but what IS music therapy?

So, what is music therapy? Well, it is pretty much what it sounds like: music being used for therapy purposes. And, at the same time, it is so much more. And sometimes what one believes to be music therapy is, actually, not music therapy at all. Confused? Good. Let us dive in.

 

Music therapy elevator pitch

The best 10-second pitch on music therapy I have arrived to after practising for nearly 15 years sounds as follows:

Music therapy is the professional use of live and recorded music and its elements (rhythm is one example) with the goal to improve health, wellbeing and social connectedness of people and communities.

Music therapy is a vast and powerful field (as you can easily gather from these music therapy definitions offered by professional associations from around the world). If we went for a cup of coffee together, I could easily go on for a couple of hours telling you about all the wonders and secrets of the music therapy profession. Luckily, you are safe from my enthusiasm, reading this from the comfort of your internet-connected device. But several points are worth commenting upon. 

Music therapy is a professional field

Most of us use music therapeutically on a daily basis - to brighten our mood, to keep us company, to entertain a bored child or to keep the beat during exercise. But this is not music therapy. Similarly to medicine, we have the capacity to treat our own ailments only to a certain extent. Self-prescribing paracetamol is usually fine. Applying a bandage to a broken leg would not be very helpful.  

Music therapy process requires a deep specialist understanding of human psychology, physiology and social functioning. And music, of course. Which means there has to be a trained, certified professional for music therapy to happen. Around the world, this training comes in many forms, but usually a master’s degree in music therapy and a board certification exam (like the one medical doctors take) is required to start practising. It also means that clinical music therapy is informed by scientific research, as well as by professional code of ethics. Global music therapy standards are set by the World Federation of Music Therapy.

Any kind of music can be used in music therapy 

Hip hop, classical, pop, new age, heavy metal, church hymns, folk, k-pop, IDM, rock, country, sea shanties, ragas, “oldies”, Native American, jazz, gamelan, choral, traditional ethnic songs - you name it. The music can be played live (all music therapists are skilled singers and instrumentalists!) or listening to records can take place. Active participation from the client is always encouraged and supported, and usually you will be joining in music making in no time, even if you consider yourself “not a musical person”.

Most importantly: universal “therapeutic music” does not exist. Each person is unique and is affected uniquely by all kinds of music throughout their life. So - no magic healing music recommendations today (yep, not even Mozart). Sorry. 

Music therapy can take many forms

As long as some element of music is present, it can be used for therapeutic purposes. Playing simple music instruments along with one’s therapist, singing, improvising, discussing song lyrics, listening to live and recorded music, relaxing, breathing or moving to music all can be used during sessions. 

In my experience, at times no real-time musiking needs to happen at all. I may just walk into the room with my guitar, or a frame drum, or a cello, and this, in itself, becomes a prompt for the session participants to start reminiscing about personally meaningful music experiences - like their music-related childhood memories or their favourite song. All of this can be a part of the music therapy process. 

By the way, did you know that nearly all the same brain regions are activated when we imagine music in our head as compared to listening to real music? That’s what enabled Beethoven to compose when he lost his hearing and helps thousands of runners to stay strong on track in face of the “health and safety” ban on headphones. But I digress.

Music therapy always has goals

Because it is, well, therapy - as in Greek therapeia "curing, healing" - which is a service provided with the purpose to address identified health and wellbeing problems. And it is not just about making people feel happy or relaxed, although this is usually what comes to mind when one first hears the words “music” and  “therapy” in the same context. In reality, music therapy can support a whole range of human functions, needs and abilities through every season of life. 

Neonatal music therapy protocols are designed to help premature infants increase food intake, soothe themselves and gain weight faster.  

In inclusive classrooms music therapists can facilitate sessions to help young children master communication and social skills, such as sharing and turn-taking. A student’s attention span can be increased through music-based training to improve academic performance. 

Music therapy is effective as a supportive treatment for anxiety and depression and can help provide one an insight into their innermost emotions, leading to a better understanding of oneself. 

For someone in a hospital, music therapy can provide relief of acute, procedural, and cancer or chronic pain. It also has been shown to decrease the need for use of sedatives in intensive care units.

As you have likely heard, carefully chosen music can become a key to a personality of someone with Alzheimer’s disease, bringing them joy and opportunities for meaningful interaction with the therapist, peers and the loved ones.  

And neurologic music therapy offers many techniques which help develop, sustain or regain physical functions such as walking, talking, swallowing, breathing and speaking. This approach to music therapy is indispensable for stroke and traumatic brian injury survivors, as well as for people living with innate and acquired neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, motor neurone disease (ALS). But, again, this probably deserves a blog entry of its own. 

Music therapy is for everywhere and everyone

Music therapy can happen pretty much anywhere, from hospitals, schools and residential care facilities to individual homes, corporate offices, homeless shelters and refugee centres. Often music therapists are a part of an interdisciplinary team, working in close collaboration with teachers, nurses, medical doctors, psychiatrists, physical and speech therapists, and child life specialists.This way, music therapy is coordinated with other treatment modalities and daily activities, and everyone wins.

One of the things I love most about music therapy is its potential to affect multiple areas of human health and wellbeing at once. With thoughtful planning, I can work with several clients in the same drum circle, and take care of one person’s fine motor skills, another one’s emotional regulation capacity and the third one’s ability to verbally express themselves.  

The best part? The person participating in music therapy does not have to own any particular music abilities. Being, in the words of the great neurologist Oliver Sacks, a “musical species”, we do not need any special training for musical treatment to take effect. All you have to do is show up and enjoy the music. Or so it appears if you have a good music therapist to help you.

___

Written by Alisa Apreleva