Music Therapy

Music therapy uses music in order to better the quality of a person's life or to help with social skills, cognitive functions and motor skills. Music therapy is usually administered by a trained music therapist. However the recommendation for music therapy can be given by a general therapist as well.

The first documented musical therapy dates back to the late 9th and early 10th century when a Persian psychologist al-Farabi showed the therapeutic effects of music on a person's state of mind. From the 17th century onwards a number of psychologists have advocated that music plays a critical part of dealing with mental disorders.

How Does Music Therapy Work

Music therapy has been known to provide a number of benefits for medical problems such as strokes, hypertension and heart disease.

By exposing patients to various forms of music the therapist is able to affect a number of the patients physical attributes such as:

• Brain waves: Depending on the beat and intensity of the music certain responses can be gotten from patients. Music with a faster beat can increase concentration or alertness while music with slower beats can help relaxation. This change in brain waves can last after the music has been stopped which means that the benefits can last long after the music therapy session is over.
• Heart rate: Like the changing of the brain wave patterns, music can also affect other aspects such as heart rate. By inducing relaxation through music, heart rates can be reduced which can counter the effects of chronic stress and associated diseases.
• State of mind: Various type of music can help to change the psychological state of a patient. It has been documented in helping to deal with anxiety and depression.

Music therapists use a number of methods during music therapy. These can include:

• Listening to various types of music
• Songwriting
• Singing
• Moving to music or dancing

Things to Consider Before Starting Music Therapy

Before you start a music therapy treatment it is important to:

• Ensure that your therapist if associated with or has membership to groups such as The Australian Music Therapy Association
• Understand the music therapy is not suggested as a means to cure diseases, it is used as a way of improving the general mental state of an individual which can in turn result in improved physical health