DOCintheBiz
The Therapeutic Effects of Music
19 Jun
Posted by: admin in: Anxiety/Anxiety Disorders, Mind/Body Connection, Music Therapy, Stress Management
by KC Kelly, Ph.D., LMHC
What are the Therapeutic Effects of Music?
Music is incredibly powerful in so many ways!
Music can tell stories of our lives and explain a lifetime in less then three (3) minutes. Music can change a mood in a matter of one minute. Music can bring you to far away places by just closing your eyes. Music can bring you to tears in just a few beats. Music can capture the heart and soul in a few seconds. It can make you fall in love and it can break your heart. Berthold Auerbach stated, “Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
Many experts suggest that music is an incredible tool for stress management. Music can help keep us in a relaxed state during periods of high stress or even help us get to sleep. Most likely mimicking the soothing sounds of the fluids in the mother’s womb or the mother’s heartbeat, researchers have shared that music in later stages of life are that of the safe and protective environment our mothers provided for us.
How music can control us and the calming effect it has over us is many times something about which we are not even conscious.
Music therapy can be extremely successful and helpful in many ways! Music therapy can help reduce the strife caused by stress, physical or mental pain, anxiety or panic attacks, anger, attitude and moods changes, and difficulty with sleeping. How is the mind/body connection relevant here? When we hear music which we are able to calm our minds, our thought patterns change and we slowly can see a decrease in heart rate, tension, tightening of the muscles, and overall feelings of stress. There are many therapeutic effects of music.
If you have any questions about how music can help you to relieve the stress in your life or any other issues or concerns, please write in to DOCintheBiz for the opportunity to email me for professional and confidential help! You are never alone!
What does music do for you?
This article is copyrighted by docinthebiz.com and may be respectfully re-distributed for non-commercial educational purposes granted that website link and author credit remain intact.
32 Responses
Laurie
19|Jun|2008 1I find it fascinating how I can hear a song and it takes me back to places and events in my past. That is always a fun thing and usually brings on smiles and giggles. Music can also churn such desire in my heart that I am depressed wanting people or situations I cannot have. Music has such power over me. It can tap into feelings I embrace and feelings of pain. It can make me feel fully alive and wanting to embrace God and it can make me feel like I am missing out on life. I’m not sure why it has this intense impact on me. It seems to amplify the mood I am in when I begin to listen. I probably choose songs that will enhance my feelings and carry them on to higher places either good or bad. Sometimes when you feel bad, you just want to “wallow” in it a while. Music choices can help you out there. But also the choices you make can lift your spirits as well. Like anything, it can be used for good or bad.
Doc KC
19|Jun|2008 2Dear Laurie,
Thank you for sharing your experiences with music and how it affects you. Yes, music can affect a person in more ways than one. And we do have that choice of how we want to use music.
Please keep reading and posting. Your comments are wonderful.
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
sensitivejane
19|Jun|2008 3Hi again.. I love what you wrote about music! It rings so true with me.
I love music and it does so many things for me. Yes, it can fill me with delight or bring me to tears with a lovely melody, or an upbeat tune. It can change my mood in an instant and take me to far away places. Great to take the time to look into the effects music has on us.
Jane
Doc KC
19|Jun|2008 4Dear Jane,
I’m glad you enjoyed my article. Music does wonders for us and I’m happy to hear that you can appreciate all it has to offer as well.
Thank you for your comment. Please keep reading and posting.
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
Tim Brownson
20|Jun|2008 5I agree so much with this.
If I’m feeling miserable as sin (and yeh, even life coaches can be that way) I have a playlist of music that always picks me up. I have anchored feeling good to that music. It’s instant and never fails to work.
Here’s 2 that are in there, beautiful chill out tunes that make me think of Sunday afternoons chilling with friends.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGQ3iZZXaJM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGf9ndOvV2M
Jennifer
20|Jun|2008 6I really enjoyed this post. My husband is a musician and it is very interesting to him how it can change you mood. I am totally not a musician, but definitely notice how different types of music makes me feel.
I have to be very careful though because I tend to drive really fast when I do this. :0
I’ll tell a little secret here. I’m a little over 30 and sometimes when I hear a good song on the radio or I’m in the right mood, I like to roll the windows down, crank up the volume and go with the music (ie. jam out.)
I’m an artist and realize that art can do the very same thing as music. To tie the two together, when I was in an art class in college out professor had us to take a pencil (or some medium) and paper. Then he played different types of music and had us to just let our hands go with the music. It was interesting to see the differences on paper. It was a fun exercise too.
Doc KC
20|Jun|2008 7Dear Jennifer,
Tying art and music together is very interesting. I’m sure someone would create differently when listening to happy music as opposed to sad and visa versa.
People also drive differently with the mood of the music too. Great point and funny story! Yes, be careful when you’re driving! LOL!
Thank you so much for your comment!
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
Doc KC
20|Jun|2008 8Dear Tim,
Music sure does take you certain places! And to have a set collection of songs that you know do the trick when you’re feeling down is a great proactive way to help yourself out of sadness or anger. GREAT IDEA!
Thank you for your comment!
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
elizabeth
20|Jun|2008 9Music, food for the sole!
Doc KC
20|Jun|2008 10Dear Elizabeth,
I completely agree! Thank you for your comment!
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
Tom Volkar / Delightful Work
21|Jun|2008 11I get enormous benefits form singing. I love belting out a ballad in the steam room at my gym. In fact I can usually tell when I’m at the top of my game I’m either whistling or singing. The days when I’m not and I catch myself allow me to check-in and see what’s up. It’s a wonderful gauge of my personal happiness.
Jackal
21|Jun|2008 12So often for me, music tends to ‘connect’ - as in memories. I am often moved deeply by instrumental or classical music especially Mozart as it allows a sense of imagination and association.
A vocal can also evoke a reaction - and almost seem to ‘connect’.
As a teenager and into my twenties I was an avid concert go-er - loving live music but since I have been ill concerts just seem to overwhelming to cope with.
I am slowly reconnecting with listening to music after nearly two years of not having much of an interest.
Benny Greenberg
21|Jun|2008 13Music calms the savage beast and excites the senses. Music is a way to relax and to rejuvenate. Music holds a key to our past and is a great motivator to our future. Who would have thought that It could do so much!
Ben
http://www.ya-ttitude.com/blog
Doc KC
21|Jun|2008 14Dear Tom,
Singing has such a magical affect on so many! I’m glad that you can use singing or whistling as an outlet to express your happiness and also a gauge to see that something is wrong (when you’re not feeling as if you want to sing). That is truly wonderful!
Thank you for your comment. Please keep reading and posting.
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
Doc KC
21|Jun|2008 15Dear Jackal,
I’m glad you got back to enjoying music and taking advantage of how it now makes you feel. Classical music is a great choice and its nice to know that it can take you places deep into your imagination!
Thank you for your comment. Please keep reading and posting.
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
Doc KC
21|Jun|2008 16Dear Ben,
I couldn’t agree with you more and loved your descriptions of what music can do! I feel the same way!
Thank you for your comment. Please keep reading and posting.
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
Mary@GoodlifeZen
23|Jun|2008 17Music is a healing energy. It seems to me that this healing energy emerges most strongly when we move to it. Dance is one of the best mood lifters!
cheers
Mary
Barry
23|Jun|2008 18Oh yes - music is therapy! As a kid-of-sort-of musician, I understand this a lot. For me playing music is even more therapudic than just listening - I don’t know why.
Blues artists recognized this years ago - and so do bar owners (crying in your beer country music DOES sell beer)
Anyhow - cool post!
Doc KC
23|Jun|2008 19Dear Mary,
You have just extended my point farther out into more of the creative arts than just music! I was waiting for someone to do that!!
Being creative through any outlet including music, art, dancing, writing, acting etc. can all be incredibly therapeutic and bring us to different places in mind, body, and spirit! Doing what we love as creative souls can change our entire perspective on life…even if for just a short period of time. Some people envy those who can make a living doing something creative that they love while others can only live their creative side as a hobby because making a living off it isn’t feasible. The question is, “How can we do what we really love and still be able to pay our bills, etc.?”
Thank you for your comment. Please keep reading and posting!
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
Doc KC
23|Jun|2008 20Dear Barry,
I absolutely agree that playing music and even singing can be entirely therapeutic aside from just listening to music! Music lights up our lives in oh so many ways!
Thank you for your comment!
Please keep reading and posting.
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
K. Fields
26|Jun|2008 21I love music, I have used it to soothe myself, my children and now my grandchildren. It has such a way of making things seem better. It can bring joy, cause you to ponder, brings back memories;good or bad. And even some types can make you angry. Music is amazing!
Dr. KC
26|Jun|2008 22Dear K. Fields,
Yes, I agree that music is amazing! It has a definite affect on our mood from childhood to late adulthood and that is why it is so amazingly therapeutic!
Thank you for your comment. Great to have you here. Please continue to read and post!
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
Ocean
28|Jun|2008 23Not only do I love listening to music, but I find making music and writing lyrics to be a very therapeutic as well. Recently, I have started listening to ocean waves — try it if you haven’t it’s great.
Dr. KC
28|Jun|2008 24Dear Ocean,
Thank you for the great suggestion. Many people listen to the sounds of the ocean and waves or perhaps the sounds of nature during meditation and yoga, as a relaxation technique during anxious moments, or to help them sleep. Many other reasons as well. Wonderfully soothing sounds are great to bring you to a place of peace.
Nice to have you here. Please keep reading and posting!
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
ClinicallyClueless
29|Jun|2008 25I used to love music and have it on all the time, but since I’ve had another major depressive episode and PTSD due to repressing memories of severe abuse for more than 35 years, I cannot have music on anymore. I know loss of pleasure in activities once enjoyed is a symptom of depression. All this started, at the beginning of 2004 for which I am receiving treatment. This is also the first time that I have been unable to work where I usually over achieve. The strange thing with the music is that it actually agitates me…it feels like my body can’t stand to hear it.
Dr. KC
29|Jun|2008 26Dear ClinicallyClueless,
I’m sorry to hear all that you are going through. The best part of what you wrote is that you are “receiving treatment”. I’m very happy to hear that. I’m here as well so feel free to write in any time!
Thank you for your comment.
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
mantiz
04|Jul|2008 27right you are! I always resort to music when I’m down or something.
Dr. KC
04|Jul|2008 28Dear Mantiz,
That is wonderful that you can use music as such a powerful outlet.
Thank you for your comment.
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
Jason P.
16|Jul|2008 29Recent post reflects some of my tastes…
Music does help.
So does writing when I don’t focus on the crap in my own life.
Dr. KC
16|Jul|2008 30Dear Jason,
Music is indeed amazing! Writing can be entirely therapeutic too, taking you from your own issues and into another world of your imagination.
Thank you for your comment.
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
Derek
18|Jul|2008 31Being an ex. pro musician myself, I can vouch for the healing power of music.
When I was working on stage, whenever I was stressed or in a bad mood about something during the day, within minutes of me starting work, I could feel the stress fall away.
Since I stopped working as a pro. musician back in the 70s, I have kept playing nearly every day and in my work as a therapist, I have got several clients playing an instrument (some already had piano/keyboards, some guitars. Some had never played a note in their life, but just the act of learning and creating simple tunes, had a very positive effect on their stress levels..
Dr. KC
18|Jul|2008 32Dear Derek,
I couldn’t agree with you more. The arts play a huge therapeutic role in the lives of so many whether it is music, art, acting, etc. It’s amazing how getting someone into a hobby such as a creative one can change their lives in immeasurable ways! Not to mention, if it can become a professional career such as what you were blessed to experience! To do what you love every day for a living. No words to explain…Keep playing!
Thank you for your comment.
Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
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