You’ve probably heard that laughter is the best medicine. But what about music? There is a growing group of professionals who think music is even more effective. Music Therapy has been around for decades, but it has recently become a more independent field of therapy as opposed to an offshoot of psychiatry.
The Boston Globe recent interviewed Lisa Summer, a board-certified music therapist and the head of the Music Therapy program at Anna Maria College. She feels one of the main reasons music therapy has developed into its own field is because researchers have realized that music can help people with internal issues express their problems and concerns in a way that they may not have been able to verbally. Hearing certain kinds of music or particular musical pieces can unlock memories or emotions that have been repressed.
It’s not all about listening either. Summer often has her patients create their own music by playing or learning an instrument or writing their own original songs. She’s found that this type of expression can significantly alter mood for the better.
The field of music therapy came into the national spotlight several years ago, when Congresswoman Gabby Gifford, who had sustained massive brain trauma after a gunshot to the head reportedly used a regiment of musical therapy on her road to recovery. The Globe piece warns that this event and other stories like it have caused “music healers” to come out of the woodwork in recent years. Beware of these folks selling pseudoscience as healing. Actual music therapists hold degrees and have been certified to practice.
One of the interesting methods that Summer mentions is the mimicking of a patient’s internal issues in song. She cites one situation where she played a piece that began as a jarring and tense piece but then finally resolved itself for a college student who was feeling anxiety. After a few more sessions, the patient felt that she was more equipped to express her true self.
Whatever your inner issues may be, it’s a safe bet that the right kind of music can help release some of your tension. Check back soon for the latest in the world of music and education.
from Christine Holley http://ift.tt/1hvul3f
Christine Holley 