Music therapy is defined as the therapeutic use of music to improve the mental health wellness of people. Many health professionals believe music to be a clinical approach that helps individuals improve their mood, reduce stress, and perform other health functions.
When it comes to undergoing music therapy, your musical knowledge or prowess isn’t a barrier. This means that you can participate in music therapy even if you don’t have musical talents or skills.
It is crucial to know that music therapy can come in two ways. First off, it can be an active process where the patients play a pivotal role in the music creation.
Also, it can be a passive process where the patients are on the receiving end of the music.
In some cases, therapists would prefer to combine both instances to get the best out of the therapy session.
Approaches to Music therapy
- Analytical music therapy
This music therapy motivates you to use musical dialogue by either playing the instrument or singing to express yourself and your thoughts. After this session, you will share your thoughts with your therapist.
- Benenzon music therapy
This therapy combines some psychoanalysis concepts with the music-making process. With this therapy, you can discover your preferred musical sound identity. Your therapist will use these results to get the right sounds that align with your internal psychological state of mind.
- Cognitive-behavioral music therapy
This therapy approach is a mix of cognitive-behavioral therapy and music. In this approach, music is used to change and strengthen some behaviors. Some of the activities that come with this approach are singing, dancing, playing a musical instrument, etc.
Benefits of music therapy
- Reduction in blood pressure
- Memory improvement
- Improved motivation
- Pain management
- Better self-reflection
- Improved communication and social skills
- Reduction in anxiety and depression