What is music therapy?

Most people are aware of the power of music to evoke emotion. Some songs tug at our heartstrings and call to mind certain memories. Some songs boost our confidence or keep us energized while we exercise. And some songs are used to reinforce traditions or mark life’s important milestones. Cultures across the world use music to celebrate, to mourn, and to come together. 

In addition to its ability to connect us to our emotions and our shared experiences, music has also been shown to improve mental and physical health in a variety of ways through music therapy. 

What is music therapy?

According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy is “an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals.”  Put simply, music therapy uses music to reduce mental or physical health symptoms and improve quality of life.

Some people mistakenly believe that music can only be used therapeutically to encourage relaxation. And while this can certainly be a benefit, music has the power to do much more to promote healing. In fact, research shows that music can change the way certain parts of our brains work and these changes can help to decrease symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental and physical health conditions. 

Like other forms of therapy, music therapy is provided by a credentialed provider (a board-certified music therapist or BC-MT) and is patient or client directed. This means that the therapist will work at the individual’s pace and incorporate music-based activities that reflect unique treatment needs. Music therapy interventions can take many forms but can include listening to music, singing, dancing, writing or improvising melodies or lyrics, music-based group therapy, and more.

How does music therapy work?

Scientists are still working to understand all the different ways music impacts the brain. There is some evidence to suggest that music can increase alpha wave brain activity. Alpha waves are important for encouraging feelings of relaxation and comfort and focusing our attention. Increasing alpha wave activity may help increase physical and emotional comfort for people who are living with a mental or physical health condition.

Another study found that music has the potential to impact the parts of the brain that govern how we relate to others. So in addition to its positive effects on individual mental and physical health, music therapy may also help us form more positive interpersonal relationships.

Music’s ability to stimulate the brain can also be helpful for people recovering from neurological events like strokes or traumatic brain injury. Because music encourages bilateral stimulation and neuroplasticity, music therapy can support improved cognition, coordination, range of motion, speech, and more during rehabilitation.

What kinds of techniques are used in music therapy?

Whether you’re a musician yourself or simply enjoy listening to music, there are many different forms of music therapy to choose from. Your music therapist can help you decide which techniques and activities will be the best fit for your symptoms and preferences. A few of the main categories of music therapy include active and passive music therapy and individual or group music therapy. 

Active vs. passive music therapy 

As you may have guessed, active music therapy is performance-oriented (although you don’t need an audience!). This could involve writing lyrics to encourage self-expression, singing, playing an instrument, dancing, or any music-based activity that gives you an active role. 

Passive music therapy puts you in the listening and observing role. It could involve listening to instrumental or lyrical music or watching others perform and noticing the changes you experience while listening. This form of therapy can be used to reduce stress, calm anxiety, and strengthen your mind/body connection.

Individual vs. group music therapy 

Like other forms of therapy, music therapy can be conducted either individually (just you and your therapist) or in groups. Some people prefer the privacy and individualized support of individual therapy because it might feel easier to be open and vulnerable in a one-on-one setting. But enjoying or performing music with others in group music therapy can also be a powerful experience that creates feelings of connection and support among members. 

Whether you’re interested in exploring individual or group music therapy (or both), know that it can be integrated into other therapeutic modalities based on your provider’s recommendations and your preferences. For example, you can continue seeing your regular therapist (if you have one) for your weekly talk therapy sessions while also attending music therapy at a different time.

What are the benefits of music therapy?

Music therapy can be used to treat a wide variety of mental and physical health conditions. It can be especially helpful for children who don’t yet have the ability to express themselves verbally or for other people with communication challenges. But almost anyone can benefit from music therapy because of its ability to support:

• Healthy coping skills
• Emotional awareness and expression
• Self-regulation and distress tolerance
• Interpersonal connection and communication
• Enhanced self-esteem and self-image

Compared to other forms of therapy, music therapy is a relatively new form of treatment and more research is needed to understand all of its psychological and physiological benefits. However, studies show that music therapy can be an effective form of treatment for people living with all different types of mental and physical health conditions, including:

• Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression
• Anxiety 
• Trauma-related disorders
• Feeding and eating disorders
• Personality disorders
• Substance misuse
• Brain injury
• Autism-spectrum disorders
• Child and adolescent behavior challenges
• Dementia and memory disorders
• Chronic pain
• Learning differences

Find a music therapist with Rula

If you’re interested in adding the healing power of music to your mental health treatment journey, you’re probably wondering how to go about finding a music therapist. Rest assured that Rula is here to make finding the right provider a little easier so that you can begin receiving music-based treatment as soon as tomorrow. 

Our therapist matching program will allow you to find a therapist who takes your insurance and our telehealth platform makes it easy to connect with your provider from home or wherever you’re most comfortable. 

Find a therapist with Rula