What Is Music Therapy?
Music Therapy is the use of music to help people in need learn, practice and develop specific life skills. This may include psychological, cognitive, social, emotional and/or physical skills. Take a moment to think of the skills people need in order to be successful in life. You may have come up with skills such as breathing, thinking, feeling, communicating, being patient, being focused, relaxing, playing, learning, organizing, and healing (mentally or physically). How do people develop these skills normally? How do people with special circumstances or difficult life challenges develop these skills? Music Therapy is one such meaningful and effective way to do just that.
A music therapist works with the intention of using music as primary tool to help clients achieve non-musical goals (e.g. emotional balance, frustration tolerance, improved concentration, impulse control, body awareness, stress reduction, pain management, etc.). Additionally, a music therapist will help clients nurture and develop a strong sense of personal creativity with the knowledge that doing so promotes optimism, growth, overall health and well being. A music therapist may help a client learn a specific instrument but will typically use a variety of instruments - such as drums and percussion, piano, voice and guitar - to help the client be successful. A music therapy education includes an in depth study of psychology, human growth and development, and counseling. As such, music therapists are trained to work with a variety of special populations and client needs.
Music Therapy is not a passive endeavor. Indeed, it is an active, experiential treatment modality that has been researched and validated as one way to help people overcome difficult challenges and achieve personal growth and success.
Who Could Benefit from Music Therapy?
Music Therapy is a meaningful and effective treatment modality for all types of people, both young and old, who come from all walks of life and who display a wide range of both abilities and limitations.
The music therapy department of Rise Counseling, LLC specializes in working with people who are struggling with cognitive, behavioral, and/or emotional challenges. These challenges may include but are not limited to the following:
Anxiety
Depression
Trauma
Addiction Recovery
AD/HD
Autism
What Does a Music Therapist Actually Do?
Trained as an allied health care professional, a music therapist will perform assessments, help the client develop goals, write and review treatment plans and, most importantly, provide music centered experiences to help the client succeed. These experiences include everything from listening to music, learning rhythms, playing instruments, vocalizing, and/or moving to music.
What are some of the Outcomes that one can Expect from Music Therapy?
Many positive and life enhancing outcomes can be gained from engaging in music therapy. Here is a list of just some of the possibilities:
Improvement of Cognitive, Behavioral, Emotional, and Physical Health
Motivation and Behavior Change
Increased Creativity, Self Expression, and Musicality
Improved Functioning and Enrichment for individual with Cognitive and/or Developmental Disabilities
Leveling the Challenges of Anxiety, Depression, Physical and Psychological Trauma, Addiction, AD/HD, and Autism
