What Is Music Therapy
Assisting and Rehabilitating the Physically and Mentally Challenged
To some people, the phrase music therapy holds little significance. While we all recognize the influence that music has on our society it seems much more difficult to associate this influence with anything more than a recreational diversion. In truth, since its modern founding in 1944 at Michigan State University, the study and practice of music therapy has brought about a number of changes in the way we can help individuals with various conditions.
Music Therapy and Personal Wellness
The most widely used and most noticeable application of music therapy is the personal reduction of stress levels. Just as intense, driving music can increase a person's awareness and anxiety levels, calming, soothing music can reverse it. Music therapists use such music along with other relaxation methods to get troubled individuals past their immediate issues and teach them to better control their anxiety in the future.
Music therapists work with a wide range of people from all social groups and ethnic backgrounds. Many hospitals now commonly utilize the services of music therapists to promote wellness, positive mental attitudes, and healing with the understanding that a happy, stress-free person will often get better more quickly than one that is depressed over his or her medical condition.
Music Therapy and the Mentally Disabled
In increasing frequency, music therapy is being used as a method to aid and educate those challenged by autism and other mental disabilities. Autistic children often have difficulty focusing due to an overloading of their senses. Music therapists will very often create individualized songs, motor activities, and verbal activities to help an autistic child work toward reaching an educational or social goal.
In older individuals suffering from Alzheimer's Disease, music therapy is used quite often to help patients retrieve lost memories. Playing or singing along with personally significant music can help these individuals to remember memories that have been lost to the disease.
Music Therapy and the Physically Disabled
While we most often think of music as a mental activity, music therapists use various techniques to aid those with physical disabilities as well. One of the more well-noted examples of such assistance is in the treatment of patients with Parkinson's Disease, a disease that causes tremors and speech difficulty and can strike at any point in life. Properly executed music therapy sessions can help give Parkinson's patients greater mobility and reduce the frequency and intensity of tremors.
As you can see, music therapy is more than just a buzz word. For individuals with open, caring attitudes, the opportunity to help those in our society that need help the most can lead to a personally rewarding career.
Guitars are often used by music therapists
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