Caring Minds^2:
Teenage mental health Support
Episode 2: Music Therapy & Neuroscience
The brain is the command center and place where all our senses and experiences come together to be processed and understood, then perceived, expressed, or acted on by humans. Music therapy aims to stimulate the brain for benefits, focusing on physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
What is Music Therapy?
Music therapy is an evidence-based approach that clinically utilizes the benefits of music.
Music therapy can help improve functioning and can help individuals achieve other personal goals. You do not need musical skills to participate, as music therapy often includes listening to music.
How
Music Therapy Stimulates the Brain?
Music has a powerful impact on your brain. From a young age, brains can identify and process music, so it has a core function within you. It is a form of sensory stimuli which can activate more parts of the brain than other sensory stimulants and offer deep brain stimulation.
Music stimulates brain function in different areas responsible for processing emotions, memories, and language. These areas include:
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The frontal lobe (thinking, decision-making)
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Temporal lobe (Processing hearing)
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Broca's area (Produce speech and communication)
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Occipital lobe (Understanding spoken and written word)
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Wernicke's area (Processing word understanding)
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Cerebellum (Movement and physical memory)
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Amygdala (Triggers emotions)
Temporal Lobe
(Wernicke's area)
Frontal Lobe
(Broca's area)
Occipital Lobe
Cerebellum
Amygdala
When your brain registers music, it can trigger pleasure neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, making you feel happy.
It can also invoke memories and capture people's attention. Research continues to grow on how music affects brain activity, but what is evident is that music can stimulate the brain in different ways. This makes music therapy a good option for people experiencing cognitive decline, such as those with dementia.
Benefits of Music Therapy for Teenagers
Understand emotions
Often, when teens are struggling with mental health or substance use disorders, they need to learn to manage their emotions. Music therapy helps teens identify and understand their feelings.
Promotes creativity
In music therapy sessions, teens participate in many ways. At every moment, teens express themselves creatively.
Enhances a positive mood
One of the benefits of music therapy is that it can transform participants’ moods. Whether teens are creating, performing, or actively listening to music, music therapy can help them focus on feeling good.
Learn active listening
By listening to music intently, teens can actively engage in conversations about the lyrics that will help them interpret greater meaning. In their daily lives, they can begin active listening practices to listen for understanding.
Stress reliever
Imagine listening to calming music in a session with your peers. For many teens, it has the power to make them much more relaxed and less stressed.
Conflict resolution
Working in groups is never easy. In music therapy–whether it is a music discussion or teens are actively creating a project–they must focus on working well with others.
Enhanced concentration
Increased attention span is another benefit of music therapy. In music therapy, teens are challenged to focus on the creative process, which helps with their ability to complete projects.
Increased independence
Teens all need to exhibit greater autonomy and decision-making. In music therapy, teens use creativity while working with others or independently. As a result, they should consider how to express themselves positively.
Focus on success
As part of treatment, teens need to feel a sense of control over their lives. They also need to feel successful, confident, and proud. Participating in music therapy helps them to understand the power of their creativity.
Improve physical health
Improved health is one of the benefits of musical therapy. Researchers argue that participants often have lower blood pressure, reduced heart rate, and less tension