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[hikmathamed]

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What Is Music Therapy?

Music impacts the mind in powerful ways. Different musical styles have varying effects on the mind and can significantly affect a person’s mood. Indeed, music can help a person experience various emotions, including thoughtfulness, excitement, sadness, and calmness. The powerful impact of music on the mind is the basis of music therapy.

Music therapy is an evidence-based clinical practice where a therapist uses music to improve a patient’s well-being. It is an alternative to other common methods such as counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Additionally, music therapy seeks to achieve different goals the therapist and patient may set and may involve making music, writing songs, singing, dancing, listening to music, and discussing music.

People experiencing depression and anxiety may find this treatment beneficial. Studies also report that it has the potential to enhance the well-being of individuals with physical health issues. In addition, music therapy helps promote wellness, alleviate pain, manage stress, enhance memory, and speed physical rehabilitation.

Additionally, music therapy can help enhance communication abilities, self-reliance, and self-awareness. Consequently, this leads to greater self-confidence. Also, this practice can boost attention skills, concentration, and empathy towards others.

Music therapy works by modulating five key aspects: attention, cognition, emotion, behavior, and communication. Modulation of attention happens when music distracts a person from actively engaging in other stimuli that may have negative consequences such as pain, worry, and anxiety.

Music also modulates cognition by affecting memory processes, including encoding, decoding, and storing information related to musical experiences. Modulation of cognition also involves analyzing music syntax and music’s meaning.

Regarding emotions, researchers claim that music affects the brain’s parts involved in initiating, generating, maintaining, and terminating emotions. Also, music modulates behavior by affecting behavioral aspects like speaking and walking.

Last, music impacts communication by serving as a form of communication itself. Consequently, music can have a significant influence on relationships.

Music therapy and sound therapy are terms sometimes used interchangeably, but they differ. Sound therapy employs sound, music, and specialized instruments. These elements, when used in therapeutic manners together with deep self-reflection techniques, aid in enhancing one's health and overall well-being.

While music therapy is a new practice, sound therapy is an old technique based on ancient Tibetan practices. Additionally, sound therapy and music therapy have different objectives. Sound therapy works by targeting specific sound frequencies, while music therapy addresses symptoms such as stress and pain using music, regardless of the frequencies, tones, or other musical attributes.

Moreover, sound therapists require less standardized training and certifications compared to music therapists. Music therapists usually work in hospitals, substance use treatment centers, or private practice centers, while sound therapists may be part of complementary or alternative medicine practices in other settings not associated with Western medicine.

There are various music therapy techniques, including analytical music therapy, benenzon music therapy, cognitive behavioral music therapy (CBMT), community music therapy, Nordoff-Robbins music therapy, the Bonny method of guided imagery and music (GIM), and vocal psychotherapy.

Analytical music therapy helps patients express hidden thoughts using improvised music. This helps an individual reflect on varying issues while working with a therapist.

Benenzon music therapy combines psychoanalysis and music-making to help discover a unique “musical sound identity” that describes external sounds that match an internal psychological state. Psychoanalysis is a therapeutic approach that addresses mental health concerns by focusing on the connection between unconscious and conscious mental aspects using methods such as free association and dream analysis.

CBMT blends CBT with music and uses structured activities like listening, dancing, singing, or playing an instrument. With community music therapy, community members actively engage in music to effect changes at the community level.

Also known as creative music therapy, Nordoff-Robbins music therapy includes playing an instrument, often a cymbal or drum, in the presence of a therapist. This fosters self-expression. GIM uses classical music to spark imagination and involves sharing feelings, sensations, memories, and imagery that music evokes. Finally, vocal psychotherapy utilizes vocal exercises, natural sounds, and breathing techniques to connect with one’s emotions and enhance self-connection.

#Hikmat Hamed