Neurologic Music Therapy – It Really Works!

When you take the time to go to therapy for a particular ailment or need rehabilitation, you expect it to work, right?  Doctors prescribe therapy for treatment, maybe to eliminate symptoms caused by an injury or illness. Finding a historical article that highlights the success of Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) was revolutionary for me today.  Anytime you find proof that what you are doing is working, that brings a sense of relief and pride, does it not?

The authors wanted to give a short review of “evidence based highlighting the importance of adding music to more standard forms of rehabilitation therapy” (p. 1).  They do give a brief history of NMT and how it developed through multiple trials using beat, and preferred music when treating stroke and/or Parkinson’s patients needing to improve their gait to assisting children getting physical therapy and reducing the amount of crying.  

As a Neurologic Music Therapy Fellow, this review article, which emphasizes the multiple benefits of adding NMT with traditional forms of rehabilitation therapy, makes me happy.  It emphasizes the importance of music’s role in the brain and why adding music can really make a difference. The article states, “listening to and producing music are useful methods to help address disabilities related to motor weakness, language deficits, impaired memory, cognitive dysfunction and epilepsy” (p.4).  Pages 5 – 7 list the articles used to compile the synopsis so the reader can refer to a specific article if they have a question about a particular outcomes to using NMT.

So where does one find a Neurologic Music Therapist?  Several of us on staff at Central Ohio Music Therapy, LLC have gone through the extensive training needed to maintain this certification.  Trainings occur all over the world and the authors shared “NMT has been approved by the World Rehabilitation Federation as an effective evidenced based method of treatment” (p. 1).  If you or a loved one is looking for alternative ways to reduce the symptoms or increase recovery from a neurologic disease, then maybe working with a NMT is the answer!

For more information on music therapy, visit our website at www.centralohiomusictherapy.com or the American Music Therapy Association’s website at www.musictherapy.org.

Stephanie H. Morris, MM, MT-BC

Neurologic Music Therapy Fellow

Central Ohio Music Therapy, LLC

Bahrami, S., Thomas, M. A., Bahrami, M., & Naghizadeh, A. (2017).  Neurologic Music Therapy To Facilitate Recovery from Complications of Neurologic Diseases.  Journal of Neurology and Neuroscience 8(4:214), 2017. doi 10.21767/2171-6625.1000214