What do you mean, music *therapy*?
Whenever I meet new people the subject inevitably comes up - what do you do for a living? When I tell them I’m a music therapist I usually get one of two reactions; either their faces light up with recognition and a smile, or I get a confused response followed by the question of “what do you mean, music therapy?”. In this case I get the privilege of introducing someone to the concept of music therapy for the first time.
While music therapy has been around for a long time, and the use of music as a therapeutic tool even longer, the phrase “music therapy” is still a new one to some people. As a music therapist I have not only taken on the role of therapist, I’ve also become an advocate for this field as our society starts to broaden its idea of what constitutes “therapy”. I hope that we’re starting to lose the image of therapy consisting of someone spilling their guts while a Sigmund Freud hums and writes in a notebook. I’m happy to think that perhaps music therapy and music therapists - along with art therapists, yoga therapists and many others - are helping us to realise that therapy can look a lot of different ways, and is flexible enough to serve each individual and their unique goals and needs.
So, what do I mean, music therapy? Well, the way I like to answer is this question is to ask you to think about what you describe when you talk about why you enjoy music, or what music you enjoy. You might say you like a particular artist because you find their voice beautiful, or you like the instruments that they play. While those things are true, there’s more to it than that. When you sit and listen to this music, it’s likely that it makes you feel something. You might feel relaxed, inspired, empowered, or moved to dance while you listen. These are the responses that you have when you listen to music. Music therapy uses these responses and puts them to work in ways that support a person’s well being. A music therapist is trained to guide you in this music therapy journey.
Music is an extremely flexible medium for therapy, you can be as active as you like - playing instruments, singing, creating music - or as receptive as you like - listening to music, reading lyrics, experiencing meditations or breathing exercises. This means that music therapy is as accessible and as inclusive as therapy can get. In my next post I will be telling the story of a university student named Nikki, and how music therapy is supporting her goals. Stay tuned to see a snapshot of music therapy in action in her life.
I love advocating for music therapy, teaching people about the potential of music to transform their lives, and expanding our collective resources for wellness. After reading this blog post you’re well on your way to answering this question too - What do you mean, music therapy?
