Monthly Archives: December 2021

What is Music Therapy?  It is the use of music to address the physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs of groups or individuals. 

Music can promote wellness, manage stress, alleviate pain, enhance memory, promote physical rehabilitation and improve communication.  Music Therapists utilize music and effectively help with the improvement of mental and physical health of individuals by using music therapy. 

The idea of music as a healing influence is as old as    ancient philosophy.  The modern birth of music therapy began after WWI and WWII when professional and   amateur musicians visited Veterans hospitals around the country.  Thousands of patients suffering with physical and emotional trauma from war responded to music.   This led doctors and nurses to request hiring of musicians by the hospitals.  It was soon evident that prior training before entering the hospitals would be of      benefit.  The first music therapy curriculum was founded at Michigan State University in 1944. 

Below is some information about Music Therapy.  We are grateful to have a Music Therapist on staff here at Copperfield Hill. 

· Music therapy is not just for people who are or were musicians. Anyone can have a connection with music and can benefit from music therapy.

· Music therapy can be used for people of all ages, from premature infants to older adults and everyone in between.

· Music therapy is a an evidence-based practice and rooted in research, just like physical, occupational and speech therapy.

· There are many different approaches and methods of music therapy.  However, all music therapy is grounded in three main principles: client preference, clinical expertise, and best available research.

· Music can be used by many individuals in ways that make us feel better, but that does not mean it is music therapy. In order to be considered music therapy, it must be performed by a board certified music therapist in a formal setting in which the music therapist and patient/client use music to work toward accomplishing specific goals. (This is the main misconception)

· While recorded music can be used for music therapy, live music is best for accomplishing most goals addressed in music therapy.

* Copperfield Hill’s Music Therapist, Bailey Blatchley, MT-BC contributed to this article.  Learn more at musictherapy.org