Music Therapy: Can Music Really Soothe The Savage Beast?

It has long been suggested that “music soothes the savage beast.” But is this true? And if it is, does this have any implication where humans are concerned? The answer, apparently, is yes. To illustrate this, researchers point to the different physiological changes that take place within the human body in response to different sounds and noises. A loud noise that shatters the silence sets the human heart racing and stimulates a rush of adrenaline that prepares you for flight. In contrast a soft, soothing sound helps us to relax.

Music therapy has, in fact, been around for thousands of years. Nearly four thousand years ago the Hebrew Scriptures recorded that the boy who would later become King David was hired by his predecessor to play the harp to calm King Saul when he would go into a rage. Likewise, the use of music therapy is found in the writings of ancient civilizations such as Egypt, China, India, Greece and Rome.

More recently, scientists have been studying the effects of music therapy and have documented changes in respiratory rates, blood pressure, and pulse in response to musical stimuli. Likewise, researchers in the realm of music therapy have found that the use of music therapy can be effective in areas as diverse as IQ and recovery rates, pain management and weight loss.

Some object that this sounds too good to be true. How can music therapy change something like pain management? Researchers tell us that the reason music therapy works is based on how we hear. Sound is little more than vibrations in the air that are picked up by the inner ear and transferred to the brain which is a key component in your nervous system and controls the functions of the body and the brain responds to the stimuli that it is given.

In light of this, music therapy can and often is used in a wide variety of applications. One common application for music therapy is in working with autistic individuals because research has found that music can help autistic children to express themselves. Likewise, music therapy has been found to help individuals with physical disabilities to develop better motor skills.

With music therapy, individuals with high levels of anxiety can be helped to express suppressed emotions thereby discharging anger, or enabling the individual to express the joy they would not otherwise be able to express. Likewise, research has found that music therapy can help lower the anxiety levels of hospital patients who find themselves facing frightening prospects and in an unfamiliar environment. Furthermore, music therapy has been found to help medical professionals with pain management such that they have been able to reduce pain medication by as much as one half by helping to stimulate the production of the body’s own pain killers, called endorphins.

Music therapy can come is a wide variety of forms. In some cases it’s as simple as having the individual listen to particular music. In other cases music therapy requires a more interactive approach, having the individual respond to the music either in dance or using some other form of expression. But in its many forms, music therapy has often been found to be beneficial.

Music Therapy Empowers Those With Disabilities to Reach Goals


In layman’s terms, music therapy, provided by music therapists, uses music to help others reach non-musical goals. Music therapists go into schools, hospitals, nursing homes, hospice, and even family homes to do such things as:

• Improve communication

• Develop motor skills

• Manage stress

• Increase self-expression

• Enhance learning

• Promote social skills

• Improve daily living skills

• Assist memory recall

My younger son began music therapy in 2005. One of his first goals was to differentiate between the “ch” and “sh” sounds. His therapist wrote a song about a “choo choo” train, which went “chugga chugga”. Through singing the song, my son learned “ch” sound and how it was different from “sh”. He has also learned to “breathe in… out… in… out… to calm down” when he’s upset.

My older son began music therapy in 2010. With his therapist, he has written songs to express his feelings and tell his story. He has destressed and improved his communication through his writing. He and his therapist recorded their song on CD. He felt a sense of accomplishment as he proudly shared the music.

Other clients play instruments to improve their motor skills or sing songs to work on speech therapy goals. Clients might learn to follow directions by following the directions sung by the therapist. Another goal may be to learn “volume control” and practice singing softly and loudly.

Music therapy is a fun way to reach important goals and learn crucial life skills.

Benefits Of Music Therapy



Early exponents of music therapy in the 1950’s to 1970’s included the French cellist Juliet Alvin and Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins. The Nordoff-Robbins approach is still used in many countries around the world including the USA, UK, Australia, Germany and South Africa.

So, how does music therapy work?




Music encourages verbal as well as non verbal communication and promotes social interaction and relatedness. It’s a valuable outlet for self expression and creativity. It has also been successfully used in pain management by providing a distraction from the painful stimulus as well as a means of relaxation and stress alleviation.

Children with developmental and learning difficulties,children and adults with autism spectrum disorder or special needs as well as the elderly and dementia sufferers have all been shown to benefit from music therapy. Although the benefits of music therapy have been accepted intuitively and based on anecdotal evidence it wasn’t till recently that quantitative evidence of its efficacy started to emerge.



Autism and Music Therapy

In recent years, medical professionals have combined autism and music therapy in order to determine if there are any advantages associated with this type of treatment. Music is often regarded as the most ancient form of communication among individuals worldwide because of the fact that it is considered to be common among all cultures, in all locations of the world. Due to the amazing popularity of music and the effects that it seemed to have on individuals that were subjected to it, many researchers developed what they refer to as “Music Therapy”. Since the initialization of this form of therapy, it has been established that it has the ability to assist those that suffer from many different types of cognitive and physiological problems. Today, the use of music therapy is becoming increasingly popular for children that suffer from autism. Throughout this health guide, you will learn many interesting facts on autism music therapy.

Certified Music Therapists

The individuals that focus on autism and music therapy are known as “Certified Music Therapists”. If your child has autism, it is absolutely imperative that you choose a therapist that has an extensive education and valuable experiences in the field of music based therapy. The professionals will be identified as “Music Therapist-Board Certified” or “MT-BC”, and commonly work in educational settings, clinics that specialize in developmental disorders, and private practices. These professionals use an assortment of music types in order to assist in building skills in the autistic child. Furthermore, it has been found that the music may be used to enhance communication skills. Many studies also indicate that these specialists are highly effective at helping an autism patient experience lower anxiety levels.

Benefits of Autism Music Therapy

Autism and music therapy works to address the most common problems experienced by those that suffer from this condition. These problems include communication difficulties, issues with behavior that is considered to be aggressive or inappropriate, as well as social interaction issues. Autism therapy using music combines many different types of elements in order to enable the autistic child to communicate effectively and openly express their true feelings. While many forms of therapy have been used to assist children suffering from autism, music based therapy is the one treatment that shows the most promising results. The following highlights the benefits associated with autism and music therapy:

1. Autistic children that have participated in this form of therapy have been found to be successful at building relationships with others. As a result of this development, the children are motivated to learn and master behaviors that are considered to be socially acceptable.

2. Since autistic children often have high functioning cognitive abilities, many have learned to engage in musical activities such as playing an instrument. Not only is this wonderful for cognitive development, but it is beneficial for their academic and social growth.

3. Many songs that are designed for autism and musical therapy sessions include catchy lyrics that instruct a child how to behave appropriately or engage in certain activities. By being exposed to these catchy lyrics, children with this disorder are more likely to learn rapidly and progress in their development of basic skills.


While there are many productive forms of therapy for autism, autism music therapy is considered to be one of the most effective. Unfortunately, this type of therapy is not offered in many locations. You should not let that stop you, though. If you have an interest in autism and music therapy, you are fully capable of creating an at-home autism music therapy program. Simply purchase items such as musical DVDs or CDs that are designed for children. These often include lyrics that are catchy, easy to remember, and instruct on proper behaviors and how to engage in basic skills – such as buttoning clothing or brushing the teeth. You will quickly discover just how engaged your child becomes. By exposing your child to autism music therapy, you will be able to see their cognitive growth and development. Autism and music therapy sessions seem to go hand in hand. Many rewards are reaped by families that engage in this type of therapy.