during field observations or in laboratory based experimental work, noted the expressive, dance and song like interactions between infants and the adults who share loving relationships with them. These multiple perspectives result in the conclusion that:

… we are evolved to know, think, communicate, create new things and care for one another in movement—through a sense of being in rhythmic time with motives and in tune with feelings to share the energy and harmony of meaning and of relating. Malloch and Trevarthen 2009 , p. 8

Contexts for research

All research conducted with service users in music therapy involves a context. This may be a single site such as a school or a hospital (see Colwell , this volume), or multiple sites. It may involve a service such as an oncology department, or additionally it may involve participants who access multiple services, for example children with cerebral palsy. Each context differs as to how service users or students can be approached to be involved in the research, and who will act as formal or informal gate-keepers. Researchers planning projects need to factor in how the people who will contribute to managing the data collection of the project will be sorced, and how these potential gate-keepers will assist in managing the recruitment and involvement of service users. Often people who are crucial to the research such as gate-keepers receive little acknowledgement either in research reports, or in international publications. This can make it difficult for novice researchers to understand how crucial they are to conducting research which relies on data collection from service users or students ( Porter et al. 2014 ).

Clinicians working within a service are often the referring point for participation in a music therapy project. The clinician can decide whether a person who meets the criteria for the project is able to manage the requirements of the project participation, and would potentially benefit from being a research participant. Clinicians are protective of their clients or patients. Therefore the researcher must take care to ensure that the clinician has confidence in the researcher and the research processes, that participants will not be taxed or made demands of in any problematic way. The gatekeeper may also be encoraged to note that the client may end up receiving music therapy, and that this participation may be highly enjoyable and potentially therapeutically beneficial.

One contextual dimension that has received limited attention in the literature is the role of the researcher and how this differs from the role of music therapist. Ledger (2010a) has reflected on her experiences as a music therapy researcher undertaking an ethnographic research project in a hospital that was developing a new music therapy service. She wrote:

Returning to the familiar setting of a hospital brought to the fore a set of previously held positions and behaviors. I needed to manage not only the boundary between researcher and music therapist but also the boundaries between researcher and colleague, researcher and friend, and experienced music therapist and student. These boundaries needed to be negotiated and renegotiated throughout the duration of my ethnography. There were times when it was helpful to cross boundaries in order to build rapport and to show appreciation to the staff who contributed to my research. However, there were also times when I needed to establish clear boundaries and to reiterate my research intentions. Ledger 2010a , p. 300

Ledger’s further reflection reveals some of the dilemmas that can arise when conducting qualitative methods research ( Ledger 2010b ). Unlike other types of research where one might collect data through testing or questionnaires, ethnography involves participation and observation. Being aware of the need to manage and negotiate role identity is an important part of undertaking this work.

The future of music therapy research

As music therapy matures and grows as a field of practice it is developing its depth and breadth of research engagement. Contemporary research is immensely inspiring, especially for increasingly sounding the voices of service users ( Ansdell and Meehan 2010 ; Solli et al. 2013 ), and the careful development of research procedures which ensure the complexity of musical experiences are not lost in the need for research rigor ( Erkkilä et al. 2011 ). The development of greater sophistication in mixed methods research (see Erkkilä , this volume) will ensure that the outcomes of psychological testing or observation of the therapist will not be privileged over the lived experience of participants. The increasing harnessing of the capacities of technology in conducting systematic evaluation of music therapy services show promising developments ( Streeter et al. 2012 ). More robust theoretical engagement with neuroscience and psychophysiology (for example Loewy 2011 ) and social theories ( Baines 2013 ) will ensure that music therapy has strong theoretical bones upon which the flesh and sinew of competent practice can continue to grow.

Epistemology refers to theory of knowledge. All research has an epistemological foundation whether or not it is made explicit. For further information see Edwards (2012) .

Abrams, B. ( 2010 ). Evidence-Based Music Therapy Practice: An Integral Understanding.   Journal of Music Therapy 47(4): 351–379.

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Edwards, J. ( 2012 ). We need to talk about epistemology: Orientations, meaning, and interpretation within music therapy research.   Journal of Music Therapy 49: 372–394.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Music Therapy — The potential of music therapy

The Potential of Music Therapy

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The Role of Art and Music Therapies in Mental Health and Beyond

Prescribing art therapy , yoga, and music lessons is truly a breakthrough for mental health treatment . I want to be completely clear here, this is a breakthrough, but not a breakthrough therapy per se. It is a huge step forward, on the level of readjusting our mental health system, it is really a systems course correction at the root of it. Art therapy, music, etc., all are tested modalities for improving mental health conditions; almost all of them. For chronic, highly disordered and severely dysfunctional patients, this is not a miracle cure. These are, at best, supplementary, tandem, and co-functioning treatment methods to mitigate the severity and intensity of symptoms.

I am not knocking or trying to minimise the importance of this breakthrough. These are not only important modalities in and of themselves, but also support the creativity , independence, and freedom of patients to not only choose their own method of care but also nourish their capacity to carry on treatment more autonomously without being under direct supervision . 

Even more importantly, the system is broken, in total if not complete disarray, and needs to be revised urgently if we are to advance treatment at the speed it requires to meet the mental health crisis where it’s at. These new prescribed modalities will not only serve to add ‘person-centredness’ to the paradigm but also new flexibility within the limits of the system.

Even highly disordered patients are extremely creative during their darkest hour. Art therapy, music, and all of these modalities which draw upon creativity and promote purposeful free-flowing ideas are as self-soothing as they are productive in reducing the negative impact of active symptoms.

I can tell you that I have benefited from a music or art group on an inpatient unit in the hospital many times. Some of my fondest memories from experiencing first-episode psychosis in the hospital were singing and dancing to Stevie Nicks , at my request, when I could barely speak from word salad symptoms and was just a few moments away from being transferred to a higher level of inpatient care for unresolved psychosis. But I danced and laughed like the floor was on fire.

Art, music, yoga, all of these modalities are terribly inaccessible to most patients living off state benefits, who are consigned to a life shut-in and isolated in their homes. Aside from ‘getting out more’, these patients simply don’t have the resources to pay for and maintain a connection to art therapists and other more non-traditional treatment in the community. Unless you are connected to a special service or have the best insurance, these modalities simply aren’t an option for most service users and people with a severe mental health condition.

I truly applaud this shift in the systems paradigm that for so long was all about medication and traditional psychotherapy. We really need more of this in countries supposedly promoting better mental health treatment.

I also want to suggest that therapists who practice traditional talk therapy , straight CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) can continue to add new self-soothing and proven techniques to their toolkit. I am always encouraging my student therapists to do artwork, let their children dance in therapy. Yes, you read this right, just dance, when the time is right and fits the course of treatment.

We need to get out of this traditional black and white thinking of what therapy is and is not . Therapy is what people need in the moment, to feel and behave in a manner that better suits their goals, chosen lifestyle, and needs. So with this said, why not let a child who is struggling to adjust to a new foster parent, dance in session when he can’t play at home. Sure, not for every session and for the duration of every patient contact, but sometimes, when it will benefit the patient, you just have to do it. 

Yes, this is truly a breakthrough in thinking among us practitioners and the higher-ups in our discipline who say what’s what in mental health treatment. It signals that we need to be dynamic, and shift our thinking as practitioners, peers, and anyone charged with providing therapeutic intervention . It is high time we see more of it, from government-sponsored care and any system which is charged with the care of people with a psychiatric disability, or who needs therapeutic intervention to find relief from whatever problem in their life is causing them distress.

Max E. Guttman, LCSW  is a psychotherapist and owner of Recovery Now, a mental health private practice in New York City.

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80 Music Therapy Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best music therapy topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 good research topics about music therapy, 🔍 interesting topics to write about music therapy, ❓ music therapy research questions.

• Music Therapy as Experiential Activity For this reason, a technique was applied to the 10-year-old child with developmental delays to transform the lyrics of the favorite sad melody into a more positively inspiring and uplifting one.
• Music Therapy for Schizophrenic Patients’ Quality of Life Consequently, the purpose of the project will be to review the existing literature and prepare a document with recommendations regarding MT in the discussed population, including psychiatric nurses’ acceptable role in delivering such interventions. We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
• Art and Music Therapy Coverage by Health Insurance However, I do believe that creative sessions should be available for all patients, and I am going to prove to you that music and art are highly beneficial for human health.
• Music Therapy in Healthcare Therefore, the article suggests that music can be used for relaxation, as well as managing the health issues that may arise due to the lack of relaxation.
• Music Therapy for Children With Learning Disabilities This review includes the evidence supporting music therapy as an effective strategy for promoting auditory, communication, and socio-emotional progression in children with ASD.
• Music Therapy as a Related Service for Students With Disabilities From a neuroscientific perspective, how would music intervention improve classroom behaviors and academic outcomes of students with ADHD as a way to inform policy-makers of the importance of music therapy as a related service?
• Substance Use Disorder: Possibility of Using Music Therapy In their study, Bourdaghs and Silverman address the possibility of using music therapy as the tool for promoting the socialization of people with a substance use disorder.
• Music Therapy: The Impact on Older Adults There is therefore the need to focus more energy to aid more understating on the role of music therapy on older residents.”The recent qualitative review of literature in the area of music and music therapy […]
• Music Therapy: Alternative to Traditional Pain Medicine The sources underline that therapists should pay attention to the subjects of music and their impact on the health of clients.
• Music Therapy as a Social Work Intervention One of such interventions is music therapy which is aimed at helping people in a sensitive way accurately adjusting the possibilities this therapy may offer to the requirements of a particular client of a group […]
• The Role of Music Therapy as Alternative Treatment Music therapy is the use of music interventions to achieve individualized goals of healing the body, mind, and spirit. Thereafter, several developments occurred in the field of music therapy, and the ringleaders founded the American […]
• Music Therapy Effectiveness In addition to this, research has shown that stroke patients become more involved in therapy sessions once music is incorporated in the treatment program; this is the motivational aspect of music.
• Sound as an Element of Music Therapy This is one of the reasons why in the Abrams study the participants explained that they preferred the sound of rain, ocean waves and the soft strumming of a guitar as compared to the work […]
• Music Therapy Throughout the Soloist Globally, classical music in its sense has always been known to adjoin the listener to some transcendent understanding of the world order, the feeling of integrity with the Universe and enormous delight rising up from […]
• Music Therapy: Where Words Cease In spite of the fact that, as a rule, one indulges into art to find the shelter from the reality, the author of the book called The Soloist explores quite a different issue of the […]
• Active Music Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease
• Effectiveness of Music Therapy for Survivors of Abuse
• Music Therapy Effectiveness of Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
• The Link Between Ancestral Hormones and Music Therapy
• Analysis of the Effectiveness of Art and Music Therapy
• Music Therapy Usefulness for Cancer Patients
• Music Therapy Impact on Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
• How Music Therapy Can Be Used to Reduce Pre-Operative Anxiety
• Healing Chronic Pain With Music Therapy
• Music Therapy Effect on the Wellness and Mood of Adolescents
• Comparing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Music Therapy
• Constructing Optimal Experience for the Hospitalized Newborn Through Neuro-Based Music Therapy
• Music Therapy: Considerations for the Clinical Environment
• “Dementia and the Power of Music Therapy” by Steve Matthews Analysis
• Music Therapy for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Discussing Music Therapy Reducing Stress Health and Social Care
• Does Music Therapy Help Children With Special Needs?
• Music Therapy for Delinquency Involved Juveniles Through Tripartite Collaboration
• Heidelberg Neuro-Music Therapy Enhances Task-Negative Activity in Tinnitus Patients
• Music Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• How Does Music Therapy Promote Positive Mental Health?
• Music Therapy and Its Positive Effects on the Brain
• The Relationships Between Learning and Music Therapy
• Music Therapy for Sexually Abused Children
• Managing Sickle Cell Pain With Music Therapy
• Music Therapy: How Does Music Impact Our Emotions
• Dealing With Depression With the Help of Music Therapy
• Effectiveness of Music Therapy and Drug Therapy for Children With Autism
• Music Therapy and Its Effect on the Levels of Anxiety
• The Link Between Music Therapy and Personality Theory Psychology
• How Music Therapy Improves Depression Among Older Adults
• Music Therapy: The Best Way to Help Children With Mental Illness
• Interventions of Music Therapy for Stress Reduction
• The Real Science Behind the Theory of Music Therapy
• Music Therapy Should Not Be Considered a Therapy
• Neurologic Music Therapy Training for Mobility and Stability Rehabilitation
• Nursing Theory for Music Therapy Quality Improvement Program
• The Help of Music Therapy in Pain Management
• Relationship Between Hypertension and Music Therapy
• Yoga and Music Therapy as Effective Methods of Stress Management
• What Is Music Therapy Used For?
• What Are Some Examples of Music Therapy?
• What Kind of Music Is Used in Music Therapy?
• What Are the Side Effects of Music Therapy?
• What Mental Illnesses Does Music Therapy Help?
• Can Music Therapy Help With Anxiety?
• What Type of Music Therapy Helps Depression?
• Does Music Therapy Actually Work?
• Do Psychiatrists Use Music Therapy?
• Do Doctors Recommend Music Therapy?
• How Long Does Music Therapy Last?
• Why Is Music Therapy Not Used?
• What Is a Typical Music Therapy Session Like?
• What Are the Two Main Benefits of Music Therapy?
• How Can Music Therapy Be Done at Home?
• What Does Music Therapy Do to the Brain?
• Is Music Therapy Good for Stress?
• Can Music Therapy Help With Trauma?
• What Ages Benefit From Music Therapy?
• What Is the First Step of Music Therapy?
• Does Music Therapy Include Talking?
• What Instruments Are Used for Music Therapy?
• What Is the Difference Between Sound Therapy and Music Therapy?
• Can You Do Music Therapy Without a Degree?
• Why Is Music Therapy Better Than Medicine?
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Guide on How to Write a Music Essay: Topics and Examples

Let's Understand What is Music Essay

You know how some school assignments are fun to write by default, right? When students see them on the course syllabus, they feel less like a burden and more like a guaranteed pleasure. They are about our interests and hobbies and therefore feel innate and intuitive to write. They are easy to navigate, and interesting topic ideas just pop into your head without much trouble.

Music essays belong to the category of fun essay writing. What is music essay? Anything from in-depth analysis to personal thoughts put into words and then to paper can fall into a music essay category. An essay about music can cover a wide range of topics, including music history, theory, social impact, significance, and musical review. It can be an analytical essay about any music genre, musical instruments, or today's music industry.

Don't get us wrong, you will still need to do extensive research to connect your opinions to a broader context, and you can't step out of academic writing standards, but the essay writing process will be fun.

In this article, our custom essay writing service is going to guide you through every step of writing an excellent music essay. You can draw inspiration from the list of music essay topics that our team prepared, and later on, you will learn what an outstanding essay on music is by an example of a music review essay.

What are Some Music Topics to Write About

There are so many exciting music topics to write about. We would have trouble choosing one. You can write about various music genres, be it country music or classical music; you can research music therapy or how music production happens.

Okay, forgive us for getting carried away; music makes us enthusiastic. Below you will find a list of various music essay topics prepared from our thesis writing service . Choose one and write a memorable essay about everyone's favorite art form.

Music Argumentative Essay Topics

Music essays can be written about an infinite number of themes. You can even write about performance or media comparison.

Here is a list of music argumentative essay topics. These edge-cutting topics will challenge your readers and get you an easy A+.

• Exploring the evolution of modern music styles of the 21st century
• Is it ethical to own and play rare musical instruments?
• Is music therapy an effective mental health treatment?
• Exploring the Intersection of Technology and Creativity in electronic music
• The Relevance of traditional music theory in modern music production
• The Role of musical pieces in the Transmission of cultural identity
• The value of historical analysis in understanding the significance of music in society
• How does exposing listeners to different genres of music break down barriers
• Exploring the cognitive effects of music on human brain development
• The therapeutic potential of music in treating mental disorders

Why is Music Important Essay Topics

Do you know which essay thrills our team the most? The importance of music in life essay. We put our minds together and came up with a list of topics about why music is so central to human life. Start writing why is music important essay, and we guarantee you that you will be surprised by how much fun you had crafting it.  

• Popular Music and its Role in shaping cultural trends
• Music as a metaphorical language for expressing emotions and thoughts
• How music changes and influences social and political movements
• How the music of different countries translates their history to outsiders
• The innate connection between music and human beings
• How music helps us understand feelings we have never experienced
• Does music affect our everyday life and the way we think?
• Examining the cross-cultural significance of music in society
• How rock music influenced 70's political ideologies
• How rap music closes gaps between different racial groups in the US

Consider delegating your ' write my essay ' request to our expert writers for crafting a perfect paper on any music topic!

Why I Love Music Essay Topics

We want to know what is music to you, and the best way to tell us is to write a why I love music essay. Below you will find a list of music essay topics that will help you express your love for music.

• I love how certain songs and artists evoke Memories and Emotions
• I love the diversity of music genres and how different styles enrich my love for music
• I love how music connects me with people of different backgrounds
• How the music of Linkin Park helped me through life's toughest challenges
• What does my love for popular music say about me?
• How the unique sounds of string instruments fuel my love for music
• How music provides a temporary Release from the stresses of daily life
• How music motivates me to chase my dreams
• How the raw energy of rock music gets me through my daily life
• Why my favorite song is more than just music to me

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Music Therapy Essay Topics

One of the most interesting topics about music for an essay is music therapy. We are sure you have heard all the stories of how music cures not only mental but also physical pains. Below you can find a list of topics that will help you craft a compelling music therapy essay. And don't forget that you can always rely on our assistance for fulfilling your ' write my paper ' requests!

• The effectiveness of music therapy in reducing stress and pain for cancer patients
• Does pop music have the same effects on music therapy as classical music?
• Exploring the benefits of music therapy with other genres beyond classical music
• The potential of music therapy in aiding substance abuse treatment and recovery
• The Role of music therapy in Addressing PTSD and Trauma in military veterans
• The impact of music therapy on enhancing social interaction and emotional expression in individuals with developmental disabilities
• The use of music therapy in managing chronic pain
• Does musical therapy help depression?
• Does music reduce anxiety levels?
• Is music therapy better than traditional medicine?

History of Music Essay Topics

If you love analytical essays and prefer to see the bigger picture, you can always write a music description essay. Below you can find some of the most interesting topics for the history of music essay.

• The Significance of natural instruments in music production and performance
• Tracing the historical development of Western music theory
• How electronic music traces its roots back to classical music
• How the music industry evolved from sheet music to streaming services
• How modern producers relate to classical composers
• The Origins and Influence of Jazz Music
• How folk music saved the Stories of unnamed heroes
• Do we know what the music of ancient civilizations sounded like?
• Where does your favorite bandstand in the line of music evolve?
• The Influence of African American Music on modern pop culture

Benefits of Music Essay Topics

If you are someone who wonders what are some of the values that music brings to our daily life, you should write the benefits of music essay. The music essay titles below can inspire you to write a captivating essay:

• How music can be used to promote cultural awareness and understanding
• The benefits of music education in promoting creativity and innovation
• The social benefits of participating in music groups
• The Impact of Music on Memory and Learning
• The cognitive benefits of music education in early childhood development
• The effects of music on mood and behavior
• How learning to play an instrument improves cognitive functions.
• How music connects people distanced by thousands of miles
• The benefits of listening to music while exercising
• How music can express the feelings words fail to do so 

Music Analysis Essay Example

Reading other people's papers is a great way to scale yours. There are many music essay examples, but the one crafted by our expert writers stands out in every possible way. You can learn what a great thesis statement looks like, how to write an engaging introduction, and what comprehensive body paragraphs should look like. 

Click on the sample below to see the music analysis essay example. 

How to Write a Music Essay with Steps

Writing music essays is definitely not rocket science, so don't be afraid. It's just like writing any other paper, and a music essay outline looks like any other essay structure.

• Start by choosing a music essay topic. You can use our list above to get inspired. Choose a topic about music that feels more relevant and less researched so you can add brand-new insights. As we discussed, your music essay can be just about anything; it can be a concert report or an analytical paper about the evolution of music.
• Continue by researching the topic. Gather all the relevant materials and information for your essay on music and start taking notes. You can use these notes as building blocks for the paper. Be prepared; even for short essays, you may need to read books and long articles.
• Once you have all the necessary information, the ideas in your head will start to take shape. The next step is to develop a thesis statement out of all the ideas you have in your head. A thesis statement is a must as it informs readers what the entire music essay is about. Don't be afraid to be bold in your statement; new outlooks are always appreciated.
• Next, you'll need a music essay introduction. Here you introduce the readers to the context and background information about the research topic. It should be clear, brief, and engaging. You should set the tone of your essay from the very beginning. Don't forget the introduction is where the thesis statement goes.
• One of the most important parts of essay writing is crafting a central body paragraph about music. This is where you elaborate on your thesis, make main points, and support them with the evidence you gathered beforehand. Remember, your music essay should be well structured and depict a clear picture of your ideas.
• Next, you will need to come up with an ideal closing paragraph. Here you will need to once again revisit the main points in your music essay, restate them in a logical manner and give the readers your final thoughts.
• Don't forget to proofread your college essay. Whether you write a long or short essay on music, there will be grammatical and factual errors. Revise and look through your writing with a critical mind. You may find that some parts need rewriting.

Key Takeaways

Music essays are a pleasure to write and read. There are so many topics and themes to choose from, and if you follow our How to Write a Music Essay guide, you are guaranteed to craft a top-notch essay every time.

Be bold when selecting a subject even when unsure what is research essay topic on music, take the writing process easy, follow the academic standards, and you are good to go. Use our music essay sample to challenge yourself and write a professional paper. 

If you feel stuck and have no time our team of expert writers is always ready to give you help from all subject ( medical school personal statement school help ). Visit our website, submit your ' write my research paper ' request and a guaranteed A+ essay will be on your way in just one click.

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FAQs on Writing a Music Essay

Though music essay writing is not the hardest job on the planet, there are still some questions that often pop up. Now that you have a writing guide and a list of essay topics about music, it's time to address the remaining inquiries. Keep reading to find the answers to the frequently asked questions. 

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Essay on Music Therapy

Music therapy is a diagnostic and therapeutic discipline that uses music to help individuals with ailments instead of medications. Music therapy has had profound origins, dating back to the ancient Greeks, notably Aristotle and Plato, who believed music could give happiness to a person’s body and mind. In an era when even treatment was not broadly used, few people believed in them. Music therapy had become a clinical career path in the 1940s, so many individuals are now cognizant of its therapeutic benefits. Music is known to be adequate to affect us emotionally and internally. It has been observed that music can alleviate several of our sad or stressful feelings. This paper provides more information on the roles and effects of music therapy on our brain and body in our daily lives to help us better understand this concept.

Music therapy’s most inherent benefit is its assistance in treating illnesses that impact a person’s body and essential competencies. Music therapy, for instance, can assist with neurological conditions and pain-causing treatment options, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Movement disorders impair mobility by causing severe weak spots and muscle spasms. Muscle twitching is muscle tightness that impairs the client’s movements. As a result, music therapy’s acute effects on this problem are mass and strength relief. Relaxing music is highly effective for relaxing the body, particularly the muscles. Since the central nervous system is a muscle in its own right, it is also positively influenced. (Clements-Cortés & Yu, 2021)

Another benefit of music therapy is its psychological effects. For example, specific ailments, such as autism and Alzheimer’s, which are extremely challenging to treat, can be recovered entirely using particular therapeutic music approaches. “When we take a gander at the amount of evidence that the arts contribute to our community, it’s simply unbelievable,” Michael Greene says in the quotation. Music therapists are threatening to break down the barriers of quietness and disease such as autism, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.” Autism is treated with music therapy (American Music Therapy Association, 2021). Music therapists are frequently used to assist autistic children. Children with autism may struggle to communicate, and their abilities seem more developed compared to their counterparts.

In comparison, some people may be irritated or uncomfortable by loud or certain types of music. The music may elicit an extreme response or recall memories that range from pleasurable to intense pain (Mofredj, Alaya, Tassaioust, Bahloul, & Mrabet, 2016). Music evokes and causes emotions, which in turn cause unconscious physiological responses, including alterations in heart rate, respiratory rate, body or skin temperature, and hormone exclusion. This can disrupt the brain’s proper functioning and raise the pulse and blood pressure.

To summarize, music therapy is highly beneficial because it aids in the treatment of both mental and physical ailments. It is unlucky and dangerous that prescription drugs for some diseases and conditions have yet to be discovered. As a result, it is a supernatural event that music can be used to treat them. Music therapy, which dates back to the ancient Greeks and particularly since the nineteenth century, will undoubtedly become more popular in the future and will be used in many hospitals because of its numerous benefits.

American Music Therapy Association.” History of Music Therapy | History of Music Therapy | American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), www.musictherapy.org/about/history/. Accessed 15 March 2021.

Clements-Cortés, A., & Yu, M. T. (2021). The Mental Health Benefits of Improvisational Music Therapy for Young Adults.  The Canadian Music Educator ,  62 (3), 30-33.

Mofredj, A., Alaya, S., Tassaioust, K., Bahloul, H., & Mrabet, A. (2016). Music therapy, a review of the potential therapeutic benefits for the critically ill.  Journal of critical care ,  35 , 195-199.

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What is the conclusion of music therapy?

Table of Contents

In conclusion, music therapy has brought a tremendous impact on people’s psychological health, enabled patients to suffer less pain, anxiety, and feeling stressful and thus improves our emotional states, bringing psychological health to the patients. According to the American Music Therapy Association,2 research shows music therapy can be used to help: Improve overall physical rehabilitation. Facilitate movement. Increase motivation to engage in treatment. How does music affect our lives? Music has the ability to deeply affect our mental states and raise our mood. When we need it, music gives us energy and motivation. When we’re worried, it can soothe us; when we’re weary, it can encourage us; and when we’re feeling deflated, it can re-inspire us. Music is an excellent therapeutic tool for the brain, because it activates so many parts of it. Music’s pitch, rhythm, meter and timbre are processed in both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Listening to music triggers the areas of the brain that have to do with spatial reasoning.

What is the conclusion of music therapy for mental health?

Studies on patients diagnosed with mental disorders have shown a visible improvement in their mental health after interventions using music as primary tool. Other studies have demonstrated the benefits of music, including improved heart rate, motor skills, brain stimulation, and immune system enhancement. Music Therapy can benefit the following populations and conditions: children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly with mental health needs, developmental and learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease and other aging related conditions, substance abuse problems, brain injuries, physical disabilities, and acute and … It has the power to heal our mind, body and soul by its soothing effect. Different people have different taste in music and it works as a therapy for them. Music aids in expressing ourselves. It can help in healing conditions like depression, Alzheimer and insomnia. Answer: Music unites different people in different cultures in a peaceful manner. I learnt that, by playing a musical instrument it can benefit one’s health, cognitive skills, and mental functioning. It has the power to cure diseases such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc. The power of Music can be testified by the legends about Tansen of his bringing the rains by singing Raag Megh Malhar and lighting lamps by Raga Deepak. It also helps in improving the concentration and is thus of great help to the students. What is the Purpose of Music? There are four obvious purposes: dance, personal or communal entertainment, communication, and ritual.

What is the goal of music therapy?

Music therapy is the clinical use of music to accomplish individualized goals such as reducing stress, improving mood and self-expression. It is an evidence-based therapy well-established in the health community. Music therapy experiences may include listening, singing, playing instruments, or composing music. Cognitive behavioral music therapy (CBMT): This approach combines cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with music. In CBMT, music is used to reinforce some behaviors and modify others. This approach is structured, not improvisational, and may include listening to music, dancing, singing, or playing an instrument. Music is a form of art that uses sound organised in time. Music is also a form of entertainment that puts sounds together in a way that people like, find interesting or dance to. Most music includes people singing with their voices or playing musical instruments, such as the piano, guitar, drums or violin. One of the most important benefits of music is its ability to create a sense of belonging between individuals. Music has been linked to forming both social closeness and familial bonds. Kids typically have a different taste in music than adults, and they use it more to bond with their friends. I love listening to music especially because of this reason. Music has the power to unite people, make us feel at peace, make us feel understood; it is something to dance to, bond over, and even listen to when alone. Music is not just sound, it is its own language and it communicates so much; it is a beautiful thing. music, Art concerned with combining vocal or instrumental sounds for beauty of form or emotional expression, usually according to cultural standards of rhythm, melody, and, in most Western music, harmony.

Does music therapy improve quality of life?

This recent systematic review and meta-analysis (a study of studies) showed that the use of music interventions (listening to music, singing, and music therapy) can create significant improvements in mental health, and smaller improvements in physical health-related quality of life. According to the American Music Therapy Association,2 research shows music therapy can be used to help: Improve overall physical rehabilitation. Facilitate movement. Increase motivation to engage in treatment. music therapy, clinical discipline in which music is used to address nonmusical goals. Therapists use music listening, songwriting, improvisation, and lyric analysis as means of fulfilling goals in movement, cognition, speech and language, and mental health. Listening to music also triggers a release of hormones, like dopamine, that can make us feel good! Studies have shown that not only is dopamine released when we listen to a preferred song, but it may be released as often as each beat of that song! Music and Mood Listening to (or making) music increases blood flow to brain regions that generate and control emotions. The limbic system, which is involved in processing emotions and controlling memory, “lights” up when our ears perceive music.

What are the social benefits of music therapy?

Positive emotional behavior development Emotional awareness and nonverbal expression are also part of emotional behavior. Music therapy can help people learn to securely communicate their feelings vocally and nonverbally to improve emotional regulation. Importance of Music: Music has great qualities of healing a person emotionally and mentally. Music is a form of meditation. While composing or listening music ones tends to forget all his worries, sorrows and pains. But, in order to appreciate good music, we need to cultivate our musical taste. The overarching goal of music therapy is to achieve the objectives that meet the needs of the individual (Therapedia, n.d.). This may include, for example, improving motor function, social skills, emotions, coordination, self-expression and personal growth (Therapedia, n.d.). The researchers found that the people who listened to music recovered faster from the stress of the experience than those who didn’t. And many studies have shown that listening to music can lower your blood pressure and your heart rate (both spike when you’re stressed), and even lower stress hormones in your body. Music has become an important part of many people’s lives. There are many reasons for this. It can help us sleep, get pumped up for school/work, calm us down after a bad day, keep our spirits up when we’re feeling low, and encourage socialization between people.

How music helps with mental health?

Music can be distracting and lower your stress In fact, research has shown that it can lessen the impact of depression and anxiety. A study done in 2019 found that college students who listened to classical music every day for two months lowered their levels of anxiety significantly. Music also benefits you in many ways. These benefits include mental benefits, such as reducing stress, improving mood, helping depression, and improving IQ/memory. There are also physical benefits to music. Active music-making positively affects neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, that influence mood. Dopamine influences focus, concentration, memory, sleep, mood and motivation. Likewise, serotonin impacts mood, sleep patterns, anxiety and pain. Music has the ability to bring us joy and comfort, to motivate us and to help us relax. It has the power to transport us back in time, to calm our worried minds or boost our moods. There really is a song for every emotion. Science has even backed these benefits of music. The role of oxytocin Perhaps when feelings of insecurity about separation are eased, people will simply have more friendly social interactions. Soothing music can release oxytocin in the brain. Music is a tool that provides a sense of comfort and social connection among people. The future of music therapy includes a wellness model that follows individuals throughout their lifespan and their everchanging needs. This future enables music therapists to more actively engage services at the corporate wellness level.

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Essay: Music therapy

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The topic that I choose for my project is Music Therapy. I choose this topic because I really enjoy music, I grew up listening to all types of genre of music, my father was really interested in music which influenced me. I used to play flute in grade school, I was in the choir and I was in a few musical plays. My father was in a band for years and then when I was born he would sing to me every night, and I just grew up to like music. There is all kinds of music for different occasions and can put you in different moods. I listen to all kinds of genre of music, it puts me in a different mood and music can also remind me of different memories that have happened in my life whether it’s good or bad. I sing, I dance, I use my lap as a drum, air guitar, and I listen to it to relax and also to get some energy. Music is very powerful for everyone, it really is a therapy for people and for me personally I love music it’s so inspiring and soothing I really don’t know what my life would be like if I didn’t have music. As I researched for this paper I realized music is so magical and it can really change people’s lives drastically and it can be used as a treatment for many different people, whether they have mental disorders, learning disabilities, addictions, dementia, Alzheimer’s, depression, and anxiety. Music is a medicine and everyone can benefit from enjoying the sound of music. The first question is, what is Music Therapy? Music Therapy is used to notice emotional, cognitive and social issues in people of all ages. This therapy is used for people that have disabilities and illnesses, but music can be enjoyed by anyone (Health Services). It helps to motivate and encourage people with specific goals that are nonmusical related, in which Music therapist use their training to effect changes in the cognitive, physical, communication, social, and emotional skills (peacefulmind.com). When it comes to music it’s very educational and creative and it helps people of all ages and abilities to grow socially, mentally and physically which leads it to be used as a technique to affect children and adults. Music is an activity that involves using the brain (eMedExpert). Music affects the brain, it captivates and helps maintain attention, stimulating and utilizing many parts of the brain. It reflects a person’s ability, music provides a meaningful context, encourages movement, it brings back memories and emotions and people of all ability levels can participate. Music bypasses the intellectual stimulus in the brain and moves to our subconscious. Music Therapy has been recognized to be a healing power in different cultures and it has been shown to have influences on the immune system, blood pressure, heart and respiratory rate and pain perception (peacefulmind.com). Music can be distracting if it’s loud and it can compete for a person’s attention with the activities they are to accomplish, but overall music can be beneficial. (eMedExpert). When it comes to the history of Music Therapy it’s as old as the writings of Aristotle and Plato. Pythagoras, Plato and Aristotle, they all wrote how music affects a person’s health and behavior (Health Services). It began after World War I and World War II when community musicians went to Veteran hospitals around the country to play for the Veterans who were suffering physical and emotional trauma from the wars. The patient’s had a physical and emotional response to music that led the doctors to request the hiring of musicians by the hospitals (History of Music Therapy). The earliest known music therapy appearance was in 1789 in an unsigned article in Columbian Magazine. In the early 1800s there were writing on the therapeutic value of music that appeared, the first one was published by Edwin Atlee and the second by Samuel Mathews. The 1800s saw the first recorded music therapy intervention and the first recorded systematic experiment in music therapy. In 1903 Eva Augusta Vescelius founded the National Society of Musical Therapeutics. Another founder named Isa Maud IIsen started a National Association for Music in Hospitals in 1926. Years later, the first music therapy college training programs were created in the 1940s. The first academic program in music therapy was established in 1944 by Michigan State University and then other universities started to establish the same programs including University of Kansas, Chicago Musical College, and College of the Pacific and Alverno College. National Association for Music Therapy was founded in New York on June 2, 1950. American Association for Music Therapy was established in 1971, this organization was similar to National Association for Music Therapy. Certification Board for Music Therapists was established in 1983. Lastly there is American Music Therapy Association was organized in 1998 and is current it’s the home of and serves over 5,000 music therapists. This association is the largest music therapy organization in the world, it’s in over 30 countries around the world (History of Music Therapy). In today’s world, music has grown so rapidly and music therapists work in different settings including schools, hospitals and clinics, substance abuse centers, nursing homes and private practices (Health Services). When it comes to music therapy it is a healing process for different types of people. Music does have a positive outcome and effect on people with depression, pain mentally and emotionally, mental disorders, dementia, anxiety disorders and insomnia. There are theories when it comes to music being positively affective to pain, it can produce revulsive effect, give the patient a sense of control, music can cause the body to release endorphins which will counteract with pain and slow music relaxes the body by slowing the breathing and heartbeat. Music is so powerful and good for the heart that it has so many effects on people’s bodies. It can reduce blood pressure, help migraines and headaches, boost immunity, improves memory performances, improves concentration and attention, improve athletic performances, improves to work more productively, improve body movement and coordination, induces sleep, improves mood and decreases depression, enhances intelligence and learning and reduces stress (eMedExpert). Music therapy is such a great medicine for the body and the mind and not a lot of people look at it that way, when you hear a song your whole mood and attitude changes and sometimes you can’t help it, your brain just automatically switches. Music has an influence on people and it is a very helpful treatment for many times of people, especially for autistic children, it helps children communicate and be coordinated whether it’s with rhythm, pronouncing words or just engaging in conversation. Music therapy can open up the mind and allow yourself to communicate in a way that you never thought you could. Children with Autism and others with mental disorders have very low self-esteem and music therapy can effect a person to increase their self-esteem. Examples of Music therapy for mental disorders are singing, dancing and group activities involving movements to the music. It will help with feedback, and identifying a person’s confidence. This therapeutic approach can also help people express their feelings about what they are thinking or how the music made them feel. It brings back memories for people and they can remember the moments they shared, and it can relax the mind to release the stress and pain they keep bottled up inside (peacefulmind.com). Music is meditation for the brain and the body and it’s a great treatment for everyone whether they need therapy or not. The population that I would use this approach on would be children with Autism. Before I discuss how I would use this approach, I want to define what Autistic disorder is, it’s a neurodevelopment condition marked by social and communication problems as well as restricted interests and behaviors (Neha Khetrapal pg. 11). Autism is diagnosed before three years old and has a lifelong persistence. The characteristics of Autism is failure to develop normal social interactions, language delay and communication disability, restricted; repetitive and stereotyped behaviors. Children and adults with Autism show poor awareness and often fail to recognize vocal and facial expressions and emotions. When it comes to Music therapy and treating autism there are two main goals to succeed in, improving communication/language and improving socio-behavioral skills (Neha Khetrapal pg. 11). After researching and learning about Music therapy I found it really interesting and educating on how it affects different people and different ways, especially individuals with Autism. I love music and how it affects the body and mind and learning how it affects Autistic children is amazing. I have family that are Autistic and how they have a hard time speaking, interacting with others and have a hard time expressing themselves; so reading and learning that music can have a big impact on their lives makes me want to learn this approach. The method that I would take to use this approach would be by learning what the child lacks in. The child may know how to express his or her feelings but may not be able to speak what he or she is feeling. I would use Music therapy by using words with tones of the music and sentences with the melodies which will improve their speech (Suzanne B. Hanser pg. 4). I would play music with the child or children and have them move or dance to the music to improve their coordination and also get them involved with others by clapping together or singing along to build up their self-esteem and increasing their communicating skills. I would also get some instruments involved, including hand drums, cow bell, or sticks and having the group play them together to learn how to express themselves since they have a speech deficit and have a hard time speaking fluently. Music will help them express their feelings and also learning how to work with others, it will help the children to interact and have fun. Autistic children also have a hard time remembering things so I would use music approach by singing a sentence, or playing an instrument and having them repeat the sentence or the music sound from the instrument. It’s all about educating and helping the children learn different ways to show emotions. I would have children pick music that they enjoy listening to and make a game out of the song, whether it’s clapping to the beat and singing, doing funny dances or just playing duck, duck, goose to the music. It’s getting the children involved and interacting with the music and I would love to do this approach. What I like about this approach is that knowing music can help someone that has a disorder and that it can be fun is so inspiring. When I think of therapy I think of children being scared and nervous talking to someone for hours and they get irritated because they just want to have fun. Then knowing that there is Music therapy for not just children but adults and they can learn and improve their life skills and have fun at the same time, it’s so interesting to me and inspires me to really try a music approach on someone that is not just Autistic but someone that is depressed or just has a hard time sleeping. I never realized how music can help someone so much without them feeling like they are worthless or embarrassed because they have to go to therapy for their problems. Music helps me all the time, when I’m feeling stressed, I can’t sleep and even having a bad headache; music makes me feel like a new person, different music helps me and sometimes gets me through the day if I’m having a bad day. Knowing that I use music as a therapy for myself without a therapist I know I can influence someone to use music to heal themselves if they are feeling down.

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