Table of Contents
What is the concept of music therapy?
Music Therapy is an established psychological clinical intervention, delivered by HCPC registered music therapists to help people whose lives have been affected by injury, illness or disability through supporting their psychological, emotional, cognitive, physical, communicative and social needs. To accomplish specified goals in a music therapy session, music therapists will prepare interventions within one of four broad intervention categories, which include receptive, re-creation, improvisation, and composition/songwriting. Music therapy may be beneficial to those who find it difficult to express themselves in words, including children, adolescents, adults and seniors. Treatment may help those with: Mental health needs. Developmental and learning disabilities. Cognitive behavioural therapy-based music (CBT-Music) group is a nine-week guided self-help group for individuals with mild-to-moderate symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. This is a novel treatment developed for use in a community-based mental health setting. While the needs of our clients’ vary, the goals that music therapists work on are generally broken down into five domains: social, emotional, cognitive, communication, and physical. Assessment. The first step in the treatment process is a functional assessment of the individual’s strengths and needs through musical responses in the areas of motor, cognitive, communication, social, emotional, behavioral, sensory and musical abilities.
What are the theories of music therapy?
Based on the elements of rhythm, melody, pitch and harmony, music produces psychological responses within a person when it passes through the auditory cortex of the brain, which processes the music. This processing occurs in the limbic system, which is known as the centre of emotions, sensations and feelings. Engaging in music has been shown to facilitate neuroplasticity, therefore positively influencing quality of life and overall functioning. Research has shown that music activates cognitive, motor, and speech centers in the brain through accessing shared neural systems. Music is patterns of melody, rhythm, harmony, tempo/dynamics, and timbre combined to create repetition, variation and contrast. What is the Purpose of Music? There are four obvious purposes: dance, personal or communal entertainment, communication, and ritual.
What is another name for music therapy?
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. Though music therapy practice employs a large number of intervention techniques, some of the most commonly used interventions include improvisation, therapeutic singing, therapeutic instrumental music playing, music-facilitated reminiscence and life review, songwriting, music-facilitated relaxation, and lyric analysis. Music therapy reduces anxiety and physical effects of stress. It improves healing. It can help manage Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. The earliest known reference to music therapy appeared in 1789: an article in Columbian Magazine titled Music Physically Considered. The first recorded music therapy intervention & systematic experiments in music therapy were conducted in the 1800s. Songs by Queen, Pink Floyd and Bob Marley are among the most effective for music therapy patients, a UK study has found. Queen’s classic We Will Rock You came out on top, with Marley’s Three Little Birds and Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall making the top five.
How is music therapy effective?
Music therapy can help people in many areas of life. This may include emotion and mood regulation, psychological stability, physical health, spirituality, cognitive maintenance/development and social benefits. Other benefits of music therapy include: Lowering blood pressure. Music therapy is used to aid in physical discomfort by improving respiration, lowering blood pressure, improved cardiac output, reduced heart rate and relaxed muscle tension. For mental health, this form of therapy is great for reducing stress’ common negative side effects, such as emotional and behavioral problems. Whereas traditional forms of therapy focus on patient-therapist, music therapy focuses on the therapist, patient, and music. In music therapy, “these relationships can be manifested and experienced physically, musically, mentally, behaviorally, socially, or spiritually.” Music therapy offers more comprehensive and engaging care for patients than music medicine does. Music medicine for the most part is a term used to describe when a medical practitioner uses music in the course of treating their patient. Music therapy, in contrast to this, uses music in a more fully rounded way. You’ll work with people of all ages and use music to help clients through emotional or mental problems, learning and/or physical disabilities, developmental disorders, life-limiting conditions, neurological conditions or physical illnesses.
Where is music therapy used?
Music therapists work in psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitative facilities, medical hospitals, outpatient clinics, day care treatment centers, agencies serving persons with developmental disabilities, community mental health centers, drug and alcohol programs, senior centers, nursing homes, hospice programs, … A music therapist must have a pleasant singing voice, otherwise any singing done in therapy will be more distracting than therapeutic. It is safe to say that music therapists sing in just about every session in some form or another, and it needs to sound good! The voice is such a powerful tool. There are two types of music therapy: active music therapy and passive music therapy. Research shows the benefits of music therapy for various mental health conditions, including depression, trauma, and schizophrenia (to name a few). Music acts as a medium for processing emotions, trauma, and grief—but music can also be utilized as a regulating or calming agent for anxiety or for dysregulation. The most common settings are hospitals, schools, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, mental health centers and residences for individuals with developmental disabilities.
What are the 2 types of music therapy?
Music-based therapy is based on two fundamental methods – the ‘receptive’ listening based method, and the ‘active’ method based on playing musical instruments (Guetin et al., 2009). 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. It provides a total brain workout. Research has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory. 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.
Who is the father of music therapy?
It was originally created by American composer and music therapist Paul Nordoff and British music therapist Clive Robbins as a therapeutic approach for children and adults with significant developmental disabilities (e.g., intellectual, sensory, or motor disability). Music-based therapy is based on two fundamental methods – the ‘receptive’ listening based method, and the ‘active’ method based on playing musical instruments (Guetin et al., 2009). 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.). To accomplish specified goals in a music therapy session, music therapists will prepare interventions within one of four broad intervention categories, which include receptive, re-creation, improvisation, and composition/songwriting. Thayer Gaston, known as the “father of music therapy,” was instrumental in moving the profession forward in terms of an organizational and educational point of view.