Music Is Powerful Therapy

By

Music Is Powerful Therapy

Metallica at Rock Werchter 2009 ♫♪
crsan / Foter / CC BY

Music is a universal language. One can enjoy opera without understanding the words. Music can change your mood and evoke memories. It can be a great assistant when you are exercising. But music can also do something else very unique…

Music can heal when nothing else can. Interestingly enough music actually accesses both sides of the brain. Most people are either left brained or right brained for the most part. Some people use a bit of both, like those who are ambidextrous – can write with both hands. Many who experience brain damage from an injury or a stroke find that music therapy helps them regain function faster than without using it. Case in point: Gabrielle Giffords. You can hear a song you learned as a child and remember the words. In the absence of the music those words could be a real struggle to remember.

My music preferences are very eclectic. No doubt this comes from the fact that I was raised with a mixture of Oldies, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Country and anything else popular during any given year of my life. I think this makes me a well rounded person who can listen to just about anything and enjoy it.

When I listen to a song it usually evokes some kind of memory. It may be from some period during my childhood or it may be of some event, like attending a concert, that took place while the song was playing. It can even evoke memories of smells. Have you ever listened to a song and thought of your mother making chocolate chip cookies? Music really is a very powerful thing.

Whether you are using it to improve your mood, help your exercise routine, journey down memory lane or therapy to regain lost function music is powerful therapy.

Filed in: NaBloPoMo Tags:

Comments (8 )

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Susan Cooper says:

    It really is. When I walk I am usually listening to iTunes of one of my many favorites that range from classical to rock. It makes the walk a bit more fun.

  2. JeriWB says:

    This reminds me of the scene in The King's Speech where King George doesn't stutter when he's speaking with headphones on. Then there's also one of my favorite quote from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night: "If music be the food of love, play on!"

  3. beverlydiehl says:

    I love using music to enhance my mood – whether I need to feel happy and upbeat, or want to wallow in some sad songs and have a good cry.

  4. conniemcleod says:

    Absolutely music can take me back to a specific place and time. Powerful memories.

  5. Good overview of the power of music. i like the info about Gabby Giffords. Hooray for those who work as therapists using music etc to help people reclaim their health. Such amazing work!

  6. Dancing around the kitchen to some songs with great memories always lifts my mood!

  7. loisaltermark says:

    Music can transport me right back to a specific time and place. Love my iPod!

  8. Dan Meyers says:

    I couldn’t agree more with this! I’ve always loved music (all types, like you), but never realized how powerful it was until sitting a million miles away from home and turning on iTunes to instantly (momentarily) be transferred back home. Music is one of the things that’s kept us going during our trip 🙂