What is music therapy and how does it work?

What is music therapy and what is it used for?

Music therapy is known to support people while they are going through a form of treatment which could be recovery, a disease or chemotherapy. But it is not limited to just those. The Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA) defines music therapy as “a researched-based allied health profession in which music is used to actively support people as they aim to improve their mental health, functioning and well-being.”

The AMTA begun in 1975, but it is said the earliest history of music therapy was in 1789 from an article in Columbian Magazine called “Music Physically Considered”. A session of music therapy can range from a variety of music-making methods or music genres. This always depends on the clients goals while speaking to a music therapist at the start of the session.

A session happens when there is a music therapist, client and/or a group of clients and a musical experience involved in their sessions. The music methods could be creating and recording live music, singing or humming along, moving to or listening to music. While a client is playing an instrument, they can hear the music, they are moving to create the sound and they can feel the vibrations. All these combined is stimulating all parts of the brain. This experience is then helping their therapeutic goals which may be a personal or a healthcare goal.

---

How does it work?

When a client sings along to a song, plays an instrument or writes a song, they can decrease their stress hormones and can release their oxytocin hormone which makes them feel good. This hormone is the warm fuzzy feeling we can experience. When a client contributes to a session with a music therapist, it can stimulate their brain in all areas. This can happen when a client uses an instrument as they are moving and hearing a sound.

If it is a group session, clients often play the same instrument together which then includes a social aspect for those involved. Singing along to a song can bring back memories for those clients who are experiencing memory loss. Being hands on with music (song writing, playing an instrument, singing) is said to be more effective than pre-recorded music to clients. However, listening to music is still beneficial by decreasing blood pressure, helping with memory and eases anxiety in a client.

---

Who is music therapy for and how does it benefit them?

Music therapy are for children and adults of all ages with a disability, mental illness, recovering from surgery or injury, in hospital fighting a disease, speech and hearing impairments or physical health. The clients who take part in music therapy find massive changes such as people with memory loss like dementia with the most common form being Alzheimer’s. These people who are losing their personal memories can sometimes remember how to sing a song or play an instrument during the sessions. When this happens to a client, the family feels grateful in the moment to have their loved one to remember doing something they once did.

The benefits of these sessions for all people are how music can have the client think about something else which isn’t their health necessarily taking over their lives (illness, recovery). Being involved in music can decrease a client feeling isolated and help lower their blood pressure, heart rate, help improve their breathing and support them to relax. Music therapy is a great way to help individuals express how they're feeling with the sound of music if they find difficultly sharing how they’re feeling verbally.

---

What is a music therapist?

A music therapist is someone who uses music to treat individuals and support their well-being, personal growth or creativity. A music therapist uses different techniques for their clients to engage by incorporating music. With music therapy, music is the tool for the music therapist, whereas talking is the tool for a therapist who uses verbal communication as support. Music has an impact to see functional change in music therapy clients. The AMTA calls a Registered Music Therapist as someone who has completed a university course in music therapy. A music therapist must also continue “their skills through ongoing professional development” which is approved by the AMTA.

Music therapist can have access to a studio so them and their clients can record and produce the song/s they have written together in their sessions. Music therapists can see the changes and improvements in their clients, especially after they can hear back their produced song.