Music Therapy (eBook)

In this book, I hope to illuminate the topic of music therapy as it is used in a practical, common sense and powerful way to help people who suffer with mental illness and other mental challenges. Unfortunately, governments here in Australia, as in many countries of the world, do not subsidize music therapy in terms of providing mental health insurance for those who cannot afford to pay for it. While this book does not aim to offer therapy that is specifically tailored to a person, it nevertheless offers some elements that can be used by the sufferer to alleviate symptoms. Given that we are all unique, there is always the need for a therapist to guide the sufferer.

Although I am not certified as a music therapist, practitioners of that profession often consult me, because I am a qualified pianist, composer and sound engineer and have recorded many CDs for a variety of artists. Since 1993, as a composer, I have been a member of the Australian Performing Rights Association (APRA) and the Australian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society Limited (AMCO). Recently, I completed my own jazz CD to raise funds for the Kidman Centre. It is particularly relevant that my wife and I also suffer with bipolar disorder, and I have collaborated with psychologists and psychiatrists on various issues. I have also written three books, including this one, on mental illness, and one on art therapy in collaboration with other writers. I have a university degree at honors level, majoring in sociology, anthropology and three years of psychology.

In the following chapters, we will discuss practical ways in which I have been able to help people, of all ages, with Alzheimer’s, autism, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Music therapy can be powerful, either in combination with medical interventions or as a sole therapy, where medical interventions fail, because not all people respond to medication. Over the years, I have developed my own unique methods of helping people and this has also been possible because of my tertiary studies in sociology, anthropology and psychology. When possible, the chapters are supported by research, and I indicate issues in which there is need of more research.

What is Music Therapy?

Music therapy is defined by Bruscia (2014, p.12) as:

Alvin (1966, p 11) offers a somewhat deeper definition, although complementary to Bruscia’s:

Koelsch (2009) proposed that five factors contribute to the effects of music therapy: modulation of attention, modulation of emotions, modulation of cognition, modulation of behaviors and modulation of communication. Koelsh (2009, pp. 26-27) writes:

I will now, in turn, discuss each of these effects of music.

Attention Modulation

This is a complicated area of the music therapy. For example, according to Koelsch, when music captures our attention, we can become distracted from any stimulus that can lead to negative thoughts or experiences. For example, suppose a person is constantly worried about personal problems; for example, finances. A song or a nice tune comes on the radio, and the person begins to focus on the music and temporarily puts aside his/her financial problems. However, it is not always this simple. For example, some depressed or anxious people do not like listening to any music at all. They may be completely locked in their negativity and not want to listen to any music, unless they force themselves to do so and then let the therapeutic process begin.

For people with a mental disorder, there must be an initial struggle for music therapy to work. Songs, or some music, can worsen the worries, rumination, anxiety or depression. When one engages in any therapy process, one has to struggle and this is so for any person with mental illness. The struggle is the decision to accept that the person will give therapy a go, that they will attempt to work with the therapist and that they are ready to change. Change always comes at a cost—it is not something that happens naturally. In mental illness, changing is extremely difficult because one must admit that one has problems and that one will work with the therapist to attempt to solve the problems or at least reach a plateau where the problems are less disruptive in their life.

Modulation of attention is an important factor in music therapy, but a therapist must know how to use it and the sufferer must be prepared to do some work. A therapist cannot do the work for the patient.

To recap, modulation of attention happens when the person in question begins to attentively listen to the right music, which helps to distract from negative thoughts that may lead to negative experiences. The right songs or music is subjective, and therefore it is up to each person to find the kind of music that is helpful, either alone or with the aid of a music therapist.

Emotion Modulation

According to Koelsch (2009), some studies have shown that music can be used to regulate certain activities in the brain, which have to do with modulation, generation, termination, initiation and maintenance of emotions. For example, think of a person who has lost a loved one but is unable to cry. Simply listening to an appropriate song, let’s say for example, “Danny Boy” (Frederic Weatherly, 1913), can trigger tears, therefore opening that tap of emotions that need to be released. Many studies clearly show that there are enormous benefits in crying, particularly for people in distress (Becht, & Vingerhoets 2002; Cornelius 1997).

Koelsch and Jancke (2015) write that recent findings suggest that music evokes effects on the activity of the heart, as reflected in electrocardiogram amplitude patterns. This indicates that, when listening to music that has a calming effect, patients with heart disease show a reduction of pain and anxiety associated with a lower heart rate and lower blood pressure. Additionally, heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) are higher in response to exciting music compared with tranquilizing music. Koelsch and Jancke (2015) call for more research into the effects of music on wellbeing and health, particularly for heart and respiratory related problems.

Music can affect physiological changes regarding heart activity, blood pressure and breathing. For example, because anxiety is a disorder that has largely to do with breathing, some music can be particularly efficient in relieving anxiety and regulating breathing (ibid). Tranquil music, as opposed to exciting music, can control heart rhythm, particularly if at 60 beats per second, which is roughly the rate of a normal heart. A tune that has a 60 beats per second, coupled with beautiful harmonies and interesting melodies, appeal to many people and can be used to relieve anxiety.

Cognition Modulation

Music modulates thinking (Koelsch, 2009; Khalfa, et al., 2008; Nilsson 2009); for example, memory processes, such as the encoding and decoding of musical information. This is particularly notable in Alzheimer’s disorder and dementia, where music and songs can stimulate memories (Blackburn & Bradshaw 2014; Johnson & Chow 2015). Modulation of cognition has also to do with syntax and musical meaning.

Behavior Modulation

Modulation of behavior, according to Koelsch (2009), happens when music affects behavior, such as a runner who wears headphones and runs in synchrony to the beat of the music, or a dancer who dances to the music. Music can aid in rehabilitation of body movements and can also modulate speaking behavior. We can breathe to the music, as is the case when we do guided relaxation with music. More radical changes are noted in autism, where children, if helped early, can dramatically change their behavior with the aid of music. One obvious change is socializing through music activity, which then progresses to personal socialization. Coordination of movements, such as the ability to control one’s distorted thinking or emotions, as in bipolar disorder, are all dramatic changes induced by music.

Communication Modulation

Music is a means of communication, and language and music often work together. Music improvisation is a non-verbal language, but can also be a pre-verbal language, as suggested by Geretsegger et al., (2004). Classical musicians can communicate emotions without words and sometimes musical expression can go much further than words to express certain feelings; for example, when jazz musicians play together and improvise. In addition, communication through music alone can happen at a much more emotional level, allowing a...