Hi friends! I've decided to come up with a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Music Therapy. Hope it is useful for all of you to know a little bit more of what I'm doing. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to email me.

FAQ on Music Therapy

1. What is Music Therapy?

The use of music to help people: physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally and socially.

2. Has it got to do with the “New Age” concept?

No. Music Therapy has been in existence since the ADs.

. According to the Bible – David played his harp to ease the
depression of King Saul.
· Alexander the Great came to his senses through the sound of a lyre.
· In the Himalayas, Buddhist monks have been using chants to heal for over 2,000 years.


3. What is the role of a Music Therapist?

· To facilitate communication between 2 persons or more.
· To help clients cope with pain & stress (physical & emotional).
· To evaluate clients’ needs, formulate goals & objectives for Music Therapy intervention.

4. Who attends the music therapy sessions?

· People with physical disabilities
· Patients in hospital – cancer patients, patients going for surgery, patients in rehabilitation, patients in burns unit, patients in ICU, patients with traumatic brain injury, neonates/premature infants
· People in aged care – people in dementia
· People with disorders – post traumatic stress, autism, down syndrome, ADHD
· Students in special education schools
· People in palliative care
· Refugees
· Young mothers & children


5. How does Music Therapy help?

· Encourages expression /creativity – through song composition, instrumental playing, improvisation.
· Promotes interaction / proper social behaviour – in a group setting.
· Means of communication – in a palliative care setting, with children (eg: mother & baby), opportunity for choice making.
· Stimulate motor skills – fine and gross motor coordination via playing of various instruments.
· Stimulate sensory skills – aural, visual, tactile, kinesthetic.
· Mental & emotional health – through validation, self expression, role-play (eg: people with depression)
· Relaxation – using progressive muscle relaxation techniques (eg: pre-surgery, anxiety disorder).
· Music as medicine – pain relief, physiological aspects (eg: increase/decrease heart rate, oxygen saturation level, respiration, blood pressure, hormonal levels)

6. What is the difference between conducting a sing-a-long session and a music therapy session?

· sing-a-long session - does not require thorough preparation, detailed observation, evaluation of outcomes and treatment.
· music therapy session - requires a therapist to have sufficient knowledge of client’s condition, evaluate, formulate goals, objectives, and choose the right intervention process.