Sarah Mumford
Why Music Therapy?
Physiologically Supportive
Studies have shown the use of music therapy to lead to lowered pain perception, anxiety, blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration rate. It has the ability to increase relaxation and lower cortisol levels, which leads to an overall increase in immune support.
Creatively Engaging
Because creativity engages the frontal lobes, taking part in creative experiences plays a direct role in better problem-solving, judgement, and communication. Music, as a creative force, gives room for this creative brain to breathe.
Interconnected
Music infiltrates all aspects of our lives: it calms the body, soothes the mind, validates feelings of the soul, and cushions spirituality. Because it is so interconnected, it often serves as an open door to understanding depths of humanness.
Familiar and Predictable
Music is often attached to deep-seated emotions and memories, whether we realize it or not. It is the one friend that has been with us our entire lives, adapting and changing as we have grown. For this reason, therapy utilizing music experiences often offers a sense of safety to clients.
A Means of Expression
Music therapy breaks down the barrier of words and offers a non-verbal outlet for expression of self and emotions that might otherwise remain locked within. It encourages self-expression, self-confidence, and autonomy.
Relationally Supportive
The act of sharing in music can be a deeply personal one due to the tie that favorite music has to strong emotions or memories. Incorporating music experiences into therapeutic relationship models healthy dialogue and expression that translates to other personal relationships