PTSD often makes news headlines and is a problem that presents for individuals who have suffered from trauma. Some of these individuals may have trouble verbally expressing their feelings because of how painful the traumatic experiences were. Could music therapy be an effective way to help cope with the symptoms of PTSD? In the study, “Group Music Therapy for Patients with Persistent Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder—An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial with Mixed Methods Evaluation”, Carr et al. compare music therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy in this pilot (or first time) study. In this randomized control trial study, participants received weekly groups of music therapy for ten weeks and interviews, notes, and…
It can be hard to visualize what a music therapy session looks like if you have never experienced one before. The true depths of the benefits of music therapy are best described by the participants. In the article “Music Therapy Helped Me Get Back Doing”: Perspectives of Music Therapy Participants in Mental Health Services”, nine patients in a mental health setting in Ireland share their experiences in music therapy to help others get a better picture of why music therapy is important and effective in the mental health setting. The researcher conducted interviews with the patients, who were required to have participated in at least two music therapy sessions in…
The therapeutic value of Hip Hop in music therapy is often undervalued or written off completely. In the article “Exploring the Discourse in Hip Hop and Implications for Music Therapy Practice” Dr. Michael Viega discusses what makes Hip Hop so valuable in our clinical work and why so many people enjoy and identify with the genre. Viega suggests that all music therapists should learn and become knowledgeable in one or more of the artistic elements of Hip Hop in order to honor the world of Hip Hop. Learning and acknowledging more than one area of Hip Hop will help “demonstrate a therapeutic presence that is based on cultural respect and…
No one wants to think about children experiencing loss or grieving, but there are children and teens struggling with this all over the country. How can children and teens cope with grief? In “Analysis of Lyrics from Group Songwriting with Bereaved Children and Adolescents” Jennifer Fiore looked into how songwriting can be a coping mechanism for grieving children and teens. Songwriting can provide insight into how children or teens are dealing with their grief and provides a creative structure for them express emotions, memories, and thoughts related to loss. In this study, 33 participants (ages 6-16 years) wrote songs as a group divided into age groups labeled as child, tween,…
Many people remember listening to music as a teenager and thinking “This song totally describes how I am feeling!” But was there ever a time that a lot of these songs were sad? Ever wonder if listening to sad songs is good or bad for you? Sachs, Damasio, and Habibi attempted to find this out in “The Pleasures of Sad Music: A Systematic Review.” The researchers found that actual sadness and musical sadness are processed in different parts of the brain. Felt, or actual, sadness is processed in the emotional center of the brain while evaluating musical sadness is processed in the lower parts of the brain and the lower…
Ever wondered what support children receive in foster care? Music therapy can be one of the therapies supporting children in foster care! Often these children have experienced trauma that they have trouble verbally expressing, but may be able to express themselves through music. In this article, the researcher tells a story of John, a thirteen year old boy in foster care. When living with his biological parents, John witnessed violence and drug use. When he met the music therapist, he expressed frustration with the new “rules” he experienced at his multiple placements and repeated traumas. These experiences often results in him acting out and receiving a new foster care placement.…
According to Webster’s online dictionary meta-analysis is a systematic review of the literature, which “involves pooling the data and using the pooled data to test the effectiveness of the results” (www.merriam-webster.com). Researchers use this device to evaluate what research has been done on a particular subject or research question to ask if what is available helps answer the question or gives sufficient results to come to a conclusion. Research on the subject of Autism Spectrum Disorders and the therapies that seek to help those with ASD are vast. Srinivasan and Bhat (2013) wanted to discover what research explored music and movement therapies for children with ASD. They found that so…
If you are familiar with music therapy, you may know that sessions usually happen one on one with a music therapist or within a context of a group with like peers. But can music therapy be used to explore outside relationships within the therapeutic setting? Steve Cobbett, of the United Kingdom, describes some of his music therapy work in the article, “Context and Relationships: Using the systemic approach with music therapy in work with children, adolescents, and their families.” Cobbett works with children/adolescents with social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties. He integrates music therapy and psychotherapy into his work, specifically using the systemic approach which he defines as a “form of…
Many adults suffer silently with chronic mental illness. In fact, according to The National Institutes of Mental Health about 4.1% of the population suffer from serious, ongoing mental illness. Unfortunately the current health system focuses on stabilization of the most acute symptoms. However, in order to return to a functional daily life much more treatment is needed. Music therapy, along with counseling, medication, and other treatments, can help ease symptoms of mental illness and assist in integrating these individuals into the community. Music therapy can provide an opportunity to relate to others for those with mental illness who may feel isolated or stigmatized by their diagnosis or symptoms. Engaging in…
What happens in our brain when we listen to a familiar song or piece of music? Is it the same for everyone? I know for me, a familiar song may bring back a certain memory or I start singing along because I just cannot help it! For many, an emotional connection triggers endorphins, which are hormones that help you feel good. I’ve had patients at the beginning of a session tell me that they “do not feel that great”, then after we sing and/or play a familiar song of theirs, I ask again and get a different answer. Sometimes their pain is less or they just “feel better.” According to…