The Power of Music Therapy in Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health

PATIENTS in creative therapies programs often state that the music helps them feel calm while gaining a sense of relief from various symptoms of depression and anxiety. While working with adolescents experiencing psychosis, teens use music as a means to alleviate feelings of paranoia and isolation. In group therapy sessions, patients often state that they are surprised by their own innate musicality and ability to express themselves musically.

The benefits of music therapy run the gambit and include:

• Lowering blood pressure.

• Improving memory.

• Enhancing social skills.

• Promoting self-reflection.

• Reducing muscle tension.

• Developing coping skills.

• Increasing motivation.

• Managing pain.

Music is a whole-body experience, and the music therapy sessions can address a variety of cognitive, emotive, and behavioral goals. As a part of a comprehensive treatment team, music therapists inform psychiatrists, nurses and social workers of patient progress while enhancing the overall patient experience. Board-certified and licensed music therapists work with treatment teams to ad dress patient goals — either individually or through group therapy. The therapists take kids on a musical journey, so they can feel the real power that only music can provide.

Helping One Patient at a Time

Music therapy can also build confidence and provide a source of inner strength when you need it the most. One such time, a teenager came into our music room and was curious about playing the electric guitar. He had never touched a guitar before and did not have a clue of how to play one. The therapist showed him a position for a chord or two, and moments later, he was strumming like a rock star. With each movement of his pick across the strings, he felt the vibrations and heavy distortion from the amplifier. It was his music. His sound. After two minutes of jumping and strumming the guitar in his hands, he stopped and turned to the therapist, wide eyed, and said, “All I have to do is just play like I mean it! Even if I am not sure about what to do, I can just play it with confidence — and it works!

How to Engage in Music Therapy

Each therapy session is designed to meet the child where they are in terms of cognitive development and level of experience in music. The best part is that no prior musical experience is necessary to take part, because music therapists are trained to facilitate successful musical experiences regardless of the patient’s musical background.

In a behavioral health setting specifically, music can be experienced actively and passively.

Active music experiences involve patients gaining the experience of playing a variety of instruments. These active musical experiences are typically based upon a therapeutic theme such as communication, self-esteem, cognitive behavioral therapy, self-regulation, and family dynamics.

In these active musical experiences, improvised music is often generated by the therapist at the piano, guitar, or drums to encourage patients to take part in making music co-actively in the session where music involving various musical styles and idioms such as jazz, hip-hop, reggae, blues, rock, pop as well as South American and Eastern music are explored.

Passive music therapy involves listening to music and relating that experience to social and emotional concepts. This can involve creating an emotional playlist, lyric analysis or other games such as “Music Bingo” or “Name That Tune,” where coping skills, group rapport, and the generation of a supportive milieu can be addressed.

Music is the language of emotions. The future of mental health and children involves the creation of an environment where they can be artistic and creative, to express their uniqueness without fear of being judged by the quality of their expression. Music is an integral part of human development, and with the proper guidance, music can play an essential role in a developing person’s overall health and well-being. That is why it is such a vital part of behavioral healthcare, providing that outlet for expression.

The link to the article can be found at: HJNO May/Jun 2022