Music is not just a basis of entertainment but has an astonishing power to heal. It touches all aspects of the mind, body, brain, and behavior. Music therapy has been declared as a therapy that can work wonders on people suffering from different kinds of mental as well as physical ailments. It is an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. Many institutes run special music therapy sessions to help people get rid of conditions such as depression, anxiety, cardiovascular problem, and insomnia. It is intended only to provide health information to assist you in being better informed and help you make better health care decisions. Music also forms a part of many other medical treatments.
Types of Music Therapy – It is broadly divided into two categories. These are as follows:
Active Music Therapy – In this therapy, the participants (those receiving the therapy) create music using different musical instruments. They also write lyrics and sing songs. This includes working on new compositions or remixing the earlier ones. The idea is to shift the patient’s focus from his physical or mental condition to something positive. Creating music can be therapeutic.
Receptive Music Therapy – During this type of therapy session, the therapist plays musical instruments and sings songs. The participants sit quietly and listen to him. Many times soft healing music is played on a recorder and the participants enjoy it.
Both types of music therapy offer a calming effect on patients. They work on different levels and help in healing various medical conditions. Most music therapists offer a mix of both these therapies to heal their patients. Many music therapy sessions also include dancing, clapping and chanting loudly.
Impact of Music Therapy
The effects of music therapy have been astonishing. It is suitable for people of all ages, whether they are virtuosos or tone-deaf, struggling with illnesses or completely healthy. Research shows that patients who received music therapy as a part of their overall medical treatment recovered faster compared to those who only received other medication. Music therapy has also been used in the treatment of mental illness. It has largely been accepted that music can heal both physical and emotional pain.
It is a profession in which engagement in active music-making helps a client achieve individual therapeutic goals. More and more hospitals, clinics and rehabilitation centers have thus started incorporating music therapy as a part of many treatments. This is because it boosts health and offers a better quality of life.
A music therapist or coach can help in this direction. Trained and certified music therapists’ work in a variety of healthcare and educational settings. Music helps in shifting the focus to the present moment. While music therapy can go a long way in improving the mental health of a patient, it can also help in more physical ways. This is a great way to improve both mental and physical health.
