What Makes Music Therapy So Effective in Mental Health Treatment?

“I wasn’t expecting to feel this kind of emotion from music therapy.”

“I can’t believe that I learned lessons about parenting through improvisation and the importance of being a sober and consistent ‘steady beat’ for my children.”

“Through music therapy I have had so many ‘light bulb’ moments. I have been revisiting songs that I listened to when I was deep in my eating disorder and addiction and I am finding completely new connections, emotions, and meanings in them that are helping me stay motivated in recovery.”

We’ve had countless clients over the years express their surprise that music therapy had such an impact on their healing journeys. But we aren’t surprised, and here’s why:

Music is a powerful, universal tool, used throughout the existence of humanity as a method of communication, a way to influence emotions, and a means to access connection.

When used actively and intentionally, music is an incredibly effective healing tool! Just think about how you use music in your daily life. For most of us, a day doesn’t go by when we don’t listen to music.

Music therapy builds on this.

Music therapists strategically manipulate music to reflect where a client is at and to support them in moving forward. This helps clients to identify and feel their emotions. Then they create something that will communicate what is going on inside for them. I know we are nerding out a little here, but isn’t this cool?! 🤯

Music is something that surrounds us, something to which our clients will continually be exposed post-treatment. In the past, clients may have used music as a gateway to isolation. With music therapy, they learn to use it as a productive coping skill.

This is why music therapy is so effective in mental health.