I am writing to you today in regards to covering music therapy for healing purposes. Music therapy is the use of sounds and music to accomplish individual goals for people of all ages and ability levels within a therapeutic setting. There is the National Association of Music Therapy (NAMT) that was formed in 1950 for music therapists. In 1998 the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) was formed to focus on, increase awareness of, and to access to music therapy services, as well as, promoting education and research in the field of music therapy.
Music therapy can benefit many individuals. With music therapy having a diverse nature it can be applied in the treatment of both physical and psychological. Therapeutic use of music has been able to help people in ways that other forms of therapy have not. Music therapy also can evoke positive emotions and also can stimulate the bran. According to the AMTA it is also able to alleviate symptoms of mental health concerns such as: .
Depression.
Anxiety.
Schizophrenia.
Substance dependency.
Autism.
Personality issues.
Insomnia.
Dementia.
Pain management.
A board certified music therapist by the name of Kimberly Sena Moore works with children, teenagers, and adults using music therapy to improve their quality of life. She states that when music therapy is used properly it can be and incredibly powerful tool and that it's fun, relaxing, and motivating because music has a profound impact on our brains and our bodies. Moore has introduced 12 brain based reasons that music therapy work, and they are:.
1. Music is a core function in our brain. Our brains are primed to respond to and process music.
2. Our bodies entertain to rhythm. Our motor system naturally entertain, or match, to a rhythmic beat. She states that when music enters our central nervous system through the auditory nerve most of the input goes to the brain for processing.
3. We have physiologic responses to music.