Music Therapy – Changing Lives For the Better

If you’re a music lover looking for a career that is completely off the beaten path, music therapy just might be right for you. Music therapy, a relatively new method of therapy in the eyes of modern medicine, is an ancient practice. Since 1944, it has gradually been practiced more extensively in the United States. In the United Kingdom, music therapy was used in hospitals during both world wars.

Music therapy dates back to the ninth century. In particular, the work of music theorist al-Farabi and his treatise entitled “Meanings of the Intellect” laid the foundations for the modern form of the practice. Robert Burton also wrote about the positive effects of music and dance on the condition of the soul in his work, “Anatomy of Melancholy.” Both of these writers used modern methods of describing very ancient ideas to form the basis of the therapeutic methods used today.

In the United States, music therapy is governed by the American Music Therapy Association, which provides certification for aspiring practitioners. Though certification is not required, it definitely gives a therapist much more credibility. The AMTA gives different levels of certificates depending on completion of various studies. For example, a bachelor’s certificate enables someone to work together with other therapeutic disciplines such as speech therapy. Music therapists often have degrees in other disciplines as well. In New York State, practitioners must be registered and licensed as a creative arts therapist by passing a standardized test administered by the state. Lesley University in Massachusetts and Temple University in Pennsylvania offer degrees in the practice.

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Music Therapy and What It’s Used For

Music therapy uses music to promote positive changes in the wellbeing of an individual. These positive changes may be manifested in changes in physical development, social and interpersonal development, emotional or spiritual wellbeing or cognitive abilities.

The therapeutic benefits of music have been known and harnessed since ancient times. However, music therapy in modern times dates back to the World Wars when music was used in hospitals in the rehabilitation and recovery of soldiers who had suffered physical or emotional trauma. The University of Kansas was the first University in the United States to offer a degree program in music therapy in 1944.

Early exponents of music therapy in the 1950′s to 1970′s included the French cellist Juliet Alvin and Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins. The Nordoff-Robbins approach is still used in many countries around the world including the USA, UK, Australia, Germany and South Africa.

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Benefits Of Music Therapy

Music therapy uses music to promote positive changes in the wellbeing of an individual. These positive changes may be manifested in changes in physical development, social and interpersonal development, emotional or spiritual wellbeing or cognitive abilities.

The therapeutic benefits of music have been known and harnessed since ancient times. However, music therapy in modern times dates back to the World Wars when music was used in hospitals in the rehabilitation and recovery of soldiers who had suffered physical or emotional trauma. The University of Kansas was the first University in the United States to offer a degree program in music therapy in 1944.

Early exponents of music therapy in the 1950′s to 1970′s included the French cellist Juliet Alvin and Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins. The Nordoff-Robbins approach is still used in many countries around the world including the USA, UK, Australia, Germany and South Africa.

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Music Therapy As a Form of Treatment

We mostly describe music as the art of putting sounds together and organizing the sounds so they could bring a response to whoever listens to them. But is there anything else that music could do aside from simply making people listen to sounds and respond to it? Can music go beyond its boarders? As a matter of fact, it can, in the way of music therapy. Music is now being used not just for therapy but for contributing to a person’s emotional well-being.

Did you know that music can be a pain reliever? Aside from the expansive role of music in our lives, it is being used as a way of relieving pain for cancer patients. Cancer patients listen to music in order to divert their attention from the pain from which they suffer. Music therapy can be used to treat patients with emotional disorders. Music brings a sensation that helps make a person calm and comfortable. These soothing feelings allow the patient to be free from emotional distress. Eventually, music helps alleviate the cause of the patient’s disorder.

Music Therapy For Mental Disorders
Music therapy is also being used as a treatment for mental disorders such as anxiety and dementia. Dementia is a brain disorder that results in the deterioration of the affected individual’s mental disposition along with emotional disturbance. Dementia, however, isn’t the only disease that can be treated by this form of alternative therapy; it is also known for its ability to help relieve symptoms of pain and anxiety in many terminally ill patients.

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Music Therapy Research Breakthroughs

In the aim to establish more concrete evidences that music therapy can be part of any treatment approach or technique, research was conducted to take a closer look on the positive reactions that patients exhibit when expose to it. Music therapy has always been associated to be useful in many sicknesses and concerns related to all aspects of living. It was determined that music therapy has all the entitlement to be given credit as a sensible element of health care management.

The research carried out covers different health care fields demonstrated a clear picture of the direct results of music therapy in the relief of many hard to treat problems. These patients responded positively and have shown remarkable improvements in their conditions.

Alzheimer’s disease manifests symptoms including faulty cognitive skills, great alterations in social behavior, and motor skill discrepancies. The research makes available three kinds of music therapy treatments in the hope that they can stimulate cognitive function enhancements. These are musically cued reminiscence, verbally cued reminiscence, and musical activity; music therapy treatments that have been proven to be effective in inducing the memory recollection of persons afflicted with Alzheimer’s.

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Music Therapy Helps Patients With Recovery

Many people have been seeking relief for various ailments and conditions using music therapy. Professionals are starting to us different disciplines of music therapy often to help their patients and clients. It is now common for doctors, social therapists, psychologists, and even social workers to use this new age therapy.

Studies have theorized that in when music therapy is combined with other disciplines of therapy improvements in patient conditions happen more rapidly. It appears music influences different parts of the brain. It can be extremely powerful for stirring emotions and social interactions. Have you ever noticed how a piece of classical music can make you cry? Do you wonder why music is always played at social gatherings and parties? These are just common instances to show how strong music’s influence on us can be. To a patient say suffering from stroke, music opens them up emotionally and helps to motivate them. Stroke victims are often depressed and unmotivated to work on their conditions. Music can get them out of their negative mood.

A patient’s condition will often dictate the type of musical therapy they are involved with. Some might learn an instrument to receive positive benefits from the therapy. Others might just have specific music playing lightly in the background while they work on a physical therapy or other motor skill oriented therapy. Stroke patients who have lost the capacity to speak can be taught to speak again using a singing speech therapy. So the method of music therapy used is influenced by each patient’s personal need.

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What Happens in a Music Therapy Assessment?

I am often asked this question several times a month by teachers and parents. They have children in school with disabilities who have been recommended for a music therapy evaluation, but many of them have not been exposed to music therapy and sometimes do not even know that it exists, especially in their school district. I have always been happy to give them a brief description of what I do when I come to see their child for the music therapy assessment.

Music therapy assessments take many different forms and may include different elements depending on the therapeutic setting. Music therapy in the public schools, for example, is partially governed by state and federal guidelines. It is considered a related service and a music therapist is part of a team of teachers and therapists who work with a student according to an Individual Education Plan (IEP). An Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee must obtain consent from the parent or guardian to ask for a music therapy assessment in order to begin the process.

Music therapy assessment procedures will vary between types of client populations, but there are several key areas that should be considered when conducting any music therapy assessment. An assessment should include a review of the client history, including origin of disabilities, medical or psychosocial issues, current therapeutic strategies and existing goals. The assessment will also gather remarks and observations from teachers, staff, and parents about how they have seen the student respond to music at school or at home. The majority of an assessment should be comprised of a comparison between client responses during music and during regular activities that do not normally include music.

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Autism and Music Therapy

In recent years, medical professionals have combined autism and music therapy in order to determine if there are any advantages associated with this type of treatment. Music is often regarded as the most ancient form of communication among individuals worldwide because of the fact that it is considered to be common among all cultures, in all locations of the world. Due to the amazing popularity of music and the effects that it seemed to have on individuals that were subjected to it, many researchers developed what they refer to as “Music Therapy”. Since the initialization of this form of therapy, it has been established that it has the ability to assist those that suffer from many different types of cognitive and physiological problems. Today, the use of music therapy is becoming increasingly popular for children that suffer from autism. Throughout this health guide, you will learn many interesting facts on autism music therapy.

Certified Music Therapists
The individuals that focus on autism and music therapy are known as “Certified Music Therapists”. If your child has autism, it is absolutely imperative that you choose a therapist that has an extensive education and valuable experiences in the field of music based therapy. The professionals will be identified as “Music Therapist-Board Certified” or “MT-BC”, and commonly work in educational settings, clinics that specialize in developmental disorders, and private practices. These professionals use an assortment of music types in order to assist in building skills in the autistic child. Furthermore, it has been found that the music may be used to enhance communication skills. Many studies also indicate that these specialists are highly effective at helping an autism patient experience lower anxiety levels.

Benefits of Autism Music Therapy
Autism and music therapy works to address the most common problems experienced by those that suffer from this condition. These problems include communication difficulties, issues with behavior that is considered to be aggressive or inappropriate, as well as social interaction issues. Autism therapy using music combines many different types of elements in order to enable the autistic child to communicate effectively and openly express their true feelings. While many forms of therapy have been used to assist children suffering from autism, music based therapy is the one treatment that shows the most promising results. The following highlights the benefits associated with autism and music therapy:

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Music Therapy – Improving Health

If listening to a classical concerto makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, music therapy may unlock the secrets to life’s many mysteries for you. Similarly, if hearing an Abba song or even a cheesy old Marie Osmond recording makes you swoon with joy and delight and can bring you out of a funk, then music therapy may be just what you need.

Music therapy is thought to originate in veterans’ hospitals, helping those who came back ravaged from the war acclimate better to the often traumatic injuries they suffered.

Actually, music therapy is not as daft as it may seem. The idea is that music is used as a therapeutic vehicle to achieve goals that are not really related to music at all. The parallels are obvious: speech and singing, walking and movement, rhythm and motor skills. As music has been scientifically proven to enhance mood as well, it’s thought that music therapy can optimize people’s abilities to interact and communicate on many, many levels.

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A Peaceful Revolution

You’ll be in trouble with the law if you play your music too loudly in Rochester, New York. Anyone found violating local and state noise ordinances by means of overly loud “boom boxes,” stereos, motorcycles, automobiles or loud partying will be ticketed.

New York City has also begun to oppose the bombardment of noise. Its Department of Environmental Protection has a Quality of Life Hotline. 70% of the calls received concern noise. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has established a Council on the Environment. There is a citywide group (with a somewhat unfortunate acronym) called Friends Against Noisy New York. On April 25th, there were observances of International Noise Awareness Day. The mayor also established Operation Silent Night, a citywide quality of life initiative to combat loud and excessive noise in New York City.

It’s not that the state of New York is less tolerant than the rest of us. It’s that they’ve realized something a lot of communities don’t know yet.

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