MUSIC THERAPY FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT 20th May 2017 Centre for Creative Therapy, Department of Psychology, HELP University
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Welcome to Today’s Workshop! Congratulations for making a commitment in attending this wellness workshop. In this session, we will experience some strategies that may help you in managing stress. For today’s session, we will explore the following modalities in helping us cope with stress:
Movement with music Modifying lyrics for creative expression Madan Kataria laughter therapy Massage with soothing melodies Music assisted relaxation
Looking forward to your active participation! First, we need to acknowledge that stress is a living necessity.
SOURCE: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/good-stress-bad-stress Page 2 of 10
Health issues associated with negative stress HIVES HEADACHES HEARTBURN HYPERTENSION HYPERGLYCEMIA HEART PROBLEMS “Recently we have begun to think that all illness, including heart diseases, bacterial, and viral infections, and even cancer, might be influenced by stress” – Richard S. Lazarus Here is a partial checklist for symptoms associated with stress. In the past one month, which of these signs did you experience?
Sweaty palms Stomach upsets Page 3 of 10
Sore back, neck, or shoulder Short temper Skipping heartbeats Skin eruptions/rashes Sadness (Unexplained) Sneezing repeatedly Short attention span Sleep disturbances Substance abuse (alcohol, painkillers, drugs) Sexual dysfunction
PRESSURES OF LIFE PHYSICAL
POLITICAL
PARTNER
PROFESSIONAL PERSONAL
Mobile phone Noise Traffic Extreme heat/cold Illness Space constraints
Tax Toll Toxic waste/pollution Unemployment Inflation Human rights
Conflicting values Money issues Jealousy Death Divorce
Too little/much work Feeling unappreciated Office politics Constant interruptions Lack of communication
Self-esteem Social expectations Lack of assertiveness Spiritual emptiness
It is impossible to avoid problems in our life and simply trying to avoid stress may actually put yourself at risk for depression. Instead of relying on harmful coping strategies such as denial, drinking excessively, and blaming others, one should cultivate a positive mindset. We can build resilience by changing the way we view difficult circumstances: 1. CONTROL – Believe that you have personal control over a situation instead of feeling that other people or situations have control over you 2. COMMITMENT – Enjoying your work and finding meaning in everything you do Page 4 of 10
3. CHALLENGE – Tackle uncertainty and change with excitement, energy, and enthusiasm
Activity 1 & 2: Movement & Modifying Lyrics With the current preoccupation with smartphones and other technological devices, many people are living sedentary lives which in the long term, may be detrimental to our health. It is fun and healthful to take short breaks of stretching, flexing, and dancing to the rhythm of your favorite tunes to burn some calories, fight fatigue, and get some oxygen into our body system. Let us loosen our muscles and think of creative ways to move to the following popular song.
You Raise Me Up When I am down and oh my soul so weary When troubles come and my heart burdened be
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Then I am still and wait here in the silence Until you come and sit a while with me You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas I am strong, when I am on your shoulders You raise me up, to more than I can be Songwriters: Brendan Graham, Rolf Lovland
Activity 3: Therapy
Madan
Kataria’s
Laughter
Sometimes we take ourselves too seriously, especially when we get older. Healthy children, on the other hand, laugh up to 400 times per day. It’s time to laugh out loud and spread “happy germs” to people around us. Even faking a laugh can make us feel better just as deliberately smiling can lift up our moods. LAUGHTER - is a good workout for our diaphragm and heart - clears our breathing passages - fills our lungs and body with oxygen - reduces cortisol (stress hormones) - releases endorphins (health-promoting hormones) - boosts our immune system
SONG DISCUSSION -
What does this song remind you of?
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How does this song make you feel?
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Is there a particular line or word that is particularly meaningful to you?
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Would you like to change any words or phrases in the song lyrics?
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- is a natural pain killer!
"So many tangles in life are ultimately hopeless that we have no appropriate sword other than laughter" - Gordon Allport, American psychologist and personality theorist
Activity 4: Massage with Soothing Melodies When we are stressed, we may tense our muscles to the point of having aches and pains in various parts of our body. Healing massage such as Shiatsu, Swedish massage, Siamese massage, every now and then can help us ease physical tension, improve circulation, promote sleep and reducing levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. In this workshop, we will begin on the simple shoulder lean and end with some easy self-massage as a preparation for the relaxation activity later. Listed below are some relaxing classical music selections to set the right mood:
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Tranquility
Inspiration
Anxiety/Frustration
Mozart Clarinet Quintet in A
Jesu Joy of Man’s Desire
Canon in D
Delius On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring
Grieg Piano Concerto
Smetana Moldau
Brahms Hungarian Dances
Respighi Fountains of Rome
Alertness
Reassurance
Sensuality
Bach Bradenburg Concerto No 4 (last mvt)
Vivaldi 4 seasons
Wagner Tristan & Isolde
Mozart Violin Concerto in A &D
Ravel Bolero
Mozart Sonata for 2 Pianos in D
Strauss Waltzes
Scriabin Poem of Ecstasy
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Activity 5: Music Assisted Relaxation We are now ready to go on a musical journey with your eyes closed. With music in the background, the facilitator will help you achieve a deep sense of relaxation and help you use your creative mind in coming up with peaceful imagery. Instructions: Sit back and relax as we start doing an exercise called progressive muscle relaxation. We will tense and relax muscles in or around the areas below:
Feet and toes Leg and thighs Stomach Buttocks Spine Hands and arms Shoulder Jaw Face and forehead Eyes Source: http://www.discoversinging.co.uk/2013/07/square-breathing
We will also concentrate on taking deep breaths, ensuring that the oxygen we breathe in through our nostrils expand our stomach outwards. Yes, we need to learn to breathe like a baby. Once you reach a certain point in this exercise, the facilitator will suggest some positive affirmations for you to repeat slowly in your mind. This relaxation exercise concludes the workshop for today. questions and give your feedback for this session.
Feel free to ask
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NOTES
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