““Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.””

Music therapy is a clinical practice, backed by research and is facilitated by a board-certified professional (MT-BC).

Music therapy can be used to work on a variety of goals that are tailored for the individual, including: socialization, expressive and receptive communication, motor, emotional, and cognitive goals.

Let us know what goals you want to work on

Check out the research below!

Socialization

Music therapy has improved social communication and functional brain connectivity (Sharda) with individuals with autism through instrument play, singing, and rhythmic cues (Sharda et al., 2018). Music therapy was also found in this study to improve socialization through providing needed sensory stimulation to individuals (Sharda et al., 2018). Group drumming has also been found to improve mental wellbeing in adults seeking to improve mental health (Fancourt et al., 2016). This shows how not only is music used to work on socialization, but the socialization through the music experience is beneficial as well, especially when facilitated by a professional music therapist.

Music therapists use the interaction of making music with various populations to work on focused participation and connecting with others whether in an individual session or in a group where there are several opportunities for focused participation though musical experiences and interventions. Example of goals include: 1) working on sustained participation/engagement; 2) parallel play; 3) turn taking; 4) building client preferred communication; 5) and cooperative play.

Music improves social communication

Effects of Group Drumming

Communication

Music therapy can work on both verbal and nonverbal communication skills as well as expressive and receptive communication. Rhythm and movement have an important role in improving speech. A study with children with autism showed that music therapy improved articulation of words and phrases significantly (Wan et al., 2011) . This was done through drumming and speaking, using rhythm and movement to activate pathways in the brain for neuroplasticity (Wan et al., 2011). Furthermore there is a sound (SEP) hypothesis which discusses how there is “overlap in the brain networks during rhythm perception in music and speech (Fujii & Wan, 2014). Rhythm is a crucial part of music therapy that is effective in improving expressive communication. This along with preferred music allows for motivating effective changes in the brain.

Music therapists work on communication through listening, sing-alongs, songwriting, recreating, and improvisation interventions. Goal examples include: 1) improving expressive communication; 2) receptive communication; 3) vocalization; 4) oral motor movement; 5) and self-expression.

Auditory-Motor Mapping Training

The SEP Hypothesis

Motor

Music therapy can improve sensorimotor functions for various populations. An article about using rhythmic cueing to work on motor skills of individuals with autism explains that “the coordination and regulation of sensory and movement information is required for social interaction, speech communication, and participation in the environment” (LaGasse & Hardy, 2013). The article discusses further how synchronization, matching to a beat, is still accessible to patients with cerebellar differences, showing how through synchronization individuals with autism and other populations can work on their motor skills and change connections in the brain, also called neuroplasticity or cortical plasticity, to elicit positive and functional change (LaGasse & Hardy, 2013).

Music therapists use interventions that target specific gross and fine motor movements, using structure and anticipation as well as preferred, motivating music to work on coordinating and improving functionality through movement interventions and instrument playing. Movement interventions also allow needed sensory stimulation. Example of goals include: 1) improving duration of movements; 2) improving imitation abilities; 3) working on fine motor movements such grasping and releasing; 4) working on gross or large body movements such as gait or walking patterns; 5) working on coordination; 6) and working on crossing the midline.

Rhythm, Movement, and Autism

Emotional

A study of the use of group drumming showed that the music improved depression, anxiety, social resilience, and mental wellbeing (Fancourt et al., 2016).

When was a time where music affected you emotionally and made you think of a time in the past? We all have used music in our lives to enhance our good moods and console ourselves during hard times. A professional music therapist understands the power of emotions, using music to work on emotional goals but also understanding when music can be harmful. Music therapists are trained to explore emotions in a safe, therapeutic relationship through improvisation, instrument playing, singing, and listening to music. Example of goals include: 1) identifying emotions; 2) expressing emotions; 3) learning healthy coping skills; 4) emotional regulation; 5) and emotional exploration.

Effects of Group Drumming

Cognitive

Music therapy can work on various cognitive goals for different populations. One area of focus is attention. Different kinds of attention can be worked on, including sustained, selective, attentional control/switching attention as seen in a study where music therapy improved the attentional control/switching and selective attention of adolescents with neurodevelopmental disabilities (Varvara et al., 2014).

Music therapists use musical interventions of listening, recreating, songwriting, and improvisation to work on cognitive skills as the brain is activated during music making (Wan et al., 2011). Example of goals include: 1) working on attention; 2) working memory; 3) working on sequencing; 4) and other academic goals.

The Effect of Musical Attention Control Training (MACT)

Works Cited

Fancourt, D., Perkins, R., Ascenso, S., Carvalho, L. A., Steptoe, A., & Williamon, A. (2016). Effects of group drumming interventions on anxiety, depression, social resilience and inflammatory immune response among mental health service users. PloS one, 11(3), e0151136.
Fujii, S., & Wan, C. Y. (2014). The role of rhythm in speech and language rehabilitation: the SEP hypothesis. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 8, 777.
LaGasse, A. B., & Hardy, M. W. (2013). Rhythm, movement, and autism: using rhythmic rehabilitation research as a model for autism. Frontiers in integrative neuroscience, 7, 19.
Sharda, M., Tuerk, C., Chowdhury, R., Jamey, K., Foster, N., Custo-Blanch, M., ... & Hyde, K. (2018). Music improves social communication and auditory–motor connectivity in children with autism. Translational psychiatry, 8(1), 231.
Varvara Pasiali, PhD, MT-BC, A. Blythe LaGasse, PhD, MT-BC, Saundra L. Penn, PhD, LPC, RPT, The Effect of Musical Attention Control Training (MACT) on Attention Skills of Adolescents with Neurodevelopmental Delays: A Pilot Study, Journal of Music Therapy, Volume 51, Issue 4, Winter 2014, Pages 333–354, https://doi.org/10.1093/jmt/thu030
Wan, C. Y., Bazen, L., Baars, R., Libenson, A., Zipse, L., Zuk, J., ... & Schlaug, G. (2011). Auditory-motor mapping training as an intervention to facilitate speech output in non-verbal children with autism: a proof of concept study. PloS one, 6(9), e25505.