Understanding the healing benefits of music

It is quite a rare sight for you to see someone without a liking for music. Even if you cannot play an instrument or sing a song, there is still a feeling that music evokes that no other thing can. It would be surprising to note that in the operating room, surgeons have found music as an effective stress relief

The healing effects of music is music therapy in itself, and it has been proved to reduce pain, anxiety and stability.  

Also, the healing benefits of music are still explored, as there are certified music therapists who have taken it upon themselves to have a good understanding of music’s healing benefits.

Music has been found to ease anxiety and discomfort during surgical procedures. People who want to undergo surgery can be asked to listen to their favorite music in order to help reduce the pain and discomfort.

Studies have shown those who listened to music in the recovery room did not have much need for opioid medication.

In addition, music helps to reduce the adverse effects of cancer therapy. When you listen to music, it helps to reduce the anxiety that comes with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Hence, it can reduce vomiting and nausea for patients in chemotherapy.

Also, when you listen to music, it helps you stick to a routine. If you are undergoing physical therapy, music therapy aids your wellbeing and overall wellness. It also helps your emotional, psychological and cognitive functioning during rehabs.

Interestingly, people who have dementia have a lot to gain with music therapy. Studies have shown that music helps to evoke memories and improve communication. Hence, people with dementia will be able to remember lost memories and communicate properly.

If you are facing a health problem, music therapy might be the way out for you. Hence, it is advised to reach out to a music therapist who will be able to help you. It would go a long way in bringing your life back on track.

UNDERSTANDING GROUP MUSIC THERAPY

The major basis for group music therapy is the purpose of communication. A group music therapy tends to promote the interaction and growth of people with the aid of music.

A good number of music therapy groups come with a broad variety of therapeutic encounters which are hinged on the needs of the group.

Each musical experience has been adeptly designed by the therapists to trigger satisfaction. Hence, each individual in therapy is usually motivated to contribute their best.

It is important for the music therapist to develop a good relationship with his or her clients, in order to foster rehab success in the long run.

A rehab that offers group music therapy would be willing to partner with various bodies for the purpose of ensuring wellness.

The goal of group music therapy is usually to provide enriching programs that would be beneficiary to all individuals.

The programs for group music therapy are designed based on the specific needs of the individuals. As you would expect, a program which is tailored according to a specific need would thrive better than a general one.

During group music therapy, the therapist would ensure that all registered clients either take part in the active or receptive form of music.

Music comes with lots of therapeutic benefits and it is the responsibility of the therapists to ensure that everyone reaps from it.

People who have mental health problems would find group music therapy very useful. This is possible because, they will meet other people who have similar problems to theirs.

This would be the perfect avenue to get motivated by the experiences of other people in therapy.

For clients in group music therapy, the first problem they must solve, is the issue of clarity and openness. You need to be free with your therapist so that assessment and evaluation would come easy.

Group music therapy goes a long way in solving addiction problems, mental health problems and even physical illnesses.

THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF MUSIC

Music is a powerful tool that has the capacity to help us in many ways than one. Music fights pain and stress effectively. No matter the genre of music that you are interested in, music works with your preference.

This is why it is important for you to have your own playlist. This playlist would always come in handy when you want to relax.

Before you start harnessing the benefits of music therapy, you need to find out your specialty. There is an essential need to know the type of music that provides a soothing and comfortable effect.

Once you know this, it would be easy to incorporate it into your everyday life.

If you are not aware of which healing music helps you, then you need a music therapist. A music therapist is highly proficient in evaluating your interests and taste, and when you visit once, you will be glad at the progress you have made.

Music is therapeutic to the extent that it assists women when they want to give birth. This is why some women would recommend that music is played during the course of their labour.

Their preferred type of music helps them relax and takes their mind off the pain being experienced.

In health facilities, music therapy has been seen to help patients go through bouts of pain that they experience on a daily basis.

Music provides ample protection for the heart. Listening to music might not necessarily take the place of working out. However, you can do both at the same time.

Also, music therapy helps to fight addiction which many people are not aware of. When addicts take part in a group session, they will realize that it would be easy to find social tie and emotional liberty.

Being aware of these therapeutic benefits of music gives you the factual notion that, you do not compulsorily need to be a song composer or an instrumentalist. All you need do, is to appreciate the beauty of music, and harness it for your own good.

SKILLS NEEDED TO BE A MUSIC THERAPIST

Music therapists employ the use of music in a relaxing environment to assist individuals who are going through mental and emotional problems.

Also, people who have physical health problems and physical diseases have a lot to gain from music therapy.

Music therapy is an aspect of psychological therapy where music is used to enhance the relationship between the therapists and clients.

In addition to this, music therapy is used to improve the wellness of the clients and their capability to interact.

This form of therapy comes in handy for clients who find it difficult to communicate. It is also herculean for people who do not know how to verbally express their emotions.  

To become a music therapists, having an undergraduate music degree is not compulsory. However, it is necessary for you to undergo a training course in music therapy that is approved by the health regulatory body in your country.

You might not necessarily be a graduate, but proficiency in music is essential and you might be required to undergo a music audition.

One of the needed skills for a music therapists is maturity. He or she must be professional in all their dealings.

During assessment and evaluation sessions, they must be done from a professional angle and not in a biased form.

Also, a music therapist must have great interpersonal and communication skills. A music therapist who is not able to communicate properly would find it difficult to achieve progress in the long run.

Good communication skills helps the therapists to have a good idea of what the client is going through. With this information, it would be easy for the therapist to draw out a treatment schedule.

Furthermore, it is necessary for a music therapist to have good musical ability. This ability is what forms the core of music therapy. Creativity and intuition should also not be left out, the therapist is expected to exude all these.

When it comes to difficult situations, a music therapist needs to have the ability to match up to any of them.

HOW MUSIC CAN HELP YOU GET OVER GRIEF AND LOSS

For a good number of people, music is healthy and comforting. It is one of the soothing ways for the expression of emotions.

Either you really appreciate music or you come up with yours, music has proven to be a good tool for coping with grief and managing it.

This tip comes in handy for people who find it easy to connect with music, and the lyrics in such a manner that they can feel it as a way of expressing their emotions.

If you are someone who loves music, then it would be a good tool that will help you get over grief and loss. You can decide to select some music for the person you lost.

These songs should always serve as a reminder. You can also include songs that your lost loved one would typically play; one that they are usually fond of.

There is one good way to check if songs have a meaningful message, and this is to pay rapt attention to the music you listen to daily when you are grieving.

There are some songs that you do not really think of, before they make you teary-eyed or make you emotional.

Another proficient way to use music is to listen during moments of relaxation or when you are in your grief period.

There are some people who listen to music all through their daily activities, so that they are not reminded of the reason why they are grieving.

If you are someone who loves writing songs, then you can write a song for your lost loved one. In Literary terms, this are two broad aspects: Elegy and Dirge.

So, as a way of expressing your grief, you can write a song for a person.

Also, if you are someone who has not written a song before, this could be a chance to give it a trial. When coping with grief, music is an expression. You are the only person who needs to enjoy the music.

HOW DOES MUSIC THERAPY WORK

Music therapy is the recommended usage of music by a qualified professional. Usually, the reason for music therapy is to effect positive changes in any specific area of the individual’s life.

Music therapists are so skilled at what they do. They evaluate the physical health, mental health, emotional and social health of an individual through their response to music.

Music therapists also schedule music sessions for groups and individuals, and this selection is hinged on the needs of the client. There are a whole lot of features that are used in music therapy.

The therapists uses music performance, lyric discussion, music improvisation, song writing and a host of others.

It would interest you to know that, music is a very powerful feature. During music therapy sessions, it is the responsibility of the therapists to create a bond with their patients.

The reason for this is to pave way for enhanced confidence, improvement in communication skills, attention and a host of others.

One of the major objectives of a music therapists is to attain a moment of change. During this phase, they are expected to reinforce their relationship with their clients. This phenomenon is referred to as synchronization.

Music therapy has the capacity to enhance a good number of conditions especially mental health problems.

All through the world, various researches has been made on the efficacy of music therapy, and the results had always been encouraging.

During music therapy, there are some hormones that are released into our body. These hormones aid the therapists to assess the patient better.

The two common hormones released into the body are Endorphin and Dopamine.

Endorphin is the hormone that is released into the body which gives the individual a happy feeling and a sense of elation. Endorphin has also been proved to act as a proficient pain reliever.

For Dopamine, this is the “feel-good” hormone and when it is discharged, it enhances the pleasure receptors. This is the same chemical that is initiated when we meet a need that our body requires.

THE BROAD CATEGORIES OF MUSIC THERAPY

Music therapy is one of the most proficient forms of therapy that helps to improve the mental health and wellness of an individual.

Music therapy employs the use of musical involvement to enhance the quality of life of clients. There are many facets to music and it would interest you to know that, they are used by therapists.

Therapists find these facets of music useful in helping their clients to have a better health with the use of receptive and active music experiences.

These experiences could be discussing music, composition, creation and a host of others.

In some hospitals, you will be surprised to find out that music therapy is used. In addition to this, places like substance recovery programs and correctional centers have a use for music therapy.

Music therapy comes in handy for everyone, and there are several benefits inherent.

Fundamentally, music therapy has two categories: Active and Receptive therapy. For active therapy, the patients take part in the process of music making. So, they would either play instruments or they will write songs.

If the patients do not know how to do any of these, then they would be taught one of them. They do not necessarily need to be experts at playing, all they need do is to know the basics.

For receptive therapy, the modus operandi is quite different. What happens during therapy is, they listen to live music or any recorded music.

This music is usually selected by the therapist based on the preference of the patient.

Receptive music therapy has the capacity to enhance mood, reduce stress and pain. Also, it induces relaxation and steps down anxiety.

However, receptive music therapy does not affect disease, it assists with imbibing coping skills.

In the world today, music therapy is an aspect of therapy whose full potential has not been harnessed. It is important for therapists all over the world to be aware of this proficient form of therapy.

This knowledge would be helpful in boosting the efficacy of their therapy sessions.

WHAT GOES ON IN A MUSIC THERAPY?

Fundamentally, Music therapy is a form of therapy that makes use of expressive arts therapy, using music to enhance and regulate the psychological, physical and social welfare of individuals.

There is a wide range of activities like listening to songs, singing and playing any musical instrument.

Music therapy is not just handled by anybody. It is supervised and managed by a trained therapist, and is usually used in rehab homes, schools, homes and a host of other places.

For centuries, music has been used as a therapeutic device, and it has been proved to positively affect various parts of the brain like the sections needed for movement, sensation, emotion and cognition.

Music therapy has the capacity to provide benefits for several individuals. Music is very diverse and due to this, it can be used in the treatment of both psychological and physical problems.

In some cases, therapeutic use of music has been able to assist people in ways where other forms of music has failed.

In a music therapy session, the intervention methods that occur are broadly categorized into two: Receptive and active.

The receptive technique comprises listening to and giving a continual response to music. This can be done by dancing or analyzing the lyrics.

For the active technique, the individual is either singing, playing musical instruments, making songs and a host of other activities centered on making music.

When both of these techniques are combined, you can expect a good result. Music therapy can either be done in groups or individuals.

The music is either chosen by the person in therapy, or the therapist.

However, the genre of music would be determined by the therapist, then it would be up to the individual to determine the exact song under the selected genre.

Therapists use the ISO principle when they want to introduce music. This principle states that music would have a greater influence when it tallies with the present condition of the individual.  

ADDICTION AMONG MUSICIANS

Musicians are a set of people who are likely to develop any form of addiction. Usually, they are addicted to either drugs or alcohol.

Every musician wants to be successful, so they would give all it takes to make sure they are at the peak of fame.

There are various styles of music, and due to changes in culture, music has evolved over the years. Music is a model of art and a chance for communication.

Often times, people wonder why successful musicians are addicted. The reason for this is because, before those musicians got famous, the addiction was in motion already.

Therefore, after they have attained a certain level of success and progress, the best they can do is to manage their addiction, so that it does not affect their overall state of health.

Usually, one of the reasons why musicians are addicted is the environment. Taking a look at alcohol and drug for instance, if they are readily available, the musician would be more inclined to take them.

Normally, it is normal for someone to abuse substances that are around him or her.

Then, if the musician wants to perform at a location, he or she would most likely take those substances prior to when they perform.

If these substances are not readily available, they would underperform or they can turn down a performance.

However, this might not actually happen because these musicians have the financial capacity to cater for their addiction.

Everyone wants to be famous and wealthy, and musicians are not left out. So, one of the ways they can help themselves, is to ensure they perform optimally.

It should however be known that not all musicians are addicted.

There are some of them that have the natural confidence, so they find it quite herculean to be daunted by the intimidating crowd or unnecessary pressure from fans.

Conclusively, musicians need all the help they can get especially when it comes to catering for their mental health and addiction.

Musicians who are addicted are advised to seek treatment before it causes a dent in their career.  

MUSIC THERAPY IN OTTAWA

Over the years, music therapy has proved to be highly quintessential when it comes to some forms of treatment.

Music therapy is the employment of musical interpositions to step-up the quality of life of a client.

Definitely, music therapists use music and its several aspects such as social, mental, physical and emotional, to provide help to their clients.

Therefore, with the use of both active and receptive music encounters, various aspects of client’s health such as emotional, communicative, social and the likes increases.

In Ottawa, a good number of usual music therapy sessions are developmental work. During this, individuals are expected to write songs, muse and a host of others.

In some hospitals, music therapy is used. Also, the same applies to some cancer centers, drug and alcohol recovery programs and a host of correctional conveniences.

Evidence has shown that, music therapy is needed for all individuals, and this applies to both their mental and physical health.

Music therapy helps to improve the rate of the heart. Also, it aids I reducing anxiety and depression as mentioned above.

The brain is also properly stimulated when music therapy is in motion, and this makes learning to set in better.

Music therapists have some techniques that they use in helping their clients in several areas. This ranges from stress relief prior to and sequel to some forms of surgery.

Taking a deeper look into the broad types of music therapy, there are receptive and active music therapy.

For active music therapy, the patients are made to take part in various types of music-making. This could either be playing instruments or singing.

While for receptive music therapy, it comprises listening to a previously recorded music or a live music that the therapist recommends.

For receptive music therapy, your mood is expected to change, stress decreases, and you find it easier to relax than before.

Below are various music therapy centers in Ottawa:

  • Orleans Psychological Services (OPS) center
  • Ontario Music Therapy Academy
  • Canadian Association for Music Therapy (CAMT)