Therapy is a very important part of one's life. It can be used to help people work through issues and repair relationships.
A relationship needs trust from both sides for therapy sessions will benefit you most effectively; we are talking about patient and therapist.
Without this crucial ingredient, there won't be any progress made or insight gained during these meetings because each person must put equal effort into them.
You may have heard various therapies, but I admired music therapy the most as it is a quick relief to your mind that gives inner peace. It could be a short-term therapy, but the result is quite impressive.
What is music therapy?
Music therapy is a remedial approach that uses music's natural mood-lifting properties to help people with depression and improve their well-being and mental health. When the therapy is started, it works as a goal-oriented intervention that may involve:
- Making music
- Listening to music
- Discussing music
- Writing songs
The power of music is undeniable. It may help people with depression and anxiety and those who are physically ill or injured; all you need is a little appreciation for sound waves to experience their therapeutic benefits.
Music therapy is a method of treatment similar to art therapy that can be beneficial for many people to ease mental pain and physical health problems. Even those without musical backgrounds might find this form appealing because much good has come out in research about its effects on mental wellness.
We have understood enough about music therapy, so let's get to know about some types of music therapy further. (Center, E.I., Center, C.R. and Center, P.F., 2013)
Types of music therapy
Music therapy is a great way to relax and de-stress, but there are so many different types of music that you can choose. Some therapists may use active or passive interactions with their clients.
Therapists try some new approaches in music therapy that includes;
Analytical music therapy
If you're feeling overwhelmed by your thoughts, try engaging them through music. You can sing or play an instrument to express what's on the inside of you without even realizing it.
The therapeutic value in analytical music therapy lies with how one can discuss these feelings afterward, explore and reflect upon those unconscious ideas that bubble up when we least expect them.
Community music therapy
Music is a powerful force for change, and this format will help you use it. It's done in groups of people who are deeply committed to each other- but don't worry because there aren't any singing lessons required.
Nord-off music therapy
Music can be played as a form of therapy, using instruments like drums and cymbals. There is creative music that utilizes improvisation during sessions; it's used for helping with self-expression & the output should sound casual.
Expanding your mind to new horizons is an important part of the transformation. This practice also helps you connect with yourself on a deeper level by using different sounds and exercises that will stimulate emotions in the process, like natural speech or breathing techniques, for instance.
Benenzon music therapy
The concept of Benenzon music therapy is to provide the patient with a "musical sound identity." The therapist will search for sounds that most closely match their internal psychological state and use those as cues to help them heal.
Most people are aware of what music therapy is, but they get confused with sound therapy. So let's get started with what is music therapy? And what is sound therapy?
Music therapy and sound therapy
Both therapies are distinctive in their setting and goals:
- Sound therapy is ancient, and it came from Tibetan cultural practices, while music therapy is a new concept used for self-discipline.
- Music therapy addresses symptoms like depression and pain, while sound therapy uses tools to achieve sound frequencies.
- The therapist that uses music therapy works in hospitals, private practices, and substance abuse treatment centers. Sound treatment is suggested as alternative medicine.
What can music therapy help with?
Most therapies are used for conditions like stress, but music therapy may be helpful for people experiencing it.
- Cardiac conditions
- Chronic pain
- Negative mood
- Anxiety or stress
- Alzheimer's disease
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Respiration problems
- The trouble with movement or co-ordination
Music therapy is also used for teenagers and children to:
- Improve their communication skills
- Learn to regulate their emotions
- Recover from trauma
- Develop their identities
Benefits of music therapy
Music therapy is a personalized form of healing that provides benefits to people of all ages. For those with little or no musical experience, it may be their first exposure. It can open up whole new worlds in terms of self-expression through sound, which has been shown to relieve stress symptoms like anxiety, for example.
Getting in touch with music can:
- Fulfill social needs in adults in a group setting
- Lower the heart rate and blood pressure
- Relax muscle tension
- Music encourages the feeling of calm.
- You are relaxed most of the times while listening to the music
- Scientifically speaking, it activates the brain regions that influence things like emotions, movement, memory, and involuntary functions.
Overall speaking, music therapy benefits human mental health and provides calmness, increases confidence and empowerment, and boosts emotional intimacy.
Effectiveness of music therapy
Music therapy is a proven way to help people with depression and anxiety, sleep disorders, or cancer. There are many uses for this powerful treatment; nowadays, you can find it in hospitals and at home.
Studies have shown that music therapy is an effective component of depression treatment. It's been linked most with success when combined with the usual remedies like psychotherapy and medication.
Most people love to hear music before sleeping as it helps them fall asleep. Studies have shown that mellow music soothes the body and calms the nerves relaxing the whole body. So music therapy helps people dealing with insomnia which is also a symptom of depression.
Music therapy is examined as potential energy for chronic pain management for every age group.
Music therapy could ease or reduce pain associated with:
- Chronic conditions
- Labor and childbirth
Depression and anxiety can be treated by medication, but medicines won't suit everyone. Therapies manage to control proper situations for the conditions like overthinking and anxiousness.
Music therapy shows how easily you could manage anxiety with the help of little entertainment; if you're suffering from such problems, do consider visiting a therapist before the condition gets worse.