What is music therapy?
Music therapy is a recognised healthcare profession that uses music to help with physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs at any age.
There are two types of music therapy: ‘active’ involves the use of instruments and voice, and ‘passive’ involves simply listening to music. Many of the techniques used in speech and language therapy are also used here, so there is a lot of overlap between the two disciplines.
Music therapists are trained to design specific music programmes for individuals or groups according to their emotional, physical, social and cognitive abilities. Sessions may include the use of music improvisation, both playing and listening to music, song writing and performance.
Many believe that the effectiveness of music therapy lies in its ability to bring into consciousness activities that were previously performed subconsciously, such as walking. Such therapy appears to help with walking or dancing because of the musical rhythm or beat. These motor benefits, as well as the psychological benefits, have made music therapy increasingly popular.
