Music therapy: Resilence despite resistence

Music therapy: Resilience despite resistance

Article by Jessica (Jess) Rose

Music therapy is a fairly new profession compared to other health sciences, but despite many people having never heard of this therapy, there has been extensive research done in the field. From as early as the 1800s, the effectiveness of music as medicine has been studied, although it wasn’t until World War I and II that music therapy was recognised as a formal profession. Fast-forward to today, and the demand for music therapists is growing at a phenomenal rate.

Music therapy can be beneficial to any population, for any number of reasons. From infants who struggle to form bonds with their parent or caregiver, to children, adolescents or adults facing the challenges that come with a physical or intellectual disability; music can be used as a healing tool. There have also been many studies done that have yielded fantastic results, including the ability of music to unlock memories that were otherwise past the point of recollection among dementia patients. Rhythm and tempo have also proven to be paramount when it comes to gait and mobility training, ultimately helping people to improve coordination, or even allowing stroke victims to walk again.

While this may sound inspiring, society has not always credited the idea of using music as a medical treatment. Traditionally, music has been more widely accepted for storytelling and entertainment purposes. Only in the past few decades has music therapy, in its many forms, been extensively researched, referenced and reviewed on a global level. And just as the industry’s pioneers seemed to be making headway in breaking the stigma surrounding its relevance, Covid saw the health sector come to a grinding halt. Some industries were able to bounce back with minimal aspects of their day-to-day functioning affected, but hospitals, aged care facilities and other health services still suffer the effects of the pandemic more than two-and-a-half years on.

Illustration by Brendan Gatt

Photo by James Zwadlo/Unsplash.

But I think it’s safe to assume that people are tired of hearing about the ways that Covid still negatively impacts so many facets of everyday living. So, in the spirit of strength-based language as encouraged within music therapy reporting, there are also positives that were born of the pandemic that some may prefer to focus on.

Although face-to-face sessions are available again since Covid-related restrictions have eased, telehealth appointments are great for accessibility, where clients may be unable to attend sessions in person. It also allows clients to be more autonomous, giving them freedom of choice where they might prefer to attend a session online. For some clients, leaving the house could rely on overcoming immense internal conflicts, so having the option to meet with a music therapist online means that they can get the help they need, without having to experience such anxieties.

Globally, people continuously show resilience in the face of the many curveballs that life decides to throw at them. But it takes a special type of person to persevere in an industry that had barely established itself before Covid came along and forced the world to go on hold. Music therapists, and other professionals in the music therapy field, are some of those people.

Over the last few years, they have shown ceaseless dedication to their work, flexibility in how they cater to their client’s needs, and compassion to the next generation of music therapists, who saw their once very hands-on studies be conducted entirely online with no warning.

The future of music therapy may look different to how the industry’s pioneers imagined, but thanks to their efforts, and the efforts of those who didn’t let a pandemic get in the way of helping others, therapists can continue to use music to heal, perhaps in a more meaningful way than ever.

If you would like to know more about music therapy in Australia, please visit: https://www.austmta.org.au/