Through this article, I will show you the most curious discoveries and benefits of Music therapy For some disorders - among them alzheimer, autism, parkinson, behavior of children and adolescents, better sleep, pregnancy, elderly people, special education, disabled, anxiety... -.
The recognition of music as an effective tool for emotional stimulation and inducing relaxation is not something new 1 .
Traveling to the first century before Christ, the golden age of Greek philosophy, we see that Plato already defined certain musical modes as inducers Of certain health benefits.
From that time until the nineteenth century numerous authors and poets wrote about the power of music to To change the mood And stimulate senses.
To take one example, Shakespeare stated:"music has charms capable of calming a wild chest, softening rocks and even bending to the More robust oak".
In the nineteenth century the effects of music began to be studied in a scientific way. The first measurement of the effects of music on the functions Physiological dates from 1880, when psychologist Dogiel made measurements on heart rate and breathing in response to musical stimulation.
How did music come to be considered as a possible form of therapy?
This occurred in the twentieth century, when research found greater effects if the music presented to participants was familiar to them and Was circumscribed to his favorite musical style 1 .
In this way, the psychologists of the time began to develop individualized musical programs. You can already talk about customers or users of the Incipient musical therapy at this time.
Looking at the present, it is amazing the amount of discoveries and progress that have been made in the area of music therapy.
The methods and applications of music therapy that I will describe below have demonstrated their effectiveness and usefulness in clinical practice and have Being used for many years.
The first method that I describe, the receptive music therapy, is derived many applications of great interest in clinical since for its application, no No musical knowledge is required on the part of the patient.
10 Benefits of Music Therapy
Receptive Music Therapy
In receptive music therapy the patient is conceived as the recipient of the musical experience.
The most internationally recognized model of receptive music therapy is the BMGIM (Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music), developed by the Dr. Helen Bonny in the 70's.
Through receptive music therapy, patients listen to music and respond to the experience either verbally or using another expressive modality.
The receptive experience focuses on the physical, emotional, intellectual or spiritual aspects of music and the patient's responses are designed from Individualized according to their therapeutic needs.
Here are some of the applications of this method of music therapy:
Relaxation
The Relaxation techniques Are used in very different therapeutic contexts and models of clinical therapy. The novel element in music therapy is, Obviously, the relaxation induced by musical stimulation.
The inclusion of music in a session of relaxation brings flexibility and applicability of this type of techniques to an infinite range of conditions and age groups.
For example, in a child with acute pain, music therapy will induce relaxation through the diversion of the child's attention. The role of music will be The one of being focus of attentional channeling so that the pain is in the background.
The techniques of relaxation by musical induction, are applied for example to:
- Control fear And anxiety.
- Reduce stress In patients who must undergo an operation.
- Adjust the respiratory rate.
- Provide mental escape.
- Provide opportunities for creative thinking, imagination and fantasy.
- Promote a positive experience in stressful contexts (eg, hospitalizations).
Development of the imagination
The objective is to use music as a method of evocation and generation of mental images to stimulate the perception through the different Sensory modalities.
In this way, real and problematic situations for the patient can be recreated in imagination to generate alternative solutions to the problem or Guide the patient toward better control and management of these situations.
Recovery after heart attack or stroke
Scientist Nayak and his collaborators have shown that music therapy has a positive effect on social behaviors and mood 2 .
From this discovery, it was hypothesized that music therapy could help stroke victims and brain damage recover more Quickly by working on their motivation and inducing a positive emotionality towards rehabilitation in therapy.
This hypothesis was based on clinical findings, when comparing recovery using music therapy or using psychological therapies Traditional.
Analytically oriented music therapy (AOM)
In this form of music therapy the person is conceived as an active part of the therapy. In this way, the musical improvisation of the person / patient will be used As a form of therapy.
The quality of the musical production is not of importance but it is sought to enhance the personal and functional development of the person.
Through improvisation, an exploration of the person's personal life is sought, as well as providing a path to development Personal and self-knowledge.
Here are some of the applications of this method of music therapy:
Resilience: the pursuit of inner strength
The analytically oriented therapy, regardless of the type of client or their situation, has as a fundamental focus the self-healing forces of the patient, That is, their forces of Resilience .
It is about developing and enhancing the mental resources of the client so that the client feels capable of handling and coping with their situation, whatever that may be.
The psychotherapist Bruscia demonstrated the effectiveness of the use of music to achieve a deep insight into the person, that is, a Full self-awareness of their situation. In addition, he showed the usefulness of this technique for the integration and transformation of complex psychological problems 3 .
If we unite all these ingredients, we see that analytical music therapy aims to make the patient the protagonist of the therapy, so that, through Of its musical expression, come to understand its problem and to generate solutions to it.
Creative Music Therapy
This famous therapeutic method, better known as the Nordoff-Robbins method, also uses improvisation as a therapy tool To improve creativity .
The method is born of the idea that in every human being there is a natural responsiveness to music. Therefore, this method is mainly used to work With people with some kind of intellectual disability to work with communicative and expressive skills.
The type of improvisation used in this therapy should be free from any musical convention and be flexible.
Communication and expression in intellectual disability
The therapist will begin therapy by providing a musical frame, usually by rhythm.
The patient can use any type of instrument or even his voice to incorporate some melodic line.
The therapist will reinforce the patient's participation to encourage and motivate his communicative expressions.
Behavioral music therapy
This method is a form of conditioning that uses music as a contingent reinforcer with the objective of increasing the production of Adaptive behaviors and to extinguish maladaptive behaviors.
Reduction and / or elimination of antisocial behavior
Many traditional behavioral therapy approaches fail to change the behavior of children and adolescents in whom behaviors Antisocial show a rebellious character.
Music therapy seeks to modify maladaptive behaviors in an indirect way, so that clients will not notice clearly Of the attempt to modify their behavior.
This is just one of the key elements that the use of music contributes to behavioral therapies. There are other ways of enrichment, such as Can be the indirect work of motivation and attention, Promotion of creativity , Enjoyment and adherence to therapy, etc.
Psychological and emotional problems in childhood
As a general rule, the psychological and emotional problems of children and adolescents are manifested through behavior.
This happens because of the difficulty of verbalizing or rationalizing the problematic situations characteristic of these periods of development. Through a Sound-musical language, the child or adolescent will find a much more intuitive way of expressing their conflicts and frustrations.
Through music therapy the opening and communication with the therapist becomes much easier for children and adolescents.
Vibroacoustic music therapy
One of the therapeutic areas in which music has been used as a treatment of physical ailments is vibroacoustic music therapy.
The music is played on built-in speakers in the chair, bed or sofa where the patient is located. In this way, the patient experiences Directly the vibrations of music.
Depending on the disorder to be treated, music with vibrations at certain wavelengths will be used. For example, for the treatment of Polyarthritis, frequencies between 40 and 60 hertz are used.
Pain Disorders
Several clinical reports have pointed to the efficacy of vibroacoustic music therapy for the treatment of pain in different disorders: colic, Bowel problems, fibromyalgia, migraine, headache, back pain, menstrual pain, dysmenorrhea, premenstrual tension, etc.
50 clinical case reviews published by Skille therapist have shown that approximately 50% of fibromyalgic patients treated with This treatment have experienced a reduction of their symptoms 4 .
Prenatal Relaxation
At only 16 weeks, a fetus is already able to hear the voice of its mother. Through technological tools, such as the use of ultrasound, Medical professionals are able to observe fetal movements in response to sound stimulation.
In the second trimester of pregnancy, the mother's voice is not the only auditory stimulus that a fetus can hear. At that time they are also capable of Perceive the vibrations of musical instruments.
The stress of the mother during pregnancy can negatively affect the future baby through the reception of hormones norepinephrine and Cortisol . These increase blood pressure and weaken the immune system of mother and child 5 .
Musical therapists use music as a method of relaxation, coping, and Stress management .
In order to achieve greater relaxation in mother and child, exposure to music of a given frequency range will lead to reduction of Movements in the fetus, indirect measure of your level of anxiety.
With the objective of coping and controlling stress, it is possible to learn to control the body's response threshold to stress, preventing Release of the aforementioned hormones.
Melodic intonation music therapy
Melodic intonation music therapy is a treatment that seeks to associate words and speech in memory by incorporating them into song form. When The association is built, the musical and rhythmic aspects separate from the speech until the patient gets back to speak normally.
Recent research has shown that, in contrast to what is acclaimed the name put to therapy, it is the rhythmic elements that contribute Effectiveness to technique and not melodic 6 .
Aphasia
Melodic intonation music therapy is a widely used method in the treatment of aphasia, particularly in those in which Deficits in speech are the protagonists (lesions that affect the frontal lobe, for example, Aphasia of Broca ).
The musical and creative activities based on rhythm and singing promote improvements in clarity, fluency, voice timbre and respiratory support of the Speak in people with aphasia . The qualities of music have a favorable impact on the motor aspects and organizers of speech.
Music therapy in aphasic patients contributes to the improvement of the patient's motivational state through the increase in the self-confidence Y self esteem . In this way, a greater performance is achieved in comprehensive medical and therapeutic treatment.
And what other applications and benefits do you know about music therapy?
References
- Grocke, D. and Wigram, T. (2007). Receptive methods in music therapy: techniques and clinical applications for music therapy clinicians, educators and students. Athenaeum Press.
- Nayak, S. et al. (2000). Effect of music therapy on mood and social interaction among individuals with traumatic brain injury and stroke. Rehabilitation Psychology, 45 (3); 274-283.
- Bruscia, K. (1987) Improvisational Models of Music Therapy. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas.
- Wigram, T., Pedersen, I.N. & Bonde, L.O. (2002). A comprehensive guide to music therapy: theory, clinical practice, research and training. Athenaeum Press.
- Whitwell, G. Benefits. Center for prenatal & perinatal music.
- Stahl, B.; S.A. Kotz; I. Henseler; R. Turner; S. Geyer (2011). "Rhythm in disguise: why singing may not hold the key to recovery from aphasia". Brain 134 (10): 3083-3093.