Music and healing

Journal/Book: Music Therapy. 1986; 6A: Philadelphia, PA, USA. American Association for Music Therapy P.O. Box 27177 19118 Philadelphia, PA USA. 3-12.

Abstract: Traditional Western medicine has not seriously considered music as a healing medium. The more recent ascendance of holistic medicine is creating a change in the attitude held by practitioners and the public to a position of greater acceptance of music therapy as a healing mode. In this article, the author surveys a selection of research pertinent to the field. Music therapy is first defined, and the healing properties of music delineated. A review of physiological and therapeutic responses to music is followed by various opinions as to which types of music are most appropriate for music therapy procedures. ABSTRACT 2: Summarizes research that demonstrates the use of music in the alleviation of physically and emotionally generated human illnesses. Music therapy (MT) is defined and the healing properties of music delineated. A review of physiological and therapeutic responses to music is followed by various opinions as to which types of music are most appropriate for MT procedures. It is argued that traditional Western medicine has not seriously considered music as a healing medium, but the ascendance of holistic medicine is creating a change in the attitude held by practitioners and the public to a position of greater acceptance of MT as a healing mode. ABSTRACT 3: In an attempt to expand perspective beyond the traditional scope of music therapy practice, a review of music therapy from a humanistic prospective is offered, and 3 levels of music therapy are proposed: for people in crisis, for "average" people, and for people open to self-discovery. At each level, 4 facets of human need are highlighted. Attention is focused on the potential of music therapy beyond institutional walls, beyond the boundary of healing to "whole-ing": to restore wholeness not only to patients and to a larger population, but also to the life spirit of music therapists as a people and a profession.

Keyword(s): music-therapy, healing, guided-imagery-and-music.

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