Music Therapy !!! An informative Article!!

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What is Music Therapy?

There are many forms of alternative pain management that transcend simply medicating the problem. Effective alternative pain management techniques like music therapy have been around for hundreds of years and have provided holistic relief for thousands of suffering people. The music therapy experience can be a fun, inspiring, safe vehicle to address goals such as emotional release, self-expression, body-awareness, group cohesiveness, relaxation/pain management, and creative self-exploration. This emotional release is especially helpful to those in eating disorder residential programs, trauma treatment centers and drug rehab facilities. Emotional well-being is an important component of successful alternative pain management strategies, and music therapy contributes to restoring optimal well-being by using music to address these and other non-musical goals.

Music therapy sessions in a group setting include active music making (singing, drumming), live music listening with relaxation, song writing/lyric analysis, and creative music arts. Playing instruments as a form of expression is used to create a unique non-verbal outlet for emotional release. Drumming is a way to release physical and emotional tension in a healthy manner, and to incorporate the mind-body connection. This alleviation of tension is particularly helpful when used in conjunction with alternative pain management therapies. Those in bulimia programs, anorexia nervosa treatment centers, binge eating facilities and trauma therapy often find great relief through the use of these musical instruments.

History of Music Therapy

Music therapy has been in existence for many years and was once used as a healing therapy for veterans in World Wars I and II. This therapy however, was not officially recognized as an organized profession until the year 1950. Since then its popularity has spread with the opening of the American Association for Music Therapy and the National Association for Music Therapy. These two organizations merged in 1998 and have since been known as the AMTA (American Music Therapy Association).

Who Can Benefit From Music Therapy?

Music therapy can be beneficial to a wide variety of people, especially to those in eating disorder treatment and treatment for drug abuse. These include:

• Drug and alcohol addicts
• Those with depression or low self-esteem
• Abuse victims
• People with ADHD/ADD
• Struggling teens
• People with mental disorders or brain injuries
• Eating disorder sufferers
• Those with behavioral problems
• People grieving from a recent death
• The disabled

Benefits of Music Therapy

Benefits of music therapy include:

• Improved communication and expression of emotion
• Increased attention span
• Pain management
• Stress reduction
• Improved academic, social and motor skills
• Decreased behavioral problems
• Ability to create and play music
• Better memory
• Enhanced physiological and spiritual well being

Music is a non-invasive, non-threatening tool that has the power to go deep into the psyche. This ability to transcend superficialities makes it an essential tool for alternative pain management. The effects of this therapy are also beneficial to those in bulimia treatment, treatment for alcoholism, cocaine addiction treatment and anorexia treatment. Music therapy sessions provide a variety of techniques that incorporate sensory stimulation to facilitate the mind-body connection - leading to awareness and a reconnection to the body’s sensations.