8 Common “Music Therapy” Activities You Might Actually Enjoy

Music is one of the things that connect people of different backgrounds, nationalities, and colors. Whether you love music or not, it’s plain to see how a simple tune can serve as a universal language. You don’t have to understand what someone says to share a favorite band (think The Beatles) and feel a song in your heart. You don’t even need to always understand the lyrics to enjoy music! Music has the power to transcend language, culture, and other significant barriers. Using music in therapy is an effective, enjoyable way to receive treatment. We’ve compiled five common music therapy activities you might actually enjoy.

Music Relaxation

A great way to de-stress and improve emotional resilience, music relaxation is well-known in music therapy for mindfulness and meditation. It involves inducing a calm state where the mind can unwind and the body can loosen up. VibroAcoustic Therapy is a technique that can be used for this. It combines the vibrations of relaxing music with low frequency vibrations and transfers the sound to the body’s surface (from a specialized low frequency-providing chair or table and speakers or a headset for relaxing music).  

Improvisation

By creating music you’ve never heard before, you make use of your cognitive skills and become more mentally flexible. This music therapy activity encourages you to participate in the moment as you work from basic chords, or an existing song or melody. You may use any musical or nonmusical medium within your capabilities. Musical media includes body sound, voice, percussion, string, wind, and keyboard instruments. Nonmusical media can consist of titles, images, and stories. 

In clinical improvisation, you and the therapist (or you and other clients) relate to one another through the music you hear. Improvisation may occur individually, in a duet, or in a group. 

Music Selection

A music therapy activity used for clients and adolescents who have emotional and self-regulation problems. Music selection involves letting you choose a piece of music that’s familiar to you. Such music brings out emotions and memories you’ve associated with it. Its process also often includes guided visual imagery. The therapist encourages you to imagine yourself in a pleasant environment as you hear the music playing. This fosters self-awareness and acceptance.

Movement

There are many benefits to simply moving your body. For instance, walking, running, dancing, and other exercises improves both your physical and mental health. In music therapy, movement is a way to express yourself and your emotions. By adding receptive listening to music therapy techniques, clients find emotional connection with the music. 

Moving to music can lead to many positive outcomes. Less stress, increased self-esteem, better mood, enhanced communication skills (from doing nonverbal communication like interpreting music), etc. It also helps fight mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.   

Singing

There are medical conditions that can make people unable to speak but still able to sing. Some examples are dementia, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. Music therapists use melodic intonation therapy to help clients use this ability as a first step to being able to speak again. By first singing sounds then reciting jungles next, you eventually try to sing full songs. The process helps your muscles regain the ability to speak.

Songs help us learn new information (especially children), recover memories, and can even help repair brain damage sometimes.  

Playing An Instrument

When you play a musical instrument or learn how to, you get a lot in return. You feel accomplished, more confident, have something to look forward to, express your emotions better, and cope with your feelings. Music therapists can help a client learn new skills regardless of age or experience.  

“Drumming” is a group exercise. It’s designed for those who have trouble communicating, get anxious in social situations, and are uncomfortable with verbal communication. The therapist offers clients different kinds of drums for them to play together. Accompanying music may or may not be provided. You communicate with fellow clients only through beats. Drumming makes clients actively involved in therapy and engaged with others.

“Music performance” also gives you the opportunity to achieve personal transformation and social change. With the therapist’s support and the right environment, you’re able to share your experiences through artistic expression. In turn, you learn to connect with people and develop more trust in yourself. Moreover, the act of deciding to perform and preparing for your performance gives you an opportunity to make and follow through with a plan and experience success as a result. Music performance can be done in a group setting, with or without an additional audience. 

Lyrics Discussion

Song lyrics can evoke strong emotional reactions. Talking about the words they contain is an effective means of understanding what a person is going through. Through discussion, specific topics can come up. Topics urge you to share related personal problems, hidden fears, and other issues that trouble you. 

If you’re in group therapy, the music therapist can also help you practice empathy and assertiveness, when you disagree with other clients’ lyric interpretation.

Music Bingo

This music therapy activity is a preferred method for adult interventions and is often used with other forms of therapy. It improves memory and reality orientation (a program designed to improve cognitive and psychomotor function in people-often erderly- who are confused or disoriented). The activity involves making cards where each participant draws a song and others sing it after guessing the name right. It can be played in pairs or as a group.

Indeed, music not only entertains. It lessens the pain we feel, helps us be more in-tune with ourselves, and improves overall health. Music therapy is a fun form of psychotherapy that can help you achieve healing as much as other kinds of treatment. If you have a big love for music, this therapy is even more right for you. Nonetheless, seek professional advice first to know if music therapy is best for your condition or current problem. Once you find out, you can then start looking for the right therapist whom you’ll feel comfortable with. 

Can you relate? Share your thoughts below. We’d love to hear them!