The use of music with a therapeutic objective is called music therapy . It is a tool that is usually used within the framework of psychological treatment.
The music therapy specialist is known as a music therapist . This expert has the necessary knowledge to use sounds , melodies and rhythms in a process that he carries out to promote the expression, communication or learning of his patients, for example.
Music therapy, therefore, contributes to the satisfaction of certain emotional, cognitive or social needs of people. Thanks to music therapy it is possible to improve the quality of life through the recovery of certain functions or the development of potentialities.
Like all therapy , music therapy aims to enable the patient to gradually advance towards a state different from the initial one. The music therapist, in this context, is responsible for intervening to promote the necessary changes. Generally, he has technical knowledge of music, pedagogy, psychology and medicine, among other fields, which allows him to relate to his patients in a precise and constructive way.
The first step is to interpret what the problem is (that is, establish a diagnosis ). Then the treatment to be followed must be defined, applying music therapy techniques while the professional evaluates the evolution.
Importantly, music therapy can include composing , recreating , or listening to music. The sessions, meanwhile, can be individual or group , and include the use of records, musical instruments, the voice , etc.
In more precise terms, music therapy specialists recognize the following four essential ways that can help patients depending on their needs but also on their technical experience:
* improvisation : the patient uses his voice or a musical instrument to create music. This is not done in just one way, since the creation can include certain guiding parameters , follow a tonal scheme, or be absolutely free and "directionless." However, not everyone has the freedom to achieve it, and that is why other alternatives exist;
* recreation : in this case, the activity is much more everyday for most people, even for music professionals, since it involves playing a song after having heard or read it. As in the previous case, the voice or an artificial instrument can be used;
* composition : This form of music therapy presents similar challenges and technical demands to improvisation. Although it is not necessary to know how to read and write music, there are people who simply do not feel comfortable having to invent a melody, either due to introversion or lack of musical hearing and perception. If the patient believes that he cannot do it or is too inhibited, then it is preferable to try another option ;
* listening : the patient must listen to music composed and performed by other people, so that he does not become emotionally involved as in the previous three ways. This can be done in the office or in a theater, among other options, in recorded or live versions.
There are those who claim that the origins of music therapy are prehistoric , since it is believed that music was used in various rituals from ancient times . While in Ancient Egypt how music influenced the body began to be analyzed, it was only in the 18th century that these studies acquired scientific rigor.
Among the benefits attributed to music therapy, there is an increase in the ability to concentrate and pay attention; optimizing communication skills; decreased anxiety ; and increased muscle strength.