By Drew Naber and Torrie Richardson
Music therapy has been used since ancient times; the earliest writings recorded were from Aristotle and Plato. Music therapy officially came to the U.S. in the 18 th century. The profession of music therapy didn’t start until WWI when it was used to help relieve pain perception in war veterans.
People in need of music therapy are not diagnosed by normal methods. Any person can benefit psychologically, physically, spiritually, and mentally from musical therapy.
Music Therapy is used in many different scenarios. Hospitals-music used in alleviating pain, elevating mood, counteracting depression, promoting physical rehabilitation, calming, inducing sleep, counteracting fear, and lessening muscle tension. Nursing homes- maintains physical, mental, and social functioning. School- Music Therapy is used with mainstreamed special learners to strengthen nonmusical skills that are important in everyday life.
Psychiatric facilities- allows people with mental health needs to explore feelings, make positive mood and emotional changes, have perceived control over stress, practice problem solving skills, and strengthen social skills. Music Therapy in hospitals Music Therapy in school
Because Music Therapists address a wide variety of needs, there is no such thing as a typical session, instead sessions are based on the individual’s needs.
Michigan State University was the first university to offer Music Therapy as a college degree. Some famous modern-day Music Therapists include: Roia Rafieyan and Teresa Bailey. Some famous historical Music Therapists include: Robert Burton (17 th century), Pythagoras, Aristotle, and Plato. Majority of Music Therapists work with children.
Music Therapy is not always about the music itself, but also helps through the relationship between the client and therapist. Has been proven to boost the immune system of cancer patients, especially in children. A drawback of Musical Therapy is that sometimes repressed feelings may resurface, increasing depression instead of relieving it. Using Music Therapy on Alzheimer’s patients increases certain brain functions, and improves language and cognitive capabilities.
The brain’s perception of pain and perception of music are essentially the same in terms of the way the brain perceives each sensation. Music is used to cancel out the vibrations of pain, often eliminating, or at least decreasing, the brain's perception of the pain. Music Therapy is especially useful in eliminating temporary pain. For example, it is sometimes used when a mother goes into labor to decrease pain.
Music Therapy is a relatively new and rapidly growing field of study. Because of advances in the realms of art and music psychology as well as technology, psychologists are uncovering more about the measurable effectiveness of Music Therapy treatments. This is important in establishing music therapy in the field of biological medicine.
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