About Music Therapy

Music is fundamental to the body, mind, and spirit. It is far more than what meets the ear or makes us dance, smile, or cry. It speaks to our inner beings and souls. It transcends time and provides us with energy, while stirring up our feelings. Music is holistic and provides us with entertainment as well as sedative, hypnotic, analgesic, and tranquilizing effects.

The evolution of music as a therapy has been based on the healing practices of many cultures. In recent times, however, music therapy was first used in the 1940s with patients in psychiatric hospitals.

The American Music Therapy Association was founded in 1998 for the purpose of developing music therapy for use in rehabilitation, special education, and community health care settings. Music therapy offers an array of benefits, with virtually no risks to clients.

Music is used to enhance physical, psychological, cognitive, and social functioning for patients of all ages and cultures. Health care professionals are just beginning to see the therapeutic benefits and uses of music therapy.

Source: Holistic and Complementary Therapies