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at Habersham on Lanier Call 678.571.2246 to attend or for more information about any AMA activity or special event Music Therapy: Reaching People in Ways Traditional Therapy Can't  (ARA)
- Even with all the varieties of music out there, most people, at some
point in their lives have used music as therapy. Whether it's unwinding
to a classical composition or blowing off steam to the beat of a heavy
metal song, music can alleviate stress and help people relive memories.
According to www.disaboom.com, the largest online community for people with disabilities, this comes as no surprise as music has a profound effect on the body and mind. People respond to music differently than to traditional therapy, feeding the growing field of music therapy. According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy is formally defined as a clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. Music therapy can include movement, musical improvisation, song writing, singing, discussing lyrics, dancing, or simply listening to music. For instance, music therapists can help clients who have a hard time talking about or writing out their feelings by composing songs. Clients with physical disabilities may use music therapy to learn to play an instrument for the purpose of improving fine motor skills. These elements are used to address physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs of people of all ages living with issues including: * Brain injury * HIV/AIDS * Autism and other developmental disabilities * Emotional trauma * Hearing impairments * Mental health issues * Terminal illness or pain * Physical disabilities * Speech and language impairments * Substance abuse problems * Abuse * Visual impairments What are the effects of music on the mind and body that make this form of therapy so effective? Brainwaves can resonate with music that has a strong beat. Faster beats translate into sharper concentration and more alert thinking while slower tempos promote a calm, meditative state. When brainwaves change, other areas of the body are affected. Music can alter breathing and heart rates, making them slower or faster and, consequently, helping to relieve issues like chronic stress, promote relaxation and improve overall health. Music has also proven to deliver other health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure (which reduces the likelihood of stroke and other health issues), boosting immunity and easing muscle tension. Music therapy has truly become a viable tool for helping people get (and stay) healthy. Since its launch in 2007, www.disaboom.com is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. . Copyright © 2008, ARAnet, Inc Music Therapy is the use of music and music related activities to modify ineffective learning patterns, to promote emotional, mental, social and physical growth and to develop non-musical goals. Music Therapy is a creative, flexible and sometimes spontaneous means of using the appeal of music to help people of all ages and abilities. Music therapy means the use of music as an adjunctive
therapy for the treatment of neurological, mental, or behavioral disorders. Studies this
therapy is applied to conditions such as developmental and learning disabilities,
Alzheimer's disease and other aging related problems, brain injuries, and acute and
chronic pain. Music Therapy is defined by the National Association for Music Therapy as "The use of music in the accomplishment of therapeutic aims: the restoration, maintenance and improvement of mental and physical health. It is the systematic application of music as directed by the music therapist in a therapeutic environment, to bring about desirable change of behavior. Music helps the individual in developing his or her full potential and to achieve a more appropriate adjustment to society." |
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