In the hustle and bustle of our modern lives, stress has become an omnipresent companion, affecting our physical and mental well-being. As we search for holistic approaches to manage stress, one avenue that I have a biased preference for, with its ability to soothe the soul and elevate our mood, is the practice of music therapy. Music has the unique ability to stimulate various regions of the brain responsible for emotions, memory, and even physical responses. Listening to or creating music triggers the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine, promoting feelings of pleasure and relaxation. In a recent Meta- analysis study (a document summarizing multiple studies) on the…
Music therapy continues to gain acceptance in hospice and palliative care with each passing year. Music therapy is a modality that can work towards improving pain perception, communication and quality of life for terminally ill patients. Additionally, a music therapist can use music to decrease agitation, depression, and disruptive behaviors. The music therapist focuses on using patient preferred music along with their expertise and education to accomplish these goals. Throughout the profession’s growing body of literature, some studies have suggested that music therapy can decrease the use of pain medicine while increasing the effectiveness of hospice team members and other caregivers. Providing patients with care that seeks to improve…
Many people with neurological disorders, like stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease, also experience mood disorders and depression. However, these conditions are often not diagnosed or treated adequately, impacting the patients’ recovery, treatment adherence, quality of life, and even mortality risk. There may also be a connection between depression and the development of neurological disorders. Despite the known benefits of music therapy (MT) on various aspects of neurological disorders, there’s a lack of updated information on how music interventions affect mood, emotions, and depression in these patients. This article aimed to review existing studies on musical interventions and their impact on mood and depression in neurological patients. The study…
A review of this nature allowed for a quick, succinct look into the clinical uses of music therapy with the military population and the variety of benefits shown in the current literature. The use of music for entertainment and to increase motivation, stimulation, and morale dates back to the Civil War, and this tradition continued throughout both World Wars. Eventually, in 1945, the military incorporated music into their programs. This marked the very beginning of the music therapy profession! The medium of music therapy can be used in the treatment of active duty military service members, veterans, and military family members. Music therapists can and have worked with military service…
Being in the hospital for any length of time can be anxiety-provoking for many individuals. Not only is there a high rate of anxiety associated with hospitalization, but this anxiety can also create additional negative somatic (i.e., chest pain, palpitations, etc.) and psychological effects. Anxiety in hospitals may be treated with drugs to help alleviate symptoms, but these often offer short-term effects. Researchers Brown, Patton, Freilich, & Heiderscheit completed a retrospective review of medical charts, focusing on verbal anxiety ratings of adult hospital patients before and after music therapy sessions. All music therapy sessions, as is typically in the nature of music therapy, were tailored to each individual based on…
As a therapist, re-evaluation is always a part of the process. Is what I am doing working? Is this really benefitting my client? I find myself asking these questions many times in sessions and often will look to see if a new technique or intervention is needed. If I don’t do that, then I am not being the best therapist I can be. A study by T. B. Janzen and M. H. Thaut wanted to take a closer look at how music interacts with those diagnosed with ASD (Autism spectrum disorders). Knowing that many studies have been conducted and that sometimes those on the “spectrum” have challenges in social situations…
Individual Music Therapy for Agitation in Dementia: An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial Caregivers and nursing home employees often report increased burnout when working with individuals with dementia who are exhibiting signs of agitation. Unfortunately, agitation is a very prevalent symptom in patients with this diagnosis. Agitation can present as aggressive, abusive, and inappropriate behaviors. Increased agitation levels also cause increased distress in these individuals, and in turn, increase the level of medications they receive. Constantly feeling agitated can also lead to lower quality of life. That is where music therapy can play a key role in the treatment for individuals with dementia who experience this difficult symptom. A contrasting thought…
How Does Music Listening Change the Brain for those with Alzheimer’s disease? After watching a video for a recent training, I was simply blown away when the presenter shared the results of this study. I already knew that when a patient with Alzheimer’s disease listened to music that they knew, that they were often able to sing the words and it brought a smile to their face. I had witnessed that in numerous sessions in the past, but what I didn’t know was just how much the music penetrated the brain of the patient. In a pilot study by Fischer, Churchill, Leggieri, Vuong, Tau, Fornazzari, Thaut and Schweizer, researchers examined…
Music Therapy in US Corrections: Philosophy, Practice, and Protocols of Music Therapists Working with Incarcerated People in the US Kayla Stubblefield, MT-BC When you think of settings in which music therapists work, the first facility that comes to mind may be a school, a hospital, or a nursing home. Oftentimes, people are surprised when hearing that music therapy can benefit those in correctional facilities. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, having 1 out of 5 people incarcerated in the United States. Approximately 7 million people who are serving parole or probation are under oversight of the U.S. correctional system, with roughly 2.3 million people…