RUNNING HEAD: TITLE PAGE
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Healing Hertz:
The Power of Music Therapy
Amit Ben-Eliyahu
Place Cartier Adult
Education Center
RUNNING HEAD: OUTLINE
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Healing Hertz:
The Power of Music Therapy
-Introduction
-Section 1: Music Therapy In Society
I) Concept of Music Therapy
II) Roots of Modern Music Therapy
III) Modern Applications
-Section 2: Music Therapy as a Treatment
IV) Mental Conditions
V) Physical Disorders
VI) Rehabilitation
-Section 3: Music Therapy for All
VII) Cranial Development in Children
VIII) Stress/Anger Management
-Conclusion
RUNNING HEAD: ABSTRACT
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This research paper examines music therapy in its social, scientific and
public respects. Music has existed since time immemorial and has been
used by countless tribes and other aboriginal peoples for its restorative
properties. For various chemical and neurological reasons, music has great
effects on the human psyche and body. Men of healing and music realised
this, and have utilised it for centuries. What we know today as music
therapy began to emerge within the past few centuries as science
progressed, and is today used to treat various conditions and disorders. It
can have incredible effects on the mentally ill or handicapped, individuals
with physical disabilities (muscle problems, chronic pains, etc.) and as a
rehabilitative medium (physically, mentally and socially). Music has also
been linked to intelligence through cranial development, as well as stress
levels and general quality of life (music’s psychological effects are known
to reduce stress and increase happiness and contentment in human
subjects).
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RUNNING HEAD: FACTS
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Did You Know?
- Music therapy stimulates parts of the brain that serve other functions such as
speech, fine motor skills, etc.
- Modern music therapy started with musicians performing live in hospitals after
both World Wars
- Music therapy can treat multiple issues including (but not limited to): autism,
PTSD, psychosis, and more
- Music therapy is not just for unhealthy individuals; it can be helpful for anyone
- No musical talent or experience is required to benefit from music therapy
- Studies have shown that classical music therapy can temporarily increase spatial
IQ by 9 to 10 points
- Music therapy does not necessarily imply classical music; studies have shown
that the best responses are to the music preferred by the client
RUNNING HEAD: SIGNIFICANCE
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Music therapy is significant historically,
socially and scientifically. Music has been
used for centuries as a treatment for pain and
suffering, and still is today. It provides to
society an opportunity to improve quality of
life and emotional states. It is also important
scientifically as it is being used to help
understand the mystery that is the human
brain.
RUNNING HEAD: MAIN POINT #1
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Music Therapy In Society
Music therapy has been around for millennia: traces of it
have been found in scripts from ancient empires such as
Rome, China, and Egypt, as well as in the Bible. However,
music therapy in its modern form has been around since the
1930’s, when it started off as live music being played to
traumatised soldiers after World War One. After doctors and
nurses noted a definitively positive response to this method,
it became widespread, and as a result of the rising demand of
properly trained musicians, music therapy programs were
created after World War Two. Today, music therapy has
become far more concrete as a science due to improvements
in neuro-imaging and recording techniques and is still being
explored and discovered.
RUNNING HEAD: MAIN POINT #2
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Music Therapy as a Treatment
Music therapy can be used to treat many different
conditions and ailments. Various mental conditions (i.e.,
autism, Alzheimer’s disease, psychosis, depression, etc.) and
physical disorders (such as physical and chronic pains, partial
paralysis, seizures/epilepsy, etc.) and be treated with this form
of therapy, usually to lessen pain suffering, although it does not
necessarily cure these ailments. Music therapy can also be used
to rehabilitate mentally, physically and socially, as is done with
war veterans who suffer from PTSD, with stroke victims who
have sustained brain damage, with autistic individuals, etc.
RUNNING HEAD: MAIN POINT #3
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Music Therapy For All
Anybody can benefit from music therapy, not
just individuals with emotional, mental or physical
problems. Music therapy reduces stress and
increases contentment. As a result of this, it
increases quality of life. Music therapy can also be
used to help cranial development in children,
improve behavioural problems and increase
concentration and memory skills.
RUNNING HEAD: SOURCE #1
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Thaut, Michael (Ph.D.) & McIntosh, Gerald
(M.D.) (2010). How Music Helps to Heal the
Injured Brain. The Dana Foundation.
This is a highly informative and researched article (it provides 17
different sources) which addresses several technical and practical aspects
of music therapy. Two particularly useful concepts described are: 1)
neurological functions involved in music are not unique to music, and 2)
music changes the anatomy of the brain (certain regions of the brain
become larger and better connected).
Quote #1: “(...)the brain areas activated by music are not unique to
music; the networks that process music also process other functions.”
Quote #2: “After novice pianists have just a few weeks of training, for
example, the areas in their brain serving hand control become larger and
more connected.”
RUNNING HEAD: SOURCE #2
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Music Therapy Association of British Columbia (2008).
Music therapy: A Sound Decision. Mtabc.ca.
This is a brochure published by the MTABC regarding music
therapy. It addresses a wide spectrum of the aspects of music
therapy, including autism, language and speech, cognitive/memory
skills, grief, etc. Several specific examples are provided, along with
quotations from certified specialists. It provides simple explanations
on the functionality and benefits of music therapy as well as
situations in which it may be useful.
Quote: Accredited music therapists complete a minimum
four-year Bachelor of Music Therapy degree. This is
followed by a 1000-hour supervised clinical internship
and submission of a written portfolio about their
music therapy philosophy, internship experience, and
case study.
RUNNING HEAD: SOURCE #3
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Campbell, Don (1997). The Mozart
Effect. New York: Avon Books.
Campbell’s book describes his personal experiences with
music therapy as well a multitude of theories and clinical
studies. The book addresses all aspects of music therapy and
music in general, from illness and recovery to theology and
everything in between. It is a very comprehensive source
including many examples and citations.
Quote #1: “Half an hour of music produced the same
effect as 10 milligrams of Valium.” –Dr. Raymond Bahr
Quote #2: “Patients at the Memphis Home for Incurables
might have been otherwise miserable, but they were among
the first in the (United States) to hear a young Elvis Presley on
guitar.”
RUNNING HEAD: DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
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Any Questions?
- Are there any questions?
- Does anybody here have any first or secondhand experience with music therapy?
- Was anything unclear that should be
explained in greater detail in my research
paper?