Whether you’re seeking ways to overcome your struggles, or you’re a mental health provider looking for ways to support your clients and practice self-care, here’s a guide for how music therapy can make a difference.
But why music?
Many people are naturally drawn to music, especially during difficult times. Isolation and hopelessness take center stage as we face many uncertainties and injustices.
While music may not be the cure to all our problems, it can be a resource and tool for coping with, expressing, and understanding what we’re going through. Here are seven ways how:
- Beyond Words: Music picks up where most of us lack the words. Some situations are too painful to talk about, at least until we’ve had time. Music is our gift for communicating what we’re feeling. Letting an instrument speak for you can be liberating, centering, and a catalyst for words… eventually. Music can give us hope or break the silence. It’s a channel that can help us to feel and be validated, as well as understood.
- Open To All: If the idea of playing an instrument or singing terrifies you, then you’re in the right place! You do not need to be a musician to benefit from music. Music therapy does require training and experience; but, music is accessible to everyone of all abilities and disabilities. Music in therapy isn’t simply using sense of hearing or skill or music theory, although those aspects can play a useful part. Music as healing utilizes different senses to be aware of beats, rhythms, lyrics, metaphors, images, and, at times, a song as a whole.
- Expressing Empowerment: Music as therapy is about expressing yourself, what you experience during the process and the meaning you take from it. It’s not about succeeding, failing, doing it right or wrong—you aren’t being graded. Music therapy can help you overcome judgment or self-doubt. You are worthy to see what happens with music therapy organically… Music therapy helps you process negative self-talk that may arise during the music making
or listening process. It can instill a sense of joy and accomplishment simply by showing up. The effects are even stronger when you feel comfortable with whatever needs to come through in musical form. Music therapy can be even more powerful within a group setting. - Music Is Mindful: Creating music in therapy is an opportunity to practice mindfulness. Music is a tool for being in the present moment and not judging whatever arises in the music itself, as well as within ourselves. It’s simple, just focus on the thoughts, emotions, and body sensations (again, without judgment) that arise while listening to or creating music. This can promote ways to cope with depression—which often takes us into the past—and manage anxiety—which often takes us into the future. Music can also help you create a distance between a trigger and a reaction, helping you respond with more intention, rather than in the heat of the moment.
- Creating Connections: Music can be a safe and comfortable way to connect with other people, and you can make music with social distancing. As many of us feel disconnected due to self-isolation, this is more important than ever. When we share a song with someone, or even listen to a song together, we join in an activity. We’re not only saying that the other person matters, but that we matter also. Playing music together makes the connection even stronger. This can look like a drum circle, playing with percussion instruments, learning a song on piano/guitar together, humming, or just singing—even on a video call platform.
- Music Creates Balance: Creating and listening to music are outlets. Depending on the genre or quality of the rhythm and sound, music can have a calming or energizing effect. As a profound mode of self-expression, music is an extension of the heart, soul, and spirit. It helps us free our mind and allows what we’re thinking or feeling to move through us. Musical vibrations can positively affect humans neurologically, physiologically, and emotionally. Music is cathartic—it helps us open up and let go.
- You’re Not Alone: Have you ever heard a song that rang so true you wondered if the musician wrote it based on your life? Often, we think we’re the only ones going through a problem and that no one understands our strife. Music is the bridge to understanding and commonality. Even if the circumstances or causes are different, no one is free from pain and suffering. We can all relate to this.
Music acts as a thread of compassion, empathy, and courage.
When You’re Not Strong, Lean On Me-usic
Music as healing, connection, and expression is not new. Worldwide, societies and cultures have turned to music for generations—long before “music therapy” was coined as a mode of therapy within mental health.
Ultimately, music leaves us with a certain feeling, whether listening to it or creating it. We may not always be able to express ourselves verbally, but that’s not always what we need anyway. Even when it feels like you’re alone or that there is no hope, remember to lean on music as a reminder that we are more connected than we often realize, and that music holds profound messages of hope.
Think of difficult emotions as islands. Music is the boat, that takes you back to the mainland where all experiences can exist together.
Stephanie S. McCulley, MA, APCC, (she/hers), holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Expressive Arts Therapy from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, and a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Studies, Literature, from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is a Registered Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC #4425). Stephanie provides psychotherapy for adults in residential and outpatient treatment in Los Angeles as well as for children and teens through private practice in Ventura.
