What is Music therapy - Meaning and definition

Published by Roberto Wenk. Reviewed by Alison Ramsey. Last updated date: January 12, 2019.

The creative and professionally informed use of music in a therapeutic relationship with people who are:
- identified as needing physical, psychosocial, or spiritual assistance; or
- aspiring to experience further self-awareness, enabling increased life satisfaction and quality.
It has become an increasingly popular addition to multidisciplinary teams within established palliative care services.

Music therapy is the use of sounds and music within an evolving relationship between client and therapist to support and encourage physical, mental, social, spiritual, and emotional well-being.
Music therapy has been organized as a professional discipline since the 1950s.

Music therapy was introduced within palliative care in 1978, with the work of Munro and Mount, who used "receptive" and "recreative" methods to promote relaxation and encourage the expression of difficult feelings. Since this work, music therapists have continued to develop techniques, such as song writing, musical improvisation, and environmental approaches for use in this field.
Therapists now work across the breadth of palliative care, among patients with advanced cancer, HIV and AIDS, multiple sclerosis, serious brain-impairments, and in home-based palliative care settings.

Benefits: Systematic review of research has demonstrated that music therapy has contributed to:
• reduction in pain
• improved mood
• reduced fatigue
• facilitated relaxation
• physical comfort
• increased spirituality
• improved quality of life

Adapted from Kelly JO, Koffman J. Multidisciplinary perspectives of music therapy in adult palliative care. Palliative Medicine 2007; 21:235–241.

Published by Roberto Wenk. Reviewed by Alison Ramsey. Last updated date: January 12, 2019.

Music therapy uses the properties of music – sounds, rhythm, and personal attachment and universality of songs – for psychosocial and spiritual support and to complement other palliative care treatments.
Depression, anger, pain, anxiety, insomnia, nausea/vomiting, boredom, loneliness, and confusion can be treated with music therapy.
The only contraindication is patient preference; music may unintentionally resurface negative feelings from the past. These can be addressed by working with the music therapist.

Research has shown that it can significantly improve the quality-of-life, providing:
- a basis for life review
- a means for relating to others
- distraction from physical pain and discomfort
- emotional comfort and relief from anxiety
- an enjoyable experience.
- relief in the last hours of life

Music therapists receive training in music, behavioral science, and basic medical knowledge. They develop specific treatment goals using techniques that include singing, listening to music, playing instruments, lyric analysis, music-prompted reminiscence, songwriting, improvisation, and guided imagery with music.

Adapted from Rossi B and Arnold R. Music therapy. Palliative Care Network of Wisconsin. Fast facts and concepts #108. Internet. Accessed on February 6, 2018.

Music therapy

To cite