Music soothes the soul and does what words cannot do. My mom is a music therapist. On Saturdays my mom goes to her part-time job. There she works with kids who have special needs. During the week she runs a program in which they use therapy to help people with mental illnesses. One of the therapies that they use is music therapy. Music therapy is an amazing type of therapy, that is meant to be used by trained professionals.
Music therapy has many positive effects. In the sessions, music making, listening to music, and discussion may occur. Some effects include, reduction in muscle tension and improved mental state. It increases motivation and verbalization. These are some specific outcomes. There are also some overall results, such as improving general and social functioning.
There are a variety of approaches used in music therapy. Some of these include: neurologic music therapy, Nordoff-Robbins, and Bonnny Method of Guided Imagery in Music. There are four general approaches in music therapy. These involve improvisation, listening to music, re-creating music, and composition.
After World War II, many of the returning soldiers were suffering from traumatizing events. Music began to be introduced into veteran hospital care settings. This was the beginning of the formal establishment of music therapy. Currently, music therapy is used in a variety of settings such as in hospitals for pediatric pain management and cardiac care; in hospice for end of life care and in schools for treatment of autism and other developmental disabilities. It is also used in working with individuals with mental health issues, such as schizophrenia, substance abuse, and depression.
The power of music has been known for centuries. People have been using music to heal and grow for many years. The music therapy profession has formalized and expanded this knowledge . You can emotionally sense music and hear music, but you can’t touch music. Music, however, can touch you.