Inspiration
It’s time music therapy was given a listening ear for its use of music to achieve non-musical goals
Music is evidently the only medium which is processed in the entire brain. Unfortunately, the growth of scientific music therapy (Bio-musicology) in India has been very slow even though we were the first to use music as therapy…
“According to Hindu mythology, music originated with the first sound ever to be heard in the universe – the Naadbrahma, or Om. The Samveda is all about music and its beneficial use. Pandit Haridas Maharaj and the Great Tansen also used music for beneficial purposes. Unfortunately, the growth of scientific music therapy (Bio-musicology) in India has been very slow even though we were the first to use music as therapy…”
As Dr Dinesh Sharma, Indian Association of Music Therapy, Delhi, points out, music therapy is not exactly ‘top of the charts’ in India, as far as treatments go… but then chart-busters are no real indication of true worth, right?
So, just what is music therapy?
Nina Cherla, Senior Music Therapist at The Music Therapy Trust, Gurgaon defines it as “the clinical and evidence-based use of music to achieve non-musical goals.” She explains, “By non-musical goals I mean that as a music therapist we do not teach children to play an instrument. We use music as a tool to enhance communication skills, social interaction, and cognitive and physical abilities, to mention a few.”
Dr Sharma opines that living in the age of chemicals, it is chemicals that are responsible for creating various types of diseases and disorders. Ironically, we turn to chemicals again as a cure, in the form of scheduled drugs, which come with their own side effects. Using sound vibrations, in the form of music, can influence the brain, thus impacting the entire metabolism and physiology of the body. “The pleasant sounds used in music therapy have their impact on the physiology of living by altering the levels of biochemical and haematological parameters. No one can deny the fact that we feel cool and calm listening to a bird singing, breeze blowing in a forest or certain songs.”
How music therapy helps children…
Study proves that music therapy enhances the efficiency and concentration of children while doing mental tasks. Specific background music in a class of growing children, for instance, can be helpful in increasing their concentration on education, while helping reduce aggressive behaviour. Scientific music therapy also enhances the mathematics skills and attentiveness of students.
Used scientifically, music therapy proves very effective for children struggling with learning disabilities or post-traumatic stress. While music therapy is not meant to replace special education, it can help students to improve in several important areas, which may enable them to meet their educational goals. This form of therapy uses non-verbal interaction to encourage the child to communicate and socially interact.
Music is evidently the only medium which is processed in the entire brain. This means that even for individuals with brain injury, there will very likely be healthy parts of the brain which can process music. For example, individuals on the autistic spectrum often show difficulties with social and emotional cognition, but they may have an intact emotion recognition from music. Music therapy utilises music’s unique effect on the brain to meet the individual goals of each client, whatever the age or diagnoses may be. A music therapist assesses the emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities, and cognitive skills of a child through musical responses.
“Children with learning disabilities often find it difficult to communicate with the world around them. Music may help enhance the child’s communication skills and enable self-expression. It may also increase motivation and improve their physical movement and coordination,” shares Nina.
Music can help children with post-traumatic stress, to express and process difficult feelings. Thoughts that may be hard to express verbally can be explored musically. Musical activities including listening, playing, singing and song-writing are commonly used for reducing stress levels, helping with coping and mood regulation.
What is a typical session like?
There is apparently no one-size-fits-all standard. “Music therapy is heavily based on clinical improvisation, which means that the music is created in the moment, in response to whatever the child plays or does,” Nina explains. A music therapy room at The Music Therapy Trust, for instance, could possess an array of instruments and the child may choose whichever instruments appeal. The music therapist plays together with the child, listens carefully to how the child plays, and responds accordingly. The therapist may respond musically to movements, vocalisations, dynamics and rhythm, all of which helps the child to raise self-awareness, and for the child and therapist to connect. Thus, it is difficult to define a specific type of music or genre that is used as most of the music is not pre-composed and does not follow a specific structure. The music would sound different depending on the child and what transpires during the session.
According to Dr Sharma, there are three theories to explain the process of music therapy. There is the Entrainment theory which suggests that oscillations produced by music are received by the human energy field and various physiological systems entrain with or match the hertz (oscillation) of the music. The Metaphysical theory suggests that music is divine in nature and is thus able to heal. The DCS theory, which he himself has proposed, suggests that sound vibrations affect the health of humans by stimulating the neuroendocrine system. Pleasant sounds help release the feel-good hormone – endorphins – in the brain, which fosters well-being and calmness. At the Indian Association of Music Therapy, a session mainly depends upon the requirements of the child, the type of music, frequency, time, background, and personal interest. The use of pleasant sounds for therapy, whether instrumental, western, Indian, classical, pop as well as natural sounds, depends upon the case.
Breaking Barriers
Despite over 50 years of research and a practice that is global, there is a general unawareness regarding music therapy as an evidence-based form of therapy. The most common misconception is that music therapy is receptive, that a music therapist merely plays to the child, and that precomposed music is used. Some erroneously believe that the aim of a music therapist is to teach the child an instrument, or that the goal of therapy is mainly to make the child happy. “There is a big lack of understanding of how music therapy works, and that although we use music as a medium to connect and interact, the aims of the therapy are non-musical,” confirms Nina.
The fact that the Indian government still does not recognise music as therapy, the desire of the Indian public for instant results, and the scarcity of scientifically trained music therapists are some of the reasons responsible for the relatively slow growth of music therapy in India.
However, the trend is definitely changing, as the arts therapy field is witnessing desirable growth. Over the past decade, The Music Therapy Trust, a registered charity in India founded by Margaret Lobo, who is the Founder and Director of the Otakar Kraus Music Trust, UK, has worked with hundreds of children, adolescents, the elderly and adults. What’s more, the trust works in marginalised areas, including schools for children from low income groups, offering music therapy to anyone in need of treatment, not turning away any child regardless of social or economic background.
That is indeed sweet music to the ears!
This story appears in our October 2017 issue.