(((O))) : Musical Therapy – Music as a Guide

Music therapy is something of strong interest to me; and something I endeavour to potentially work in, at a later point in life. 

I believe music holds the power to convey, relieve, live or escape from life's experiences, and to some, if not majority, as cliche as it is, music is the key to the soul. Music can bring us together, or tear us apart, but either way we live music. Everyday. 

Music allows us to say those words which we cannot speak, and listen with strong intent, regardless of whether we are a musician or not. A certain piece of music may be relevant for an individual to insight emotions, remember/reflect a certain time (visually potentially), and certainly for older generations may be a fond memory best shared and relived.

Music is equally a part of everyday life as anything we do; through rhythm (walking, repetitive movement) we engage with mild forms of musical activities and the way in which music makes us feel can indeed heighten emotions for better or worse through the potential release of endorphins, enabling us to 'feel good'. From a cognitive point of view, music's inclusion for younger generations can to be of high value and importance as it brings together key skills through repetitive actions wherein students memorise rhythmic patterns relating to a topic (for example verbs set to a specific clapping pattern - I can still remember some in this way taught in primary school).

Music can guide, provide focus or even just allow a stability. In a way, music is everyone's therapy through times of hardship and can be seen as our one true friend and guide. Music understands us, or we relate through experiences. In the Metal community, especially at smaller festivals such as Bloodstock, metal fans can be seen to unite through their love of music and share, experience and live music for several days, leading to a state of complete fantasy for an alternate life to the everyday grind. No doubt when you leave a festival of great music, friends and more behind, you feel some sort of 'loss'. 

Can music help those in need as a therapy? I truly believe it can help people through hard times with mental illnesses, as a way to physically express themselves. One note can say so much about how we feel; how can one note represent several words of our emotion? The pathway leading from musical creativity could provide a bridge for those in need, who cannot speak of the past, by potentially having the ability to 'create' could invoke and encourage those in need to share, live or express their inner emotions. It could allow for progression and development of confidence and livelihood. The therapeutic qualities of music could be endless, if given the incentive.

When I had the opportunity to work with some people who were experiencing hard ship and mental illness, what I found was actually a wide range of individuals, some of whom were already accomplished musicians, eager and ready to participate in composition. All it took was one stimuli (a chord progression) and they were away; we constructed a full song with melody, lyrics and vocal harmonies. The experience was fantastic for them and to watch music literally absorb people in this way was tremendous. The work carried out into music as a therapy is substantial and diverse in its methods  (from the Nordoff-Robbins method to the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music) but it is something which could be vital; as music in someway is a therapy for us all. 

We only need to look at the work carried out into music therapy for (potentially) benefiting alzheimer's patients, in providing retention of memory through sparing brain function to see music could have strong therapeutic qualities (the release of endorphins through music is what could aid or slow down the process of memory loss in alzheimer's patients as it balances out the release, as patients often have increased or decreased levels of endorphins).