Living with a child with anxiety can be stressful for the caregivers, siblings, and other professionals interacting with the child. Without treatment, these behaviors can extend into adulthood so intervention should occur as early as the behaviors appear. Current treatments include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, pharmacological treatment, or a combination of these treatments. Music therapy is a non-invasive and safe way to help children manage their anxiety. This therapy is hands on and gives children an alternative method to communicate their feelings, which children may have trouble conveying through words. Goldbeck & Ellerkamp (2012) conducted a study of children ages eight to twelve diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Individual and group music…
As we move into a new decade, many mind shifts are taking place in personal lives, in professional lives, and in social lives. Perhaps, it is time we also make a shift in awareness of our psychotherapeutic relationship with our clients, specifically, our power differential within the relationship. For many years, therapeutic relationships (music and non-music) have existed in a traditional dyad setting, for some seen in a ‘normal’ v. ‘abnormal’ viewpoint. This viewpoint dates back to 1973, and before, when the American Psychiatric Association finally removed “homosexuality” from its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This shift away from pathologizing the LGBTQ community did not end in one…
This study was published in 2011 by Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, Korea! It is a private research university, and one of three SKY universities, which are widely regarded as the most prestigious in the country. The purpose of this study was to “investigate the effects of music therapy on depressive mood and anxiety in post-stroke patients and evaluate satisfaction levels of patients and caregivers.” The study states, “Music therapy appears to affect physiological phenomena such as blood pressure, heartbeat, respiration, and mydriasis as well as emotional aspects such as mood and feelings.” Oxford Dictionary defines mydriasis as the dilation of the pupils of the eyes. Other side…
I f you have a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), you are always looking for treatment modalities to help them with their social challenges and bring out their strengths as a person. As a therapist and parent of an adult child with ASD, I know that I have wanted the best for my child so he can be as independent as possible. Through various trials and studies, music therapy researchers as well as non-music therapy researchers have studied the benefits of using music with children challenged by the limitations and challenges that come with having ASD. This group of researchers wanted to look specifically at how the auditory-motor connectivity…
Direct Care Staff (DCS) are the “front line” of care for many. If someone is in a facility or even in a home, the DCS staff is there 24/7 taking care of a variety of needs. Caregiving is hard work, but many in this field are dedicated to making sure the individuals they are taking care of receive the best of care. As a therapist seeing clients and patients in a variety of settings, I often turn to the DCS to ask how the client is doing, especially if their expressive language is difficult to understand or the ability to communicate has been compromised. Researchers Staab and Dvorak interviewed five…
Music therapy in medical settings is on the rise, so what are doctors and other healthcare professionals perspectives of music therapy? In the study, “An Exploration into the Perception of Music Interventions in Hospitals Amongst Healthcare Professionals” Naomi Chadder conducted a survey to look into perceptions of music therapy in medical settings in the United Kingdom. Thirty-one healthcare professionals agreed to the study completing a face to face interview, an online survey, or an online survey with a follow up interview. Survey responses were collected from doctors, nurses, interdisciplinary staff, or other (educators, volunteers, physiotherapists, dietitians, and social workers). Responses were collected from hospitals where music therapy was in place…
“Music therapy uses musical experiences and the relationships that develop through them to enable communication and expression, thus attempting to address some of the core problems of people with ASD,” (Geretsegger, et. al, 2014). This study is an analysis of ten randomized control trials (RCTs) that compare music therapy to standard or ‘placebo’ therapy, and no treatment. Music therapy can look several different ways throughout a course of treatment, it can include improvisation, singing/vocalization, listening to live and recorded music, active music making and several other experiences. These interventions can directly support people with ASD to improve and develop communication (verbal and non-verbal), social skills/interactions, initiating behavior, social-emotional reciprocity, and…
There is a wealth of research supporting music therapy in mental health treatment, but a surprising lack of research regarding music therapy for women with addictions. In “Women’s perceptions of the usefulness of group music therapy in addictions recovery”, Gardstrom, Klemm, & Murphy (2017) look to the women within treatment for their thoughts about the effectiveness of music therapy in their own treatment. Participants engaged in two, 50 minute group music therapy sessions per week and there were about 10 women in each session. On average, women in the study attended one to five music therapy sessions before leaving the facility. Sessions were flexible and focused upon the immediate and…
How well you are able to walk and get around is something that many of us don’t think about. However, if you have multiple sclerosis (MS), it can be a challenge and getting tired is a part of life. Therefore, researchers looked at using musical cues to help improve walking gait and endurance for those with MS. There is no doubt that if you are able to ambulate better, your quality of life improves! Seebacher, Kuisma, Glynn and Berger used a random control trial involving 59 individuals and put them in three groups. The goal was to pair music with motor imagery (MI) explained as “the mental rehearsal of movements…
“Tell me about yourself.” Have you been in an interview and been asked this question? Or heard it on a first date? In college we rehearsed our answers to this in a business class. We perfected our answers to fit in the space of an elevator ride to best sell ourselves. What in your past has made you who you are? Your likes, your dislikes, your experiences? What would you name as the most important events that have formed your identity? How would you define your sense of self? In this study by Allison Echard (of my alma mater, Shenandoah University!), the author analyzes her work with three adolescents with…