Premium Essay

Music Therapy History

Submitted By
Words 977
Pages 4
History of Music Therapy
The idea of utilizing music as a form of healing influence had been around since before the times of Aristotle and Plato, but the profession of music therapy formally began during the period of World War I and World War II when musicians of all kinds from amateurs who played in the local community as well as professionals who would travel all around the world came together to go to veteran hospitals, especially those in the United States, to play for the injured soldiers from the wars suffering from both physical and emotional trauma. With time, physicians began to take note of the positive effects the music had on the patients and soon, hospitals began to hire musicians full-time and the need for colleges to begin …show more content…
Through music therapy, the abilities of the patient gain strength and transfer to other parts of It has four major parts to it: lyric analysis, improvisational playing, active listening, and songwriting.
Lyric analysis is typically considered to be a less threatening way for a person to process his/her emotions, thoughts, and experiences as opposed to talking about it. While doing lyric analysis, the patient is asked to provide insightful lyrics and themes from songs they connect to that connect to the obstacles in their life as well as how they feel during their treatment …show more content…
According to the same aforementioned article, music, due to its rhythmic and repetitive nature, can engage the neocortex of the brain (a part of the cerebral cortex concerned with sight and hearing in mammals, regarded as the most recently evolved part of the cortex). This leads to the patient becoming calmer and less impulsive. In this way, music can be used to maintain or manipulate/alter the mood of the patient. For example, the therapist might use music in relation to the current mood of the patient and then slowly transition to music in a more positive

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

History of Music Therapy

...The idea of music as a healing influence which could affect health and behavior is as least as old as the writings of Aristotle and Plato. The 20th century profession formally began after World War I and World War II when community musicians of all types, both amateur and professional, went to Veterans hospitals around the country to play for the thousands of veterans suffering both physical and emotional trauma from the wars. The patients' notable physical and emotional responses to music led the doctors and nurses to request the hiring of musicians by the hospitals. It was soon evident that the hospital musicians needed some prior training before entering the facility and so the demand grew for a college curriculum. A very brief historical glimpse of this fascinating profession follows, below. Earliest references The earliest known reference to music therapy appeared in 1789 in an unsigned article in Columbian Magazine titled "Music Physically Considered." In the early 1800s, writings on the therapeutic value of music appeared in two medical dissertations, the first published by Edwin Atlee (1804) and the second by Samuel Mathews (1806). Atlee and Mathews were both students of Dr. Benjamin Rush, a physician and psychiatrist who was a strong proponent of using music to treat medical diseases. The 1800s also saw the first recorded music therapy intervention in an institutional setting (Blackwell’s Island in New York) as well as the first recorded systematic experiment...

Words: 663 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Music Therapy: the New Approach for Psychiatric Patient

...Music Therapy: The New Approach for Psychiatric Patient Introduction Music therapy is the use of music interventions to achieve individualized goals of healing the body, mind, and spirit. It involves skilled music therapists, who act as mediators to interact with patients, assesses their physical, emotional, and mental needs, and offer them with the necessary healing through music. Music therapy integrates various musical elements and certain therapeutic protocols to achieve certain objectives (Bruscia, 2000). Many people obtain some kind of healing whenever they have emotional, cognitive, or social issues through music. People living with disabilities or certain illnesses have often found music to offer a soothing environment that facilitates the healing process. Music uses creative, emotional and a non-verbal language to enable users to gain self-awareness and self-expression. In many cases, people have found music to be more powerful than plain words, as it offers a unique channel of communication and expression. Essentially, people suffering from autism and Alzheimer’s disease, and those having developmental disabilities can always become beneficiaries of music therapy. This paper will give a brief history of music therapy, and its role as an alternative treatment for autism and Alzheimer’s disease. Thereafter, the paper will give a brief discussion on the politic of making music therapy a real treatment. History of music therapy Music therapy traces...

Words: 2174 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Music Therapy

...When it comes to music therapy, it is important to understand its origins and how has been effective. “Music can be described as an embodied flow in time of our sense of being. When listening to music, we have available the possibility of experiencing ourselves as both familiar and changed,” (Sutton & De Backer, 2009, p. 76). “Music can affect a person’s thoughts, feelings and behavior and has been shown to assist with managing stress, expressing emotion and improving communication,” (Arora, 2013). In order to understand how music therapy works, one must understand what music therapy is. Music therapy is “the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals-helps people with understanding and developing...

Words: 1308 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Death and Dying

...University of San Francisco USF Scholarship Repository Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects Theses and Dissertations 1-1-2009 The Experience of African American Hospice Patient/Family with Board Certified Music Therapy as a Component of their Plan of Care Elizabeth Joy Gifford University of San Francisco, lgiffman1@aol.com Follow this and additional works at: http://repository.usfca.edu/dnp Part of the Nursing Commons Recommended Citation Gifford, Elizabeth Joy, "The Experience of African American Hospice Patient/Family with Board Certified Music Therapy as a Component of their Plan of Care" (2009). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects. Paper 14. This Project is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at USF Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects by an authorized administrator of USF Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact zjlu@usfca.edu. COMPREHENSIVE EXAM 2 Section I: Introduction Statement of the Problem Although 60% of African Americans in the United States have stated that they would want hospice care when they are dying (AARP, 2003), they only comprise 8% of all hospice enrollees (NHPCO, 2007), despite the fact that they represent 13% of the total population in this country (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008). In fact, hospice care in this nation has always been underutilized by African Americans (Connor, Elwert, Spence,...

Words: 17954 - Pages: 72

Free Essay

You Life Change

...Embed ‹› /9 Related More Upload your own Senior project research paper Article. a model_for_mt_with_students_with_emotional_and_behavioral_disorders_20… Senior project essay Music Therapy-MMR Benefits of music Music in schools wider still, and wider VH1's Save the Music Foundation Research paper 21st Century Skills In Music The Psychology of Music Did you know for music Music And Exercise Research Summary Music In Education Music education2 Music Education Music Education National Music Plan and Music Edhubs 49233144 music Senior Project Research Paper Rachel McFarland 2011-2012 Severson Pecha kucha project Senior project pictures Senior Project Work Log Senior Project Speech Brandon Ferrell 0 inShare Wordpress + Follow Music Education Research Paper by Brandonjferrell on Apr 18, 2012 292 views More… No comments yet Subscribe to commentsPost Comment Music Education Research Paper — Document Transcript 1. Ferrell 1Brandon FerrellMrs. TilleryAP Literature15 November 2011 Music Education “Music is the universal language of mankind.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’srevelation about the universality of music applies even today in the education system ofAmerica. Over the last several years, funding for music education and even fine arts programs ingeneral has been decreasing among public school systems, on the basis that more money shouldbe spent teaching students academically applicable subjects in order to...

Words: 2057 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Warehouse

...The effects of music on children and young people. 1. The effect of music on IQ Campabello, Nicolette; De Carlo, Mary Jane; O'Neil, Jean; Vacek, Mary Jill Music Enhances Learning. Dissertations/Theses; Tests/Questionnaires. 2002 An action research project implemented musical strategies to affect and enhance student recall and memory. The target population was three suburban elementary schools near a major midwestern city: (1) a kindergarten classroom contained 32-38 students; (2) a second grade classroom contained 23 students and five Individualized Education Program (IEP) students; and (3) a fifth grade classroom. Students exhibited difficulty recalling facts and information in a variety of subject areas evidenced through an inability to gain mastery of grade level skill areas. Research suggests that young students have difficulty understanding concepts and lack the ability and desire to learn. A successful program needs to be developed to teach these concepts. A review of solution strategies suggests that the following musical techniques proved to be helpful for increasing student recall because the songs helped with phonemic training, mnemonics, setting desired skills to familiar tunes, and linking connection to cultural themes. Research has shown that preschool children taught with an early exposure to music through games and songs showed an IQ advantage of 10 to 20 points over those children taught without exposure to the songs. In the same study, students at age...

Words: 7591 - Pages: 31

Free Essay

Annotated Bibliograpy

...Annotated Bibliography With a song in their heart... how a little music helps dementia sufferers. (2013, May 07). The Western Morning News. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1348781716?accountid=27655 The author of this article starts off by telling a story about a patient with dementia and how she can remember how to play the piano but can’t remember her own family. Then author states that a doctor from goldsmith’s university feels that music can be therapeutic and explains that people with advance dementia can still remember music that they learned as a child or as a teenager because memory loss tends to work backwards. Then the article just goes on about what dementia is and how it can be treated. The author also stated some other information about organization doing their own therapy based on music and dementia. Walker, A. K. (2013, Mar 24). Using music to treat dementia, alzheimer's. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1319429176?accountid=27655 The author of this article tells a story about a young patient with dementia and how she uses music for therapy. Music won’t restore any of her memories but it helps cope with the dementia. The author states that studies have shown that music can tap into dormant memories which remind people of good times and helps keep them calm and reduce anxiety. The author also states a web site that she found that says music can even release endorphins that can help with pain, stress and...

Words: 726 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Dementia

...NAME: Carolyn Rabon THESIS: Treatments and therapies used with dementia patients. BACKGROUND: Dementia is a disease that affects the elderly. Although there are at least ten different kinds of dementia, Alzheimer’s is the one that affects most people. In fact, out of every 100 cases of dementia, over sixty percent is Alzheimer’s. There has been much study on treatment and therapy, some with better results than others. Antipsychotic drugs have been used for years and years with little or no change. New treatments and therapy’s now include music with wonderful results. OBJECTIVE: The most controversial treatment for dementia is music rather than antipsychotic drugs that just seem to mask the problem and sometimes with worse results. I plan on showing how useful music can be in the treatment and therapies used on people with this mind crippling disease. SUPPORTING POINTS: Music therapy is a better choice of treatment. 1. Some patients respond by singing. 2. Some people respond by clapping their hands 3. Some people react by dancing Advantages: 1. Treatment is non Invasive 2. In some cases it eliminates the use of antipsychotic drugs 3. It “awakens” some memories long locked away This treatment can help the family or caregivers also: 1. Families are able to keep loved ones home longer 2. Families can see the miracle of recognition of memories long forgot 3. Families can , in some cases, eliminate the need for outside caregiving ...

Words: 462 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Informative Speech

...Specific Goal: I would like the audience to realize the therapeutic effects that music can have. Introduction Music therapy is the use of music by health care professionals to promote healing and enhance quality of life for their patients. The use of music for medicinal purposes began thousands of years ago. Thesis Statement: Music therapy is currently used to treat three types of ailments. Body Physical ailments are among the first of the three to be treated through the use of music therapy. Cancer patients have benefited from its use. It helps with nausea and vomiting. It also helps with pain control. Music therapy is also very effective on heart patients. It decreases heart rate. It decreases high blood pressure. (Now that we have seen the positive impact that music therapy has on physical ailments, we will next see how other ailments benefit.) The second of the three ailments to be treated through the use of music therapy are emotional. Music therapy can change the mood of a person. Music therapy can also motivate an individual. (There is one more ailment left to discuss.) The last of the three ailments to be treated through the use of music therapy are psychological. Music therapy is also used in the treatment of mentally ill patients. Depression has been known to benefit from this. Autistic children have also benefited through the use of music therapy intervention. Music therapy is also used effectively with newborns. Premature newborns experience increased...

Words: 386 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Music Therapy: Box Elder High School

...Music Therapy Essay Eliza B. Johnson Box Elder High School Abstract This essay outlines my current understanding of music therapy and different ways that music affects the brain, including research from Oliver Sacks, Jodi Picoult, and Laurence O’Donnell. It also includes my personal experiences relating to music therapy, including experience with special needs populations that I have worked with, experience with instrumental/ensemble work, and any other qualifications I may have that make me an adequate prospect for the music therapy program at Utah State University. It covers my motivations and driving factors for being interested in the career and major of music therapy. Music Therapy Essay Music therapy:...

Words: 1581 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Musi Music Therapy: Alternative Medicine

...Music therapy can bring in an alternative method of medicine and science. Medicine has evolved dramatically over the past thousand years thank to the help of new technology. With the help of new technology as well however, alternative medicine is grasping the spotlight. “Alternative medicine is defined as the medical and therapeutic techniques, practices, and beliefs that have not been proven effective by the scientific method.” (galegroup, alternative medicine) This is where controversy comes into play, not a scientific method, and unorthodox. “This alternative medicine can save counties, and taxpayers billions of money due to the fact that they won’t have to pay for new drugs.” (Blasser, alternative medicine). When people seek spiritual treatment, or mental treatment, they tend to take it for granted, and don’t get an expert medical opinion, and can harm patients if they utilize treatment. This alternate medicine focuses on your physical and mental problems....

Words: 556 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Nordoff-Robbin Music Therapy Essay

...Prior to reading this case study I was very confident in wanting to continue on to do Nordoff-Robbins music therapy, however, after reading this and the process of GIM I am very intrigued. It’s definitely not an approach that I was familiar with before this class, perhaps due to it not being what people traditionally think of when music therapy comes to mind, but I am so glad I’ve learned more about it and got to experience an exercise of it done in class. Like Catherine I also grew up in a musical household with the same idea and pressure to perform when you were all together and I think that had made me the musician I am today. She makes a good point when saying that “your song” changes at different stages in your life, I mean you are always changing yourself. I think that the experience of singing songs that relate to what is going on in your life at that moment can be very therapeutic, at least for me it definitely is. Whether you’ve written it or it is a cover, there is something reassuring knowing that you can express your present self to others. I love the idea of working in such a large facility because like Catherine mentioned, she got the chance to work in nearly every department, you would get experience in so many fields. What a huge music therapy team, 8 in total....

Words: 894 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Music Therapy

...This paper serves to discuss the benefits of music therapy for special needs students, and propose a method of providing music therapy to special education children in the public school system. Music therapy has proven to be beneficial to special needs learners in that it promotes motor skills, academic skills, communication skills, and social skills. These skills are essential for special needs students to obtain in order to function in an academic environment and in the world around them. Music therapy provides methods of helping exceptional students develop these skills and use them in the school setting. It is necessary that music therapy be provided in the general special education curriculum because there are numerous benefits. It can...

Words: 1880 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Music Research Essay

...Music Therapy: Different Ways Music Can Help Heal People. When dealing with emotions, we all have ways to escape from the stresses of life. One of the most common ways of escaping from our stress is through music. Music can sometimes have a very calming and soothing quality to it. Other times music can inspire us and pump us up for certain situations in our lives. Music is also used as therapy for illnesses. Whether their illness is a psychological disorder or cancer, music has been proven to ease some of the symptoms that these people may have. People who are suffering from any kind of illness are under tremendous stress, confusion, and sometimes they can feel lost. Music therapy can help with all of these problems. Music has been used in medicine for thousands of years. Ancient Greek philosophers believed that music could heal both the body and the soul. Native Americans have used singing and chanting as part of their healing rituals for millennia. The more formal approach to music therapy began in World War II, when U.S. Veterans Administration hospitals began to use music to help treat soldiers suffering from shell shock and to help cope with the tragic events they witnessed during that time. In the remainder of this paper I will be discussing music therapy and the effects it can have on people that are suffering from an illness. Music therapy is becoming a very common practice around the world. In 1944, Michigan State University established the first music therapy...

Words: 1608 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Postoperative Pain Case Study

...The effectiveness of Music and Relaxation Therapy on the Post-Operative Pain Introduction The use of music in the accomplishment of therapeutic aims; the restoration, maintenance, and improvement of mental and physical health is defined as music therapy. Music therapy decrease the perception of pain by temporarily occupying the ‘gates of pain’ located on spinal cord. Music can soothe us out; slow us down and save us from the ravages of tension. According to the study conducted by Jeena Jose (2000), the postop scores of pain were significantly less in the patients who underwent music therapy. Music is an inexpensive therapy which diverts the mind. Postoperative pain is intensely uncomfortable and can exacerbate the stress response, interfere...

Words: 926 - Pages: 4