Who can benefit from Music therapy?
Many Music Therapists work with individuals who have behavioral-emotional disorders. To meet their needs Music Therapists must study current psychological theories and use them as a basis for different types of music therapy. Different models include behavioral therapy, cognitive- behavioral therapy and psycho dynamic therapy. Neurological Music Therapy (NMT) is based on a neuroscience model of music perception and production, and the influence of music on functional changes in the non-musical brain and behavior functions. NMT studies how the brain is without music, how it responds with music, measures the differences, and uses these differences to cause changes in the brain through music, that will eventually affect the client non-musically. NMT also trains motor responses such as tapping the foot or fingers or making head movements to help clients develop motor skills and improve the timing of muscle activation patterns.
Children
Music Therapy sessions can be provided individually or in group sessions. Music therapy can help children with communication, attention, motivation and behavioral problems. Therapy rooms often have a wide range of different instruments, and are often colorful with lots of different textures. Most Music Therapists use a piano or guitar to keep the songs grounded and in rhythm. Studies suggest that musical activity not only shape the organization of the developing brain but also produce long-lasting changes even after brain maturation is complete. A study by Wan & Schlaug (2010) supports this study and added that musicians appear to be less susceptible to age-related degeneration of the brain, such as dementia, presumably as a result of their daily musical activities.
Adolescents
Out of every 100,000 adolescents, two to three thousand will have mood disorders, out of which 8-10 will commit suicide. The two prevalent mood disorders are clinical depression and bipolar disorder. Music often provides teenagers with a sense of individuality and peace, which in turn contributes to their own self-discovery and sense of identity. It can also serve as a creative outlet to release or control emotions and find ways of coping with difficult situations. Music can also improve mood by reducing stress and lowering anxiety levels, which can help counteract or prevent depression. Music education programs provide teenagers with a safe place to express themselves and learn life skills such as self-discipline, diligence and patience, while promoting confidence and increased self-esteem.
Elderly Patients
Alzheimer’s and Dementia are two diseases most commonly treated with music therapy. Some of the most significant effects are seen in social behaviors including increased interaction and conversations. Music therapy has shown highly significant improvements to social behaviors, decreases in behaviors such as wandering and restlessness, reductions in agitated behaviors, and improvements to cognitive defects. Many scientists believe that music activates and shapes the human brain, awakens emotion, encodes memory, and that music instinct has a basis in biology.