Music is often described as a universal language, capable of evoking emotions, memories, and connections across cultures.
However, despite its casual popularity, scientific journals from as early as the 1800’s have also recognized music for its therapeutic potential. In recent decades, research has increasingly demonstrated that music is not only an art form but an empirically supported therapeutic tool. Thus, music therapy has emerged as a recognized practice that can support individuals’ mental, emotional, cognitive, and physical health.
Defining Music Therapy
The American Music Therapy Association (2005) officially defines music therapy as “the clinical & evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program”. Here in New York at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, future practitioners can become equipped with the education to work one-on-one with clients and implement interventions as trained music therapists. This requires both theoretical knowledge and intensive clinical experience and can be highly fulfilling work in a growing field.
Music therapy interventions are tailored to the needs of each individual client and can target a broad range of educational, mental, and physical objectives. Unlike casual listening, music therapy is intentional and goal-oriented. Techniques may include improvisation, songwriting, guided listening, playing instruments, moving to music, or structured music-making activities. In clinical settings, these techniques are utilized to serve different populations and purposes. A stroke patient might regain language abilities through structured singing exercises, while children on the autism spectrum may use musical play to enhance communication skills. Group drumming, songwriting, or listening sessions in hospitals and nursing homes provide opportunities for expression, connection, and comfort.
Benefits Across Domains
Music therapy can be effective across diverse age groups and demographics and can be utilized for a wide range of therapeutic goals.
Psychological benefits: Research has highlighted that music may effectively reduce depression symptoms in adults and adolescents and improve psychological measures of stress. In cancer patients, music therapy has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve quality of life (Bradt et al., 2016).
Cognitive benefits: Music has been shown to improve attention, enhance memory, and support individuals with neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia. Specifically, research suggests that therapeutic music-making activities can have significant positive effects on cognitive functioning in older adults (Dorris et al., 2021).
Physical benefits: Along with psychological measures, music therapy can also reduce physiological measures of stress such as elevated heart rate and blood pressure. Rhythmic interventions may improve motor coordination, assist with pain management, and promote relaxation or sleep. Accordingly, music-based movement has been used to improve motor function in individuals with Parkinson's disease (Zhou et al., 2021).
Social benefits: Group-based music therapy fosters communication, collaboration, and social connection, which are especially valuable for individuals experiencing isolation. A study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic found that group music therapy effectively controlled stress in a population of university students (Finnerty et al., 2023).
Populations Served
As discussed, music therapy can be adapted for individuals across the lifespan. Children may benefit from music as a tool for developmental growth and emotional expression. Adolescents and adults often use music therapy to manage stress, trauma, or mental health challenges. Older adults may find music uniquely effective in stimulating memory and reducing agitation. Additionally, patients in medical and rehabilitation settings often use music therapy as a supplementary treatment to support healing and improve quality of life.
Closing Thoughts
It is important to recognize that music therapy is distinct from recreational listening or casual music-making. Effective practice requires professional training and is most beneficial when integrated with other forms of treatment. Further, while not a holistic replacement for medical or psychological care, music therapy is a valuable complementary approach supported by a growing body of research.
By combining the widely-embraced emotional power of music with evidence-based clinical methods, music therapy has considerable therapeutic promise. This type of therapy is also distinctly accessible. Music is deeply embedded in human culture and taps into human experiences that resonate across diverse backgrounds and demographic groups. Nevertheless, as awareness and research continue to grow, music therapy offers a promising pathway for individuals to sing, dance, move, and listen their way toward improved mental health and well-being.
References
American Music Therapy Association. (n.d.). Music therapy with specific populations: Fact sheets, resources & bibliographies. https://www.musictherapy.org/research/factsheets/
American Psychiatric Association. (2025, March 25). Group music therapy: A promising approach [Blog post]. https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/the-healing-power-of-group-music-therapy
Bradt, J., Dileo, C., Magill, L., & Teague, A. (2016). Music interventions for improving psychological and physical outcomes in cancer patients. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, (8), CD006911. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006911.pub3
Dorris, J. L., Neely, S., Terhorst, L., VonVille, H. M., & Rodakowski, J. (2021). Effects of music participation for mild cognitive impairment and dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 69(9), 2659–2667. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.17208
Finnerty, R., McWeeny, S., & Trainor, L. (2023). Online group music therapy: proactive management of undergraduate students' stress and anxiety. Frontiers in psychiatry, 14, 1183311. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1183311
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2022, April). Music and health: What the science says. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/music-and-health-science
Zhou, Z., Zhou, R., Wei, W., Luan, R., & Li, K. (2021). Effects of music-based movement therapy on motor function, balance, gait, mental health, and quality of life for patients with Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical rehabilitation, 35(7), 937–951. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269215521990526