Music therapy and mental health

Music does more than entertain - it comforts and inspires too. Through music therapy for mental health, individuals can reduce issues like anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

Uncover how music promotes well-being, techniques used in therapy, and its ability to heal. 

The healing power of music

Music and mental health are closely connected. When we feel sad or distressed, music can provide escapism and offer a sense of hope. 

For instance, studies have shown that listening to chilled music can have a positive effect on our mental health. It can help reduce anxiety and promote relaxation when we experience stressful situations.

Music therapy can also:

• Help patients heal from trauma or grief in a supportive environment

• Improve focus and mindfulness for those accessing mental health support, or mental health support service users, helping them to stay in the present and manage anxiety more effectively

• Support better sleep by calming the mind, making relaxing before bed easier

Techniques and applications of music therapy

Five different types of music therapy that have proven particularly effective are:

1. Guided imagery and music

Guided imagery and music therapy helps service users engage with their inner thoughts, emotions, and imagination.

Calming classical music is played during a session while the therapist helps the patient imagine peaceful scenes or memories. The aim is to encourage the patient to relax deeply, reflect, and heal emotionally.

Guided Imagery Music (GIM) is often used to lower stress, deal with trauma, or understand the nature of personal challenges by first accessing feelings without using words before explaining the feeling that the music evoked.

2. Analytical music therapy 

Analytical music therapy helps service users explore their relationships with their thoughts and emotions. 

In this therapy, patients sing and/or play instruments, to express their hidden thoughts or feelings. Then, they discuss the meaning with their therapist to better understand their emotions. 

Like GIM, this type of therapy helps service users tap into their inner thoughts to deal with ongoing issues. 

3. Neurologic music therapy 

Neurologic music therapy helps service users who experience problems with thinking and moving caused by brain injuries or diseases. It can also improve a patient’s motor skills, speech, and balance.

Healthcare professionals often use neurologic music therapy to support the recovery and daily lives of those living with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, or a stroke. 

4. Nordoff-Robbins music therapy

In a Nordoff-Robbins session, patients and therapists play instruments together for personal growth and connection.

This creative form of therapy helps service users express themselves effectively through music instead of words.

It’s popular with people on the autism spectrum who may struggle to express themselves emotionally. It can also be very beneficial for those with mental health conditions. 

5. Vocal psychotherapy 

Vocal psychotherapy uses breath, natural sounds, songs, and vocal improvisation to connect with emotions. 

Through vocal exercises and improvisation, service users can release tension, gain emotional insight, and strengthen their self-awareness.

This approach can help patients process emotions, overcome anxiety, and boost self-esteem. 

Addressing depression, anxiety, and PTSD

Music therapy for mental health seeks to address and manage conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD through simple exercises.

Listening to music can boost a person’s mood by triggering the release of dopamine and endorphins, which help them feel happier and relieve their pain.

Although it doesn’t cure depression, music therapy can help improve moods and alleviate feelings of dread and hopelessness.

The calming effect of music on mental health is particularly useful in reducing anxiety, as it soothes both the mind and body. You can use music therapy on its own or combine it with other treatments like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or medication to manage anxiety more effectively.

Those suffering from PTSD can often feel depressed, agitated, or scared, but music therapy helps tackle those feelings.

Through music therapy, you can push away from the negative feelings through the associative effects of happy and energetic music with memories of happy and peaceful times.

Scientific basis for music's therapeutic effects

Scientific research connects music and mental health, showing how music affects the brain and body to enhance emotional well-being and reduce stress.

1. Neurological impact 

Music engages different areas of the brain, particularly those involved in emotions, memory, and focus. Listening to music can also enhance focus and improve memory by engaging various parts of the brain responsible for learning and recall.

2. Hormonal responses

Listening to music triggers the release of hormones like dopamine and endorphins, both of which are linked to feelings of happiness and relaxation. Dopamine regulates mood and motivation, while endorphins relieve pain and reduce stress. Together, they promote an overall sense of well-being. 

3. Stress and anxiety reduction

Slow, calming music can reduce people’s heart rates, blood pressure, and cortisol levels. These are often elevated, particularly during periods of stress. This leads to a calmer state of mind and body, which is especially helpful for people with anxiety disorders.

Personal stories of transformation through music

Music has the power to transform your life even in your darkest moments, as evidenced by Dr Rony who shares his experiences of music on Mind.

Dr Rony found solace in music during difficult times in his life, particularly when he was training to be an Intensive Care Medicine junior doctor. He says he wouldn’t ‘survive’ his career without music.
The casualties Dr Rony encountered during his training affected him mentally, wondering if he could cope.

He wrote a song using his passion for music to help him cope with working as a doctor. When he qualified, he turned his love of medicine and music into studying music before landing a spot on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury. 

Dr Rony also used his new musical platform to raise money and employ a psychologist to support colleagues in the ICU where he worked. Music has helped not only his mental health but also his colleagues.

Therapeutic music and the Universal Music Production Library

Music has the power to heal and transform lives, as we've seen through its impact on mental health. If you're working on a project that aims to inspire or provide comfort to your audience, you’ll find the perfect soundtrack with Universal Production Music.

Our extensive library contains carefully curated tracks that will evoke audience emotions and help them relax, focus and heal. We understand how music connects deeply and meaningfully with viewers and listeners.

Register with Universal Production Music now.