MENTAL HEALTH Music Feels Better
Group music therapy may hold the key to better mental health and wellbeing, says Daniel Thomas, Managing Director at Chroma Therapies.
Psychology forms the foundation of Music Therapy (MT) as therapists use music, sound, instruments and improvisation to help tackle psychological issues.
This is because music in its most basic form, can be elevating. Just listening to a favourite track list can help liſt mood. Music is oſten turned to as a means to help boost productivity, mood, or to simply provide an upliſting pause throughout the day.
Music has the innate ability to increase ‘happy hormones’ in the brain, including dopamine and oxytocin, which help create a positive mental state. Music connects to the brain more than any other modality and the connection is automatic.
When going further than simply listening to music by implementing sound, instruments, and music technology, music therapy helps people understand themselves and make positive changes in their lives. It engages and supports children and adults with a range of psychosocial, emotional, medical or behavioural issues.
“Music therapy sessions can help develop positive relationships and increase
self-expression, confidence and communication.”
Couple music therapy with numerous participants and the result is just as impressive. Studies show that group MT sessions help build relationships, trust, enhance bonding, and improve mood and mental wellbeing. The process allows people to express themselves and their emotions through playing instruments.
Group MT sessions typically see participants develop cohesiveness and trust, which allows people to feel more comfortable to openly explore and process their emotions.
Playing musical instruments as a group, singing, and improvisation provide alternative tools for self-expression, which may be necessary especially if people find it difficult to ‘talk’ about their experiences. For these individuals, talking therapy may not be beneficial but MT provides individuals with an alternative voice.
Group music therapy sessions can also encourage bonding, trust, and help develop positive relationships, increase self- expression, confidence and communication.
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Anyone can benefit from music therapy. It can help strengthen relationships, reduce anxiety and aggression; improve concentration and attention span in those on the autism spectrum, promote community and team working in settings such as care homes, schools and residential homes, and help improve mental wellbeing in those suffering trauma-related conditions such as PTSD.
Music therapy serves to focus upon promoting, supporting and enhancing mental health and wellbeing so that people can move forward in their lives in a positive way.
It is a cost-effective approach to helping tackle mental health issues, in a scientifically proven effective manner. Group sessions can help more people at one time, within the same communities, and with similar issues. When implemented in groups such as in care homes, residents experience the positive effects upon their mental health, as do veterans in the USA, emergency service workers through the Blue Light Symphony Orchestra, or even adoptive family households.
Freedom of expression in a safe environment that does not require participants to verbalise, but to feel, react and respond accordingly through sound, provides a scientifically proven, effective means of supporting mental health.
www.wearechroma.com
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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