Music Therapy is an established healthcare profession that uses music to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals of all ages. Music therapy improves the quality of life for persons who are well and meets the needs of children and adults with disabilities or illnesses. Music therapy interventions can be designed to:

  • Promote physical rehabilitation
  • Improve communication and
     emotional expression
  • Alleviate pain
  • Enhance memory
  • Manage stress
  • Promote wellness

"The therapy that lies in music can have a far-reaching effect upon the development of children who bear handicaps of mental impairment, emotional disturbances, or physical disability. Music is a universal experience in the sense that all can share in it; its fundamental elements of melody, harmony, and rhythm appeal to and engage their related psychic functions in each one of us. (Nordoff & Robbins, 1971.)"

Autism and Developmental Disabilities
For people on the autism spectrum and those with developmental disabilities, music provides a nonverbal, non-threatening way of relating to others. The natural structure and consistency of music makes it extremely effective in the development and remediation of speech. Many children with developmental disabilities are able to sing when they may not speak, and they may also possess unusual sensitivities to music, such as perfect pitch.

A music therapist may work on speech through a variety of vocal exercises and repeated phrases. Music therapy activities may consist of developing emotional expression through music, and singing to increase speech development or therapeutic instrument instruction. Music is a language that most everyone can speak; it provides enjoyment, instant gratification, and a sense of achievement.

Physical Disabilities, Neurological Disorders and Brain Injury
From the rhythm of the heartbeat and breathing, to the cadence in walking, the body and the brain work in a rhythmic structure. Music Therapy techniques are very successful interventions for persons with physical disabilities, neurological disorders, and brain injury in many ways.

Music is reinforcing and can be used to motivate for movement exercise that increases range of motion, gross and fine motor skills development, and improvement in muscle and joint functioning. A Music Therapy technique called Rhythmic Auditory Stimulus (R.A.S) is shown to improve control of ambulation, improve gait training, increase cadence, and facilitate temporal and quantitative muscular control. Music can aid in relaxation and decrease the anxiety and pain that often accompanies disabilities.

Singing can be used to increase cardiopulmonary function, respiratory function, and improve oral-motor skills. Many people that may not be able to speak can often sing a song with amazing accuracy. Singing is very effective in the development and remediation of speech. Songs can also aid in Activities of Daily Living, therefore, increasing independence.

Music also provides a means for social interaction, group experience, and ways to explore emotions in a nonverbal and non-threatening way. Since music is instantly gratifying, it provides a sense of personal achievement, increases self-esteem, and self-worth.

Labor and Delivery and Early Childhood
Studies show that Music Therapy can decrease the pain and anxiety that is associated with childbirth. Music is used to assist in relaxation, to cue rhythmic breathing, to provide positive associations, and to act as a conditioned response during labor.

A Music Therapist conducts sessions prior to the day of delivery to build rapport with the expectant mother, conducts cued breathing, relaxation exercises, and combines music that will be used on the day of delivery.

Music stimulates all areas of the mind and body of a developing child and allows creative ways to explore the world around them. Research shows a physical change in the brain structure in children who started music training at an early age. These children had a 12% increase in the corpus callosum, which serves to carry signals from both sides of the brain hemispheres (Schlaug, Jancke, Huang, Staiger, & Steinmetz, 1995).

The natural structure, consistency, and lightheartedness of music make it the perfect developmental tool for early childhood. Rhythm and sound have a powerful impact on cognition, making it easier to memorize. Singing and memorizing songs is an important step to literacy. Singing helps to develop vowels and consonants, words and phrases, and rhythm and vocal inflection. Music also helps children to define social norms, such as taking turns and following directions. Most importantly music is fun and makes learning more fun for everyone.

For more information on Music Therapy visit The American Music Therapy Association