Music for Insight

As stated by the American Music Therapy Association, “Music therapy for clients with mental health concerns uses musical interaction as a means of communication and expression. The aim of therapy is to help individuals develop relationships and address issues they may not be able to address using words alone. Music therapy sessions include the use of active music making, music listening, and discussion.”

By engaging in songwriting, lyric discussion, clinical improvisation, and guided meditation exercises, our clients develop tools for self expression. This lends to self discovery and insight, followed by validation of one’s feelings. Blue Guitar in Field

Within a music therapy session, our clients can practice and put into action the concepts learned in verbal therapy, and can be a place where feelings can be explored safely within the structure of the music and the therapeutic relationship. Whether a client comes for 10 sessions or an ongoing relationship that spans years, exploring music together may improve insight into an ongoing struggle, shed new light on a way to feel fully, practice mindfulness, and make space for self-exploration through sound. Music therapy for mental health is NOT limited to musicians, and is accessible for those with no musical training or background.

We welcome clients open to new possibilities and their own potential.

Older Adults

A great deal of information has been shared in the media about the role of music in stimulating brain and physical functioning as we and our community members grow older. The feelings and sensory experiences of yesterday can be revisited by playing an old favorite tune. The words that may be used rarely in day to day communication can be unlocked through singing familiar lyrics. The movement patterns that seem so hard to grasp may be accessible through movement to music. Engagement in music that is personalized and customized for a person can be a powerful key to opening a door of communication and enhanced function. Done so in a group setting can afford the opportunity for deepening social relationships, making new friends, and appreciating one another’s talents and insights. Music therapy can address all of these aspects of health preservation, as well as become a comforting presence for hospice patients.

As outlined by the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy provides opportunities for:
• Memory recall which contributes to reminiscence and satisfaction with life
• Positive changes in mood and emotional states
• Sense of control over life through successful experiences
• Awareness of self and environment which accompanies increased attention to music
• Anxiety and stress reduction for older adult and caregiver
• Nonpharmacological management of pain and discomfort
• Stimulation which provokes interest even when no other approach is effective
• Structure which promotes rhythmic and continuous movement or vocal fluency as an adjunct to physical rehabilitation
• Emotional intimacy when spouses and families share creative music experiences
• Social interaction with caregivers and families