First off, music therapy helps adolescents because they are struggling with friendship issues, school drama, parental divorce, perfectionism, eating disorders, self harm, and low self-esteem. Teenagers are struggling with depression and the pressure to get into a good college. Music therapy supports a healthy sense of self, the confidence to say no to the bad crowd, and lifelong relaxation tools.
Many times, adolescents and teenagers need help processing their emotions. Anxiety
, depression, anger, jealousy, and sadness need help being released. Music therapy can help teenagers releases intense emotions and healthy ways. Playing drum in a counseling session provides anxiety relief. As well, using a variety of different musical instruments helps teenagers relieve stress right in counseling. Talking about music and writing playlist together can be very positive for improving mental health.
How is music therapy positive for adolescents?
As well, music therapy offers a language beyond just talking. Many times, teenagers need more options and alternatives to talk therapy. They need to be able to make the sound of anger. As well, music helps with calming the parasympathetic nervous system and promoting relaxation. While your teenager is talking about something sad and painful, they may start to cry or become angry.
Playing a musical instrument helps your teenager feel centered in the present moment while processing traumatic experiences.
Playing crystal singing bowls, using shakers, or even a marimba helps your teenager have an outlet for big feelings. We specialize in multiple ways of communicating. If your teenager needs options beyond just words, music therapy and painting can be very effective. Also, some teenagers suffer from selective mutism in mesophonia. In a teenager with selective mutism, music therapy can rebuild self-esteem and confidence. Overtime, your teenager may begin speaking again after using musical instruments.
Creative expressive therapies help build safety and trust in counseling.
How can music therapy help selective mutism?
Music therapy is very effective for teenagers who have selective mutism. Selective mutism is a disorder where a teenager will stop speaking. They may stop speaking at school, or in a certain environment. A teenager may stop speaking due to selective mutism at home or with family members. A teenager will start speaking for a number of reasons and working with a music therapist can help figure out why.
Additionally, music therapy gives a teenager with select to meet as a variety of alternatives besides speaking.
The entire counseling session, your teenager may be silent, but their music therapist can playfully find ways to connect. From painting, music therapy, and playing a variety of different musical instruments, your teenager with selective mutism has multiple ways to communicate what they feel.
What is music therapy?
Likewise, music therapy is when your therapist has training in music therapy and uses it to help improve your mental health. Also, music therapy mean include songwriting, listening to a song together, playing a drum, or even a mixture of creative dance along with music. As well, music therapy might mean listening to a song that had meaning for you and talking about it or analyzing it. Listening to music with your therapist can help promote relaxation. So, you can talk about the different emotions each musician had while riding the song. Also, you can discuss what you relate to about the song.
Is music therapy common?
in Southeastern Connecticut, there are not many therapists to offer creative options including music therapy. For depressed teenagers, music goes along way. Almost immediately, listening to a song that is upbeat can promote elevated mood. If your teenager comes in highly anxious, with her therapist plays a slow song, it can lower their anxiety. Listening to music can positively and gently change your mood. You can learn how to use music as a positive coping tool outside of session to feel more grounded and balanced. Music therapy is one of a kind creative therapy that helps to rebuild self-esteem and confidence.
Additionally, music therapy is great if you suffer from chronic pain, Lyme disease, or high levels of anxiety.
Talk therapy isn’t right for everyone. When you feel like talk therapy is not enough, or you want something more alternative or holistic, music therapy would be right for you. On video and in person, music therapy is accessible. At our offices, we offer a variety of musical instruments to promote better self-esteem. Also, playing instruments freely releases anxiety, builds stress management tools, and builds lifelong coping strategies.
Music therapy for adolescents can help with depression
Furthermore, with depression, a teenager may feel sleepy, low in motivation, put pressure on themselves, overwhelmed easily, tearful, and even have body image issues. Moreover, music therapy for adolescents can help give depressed teenagers a sense of hope again.
Music therapy can also help depressed teenagers learn to love life again and love themselves.
Connecting with different musicians and artists as well as different instruments can provide a sense of curiosity about life again. If your teenager is struggling with self harm or cutting, music therapy can truly help them start to except themselves and process big feelings. We specialize in out of the box, holistic therapies such as music, yoga, art, and walking by the beach.
We specialize in offering creative, expressive arts and holistic therapy is to promote lifelong coping strategies.
Music therapy is just one of the many Holistic Therapies we offer. As well, music therapy can also help children with ADHD, adults who have experienced trauma, and couples.