In celebration of World Music Day on June 21, Aultman Music Therapist Isabel Soehnlen, MT-BC, discusses how music therapy can help improve well-being.

Today on World Music Day, I share this quote on songs from Music Therapist Kenneth Bruscia:

“Songs are ways that human beings explore emotions. They express who we are and how we feel, they bring us closer to others, they keep us company when we are alone. They articulate our beliefs and values. As the years pass, songs bear witness to our lives. They allow us to relive the past, to examine the present and to voice our dreams for the future. Songs weave tales of our joys and sorrows, they reveal our innermost secrets, and they express our hopes and disappointments, our fears and triumphs. They are our musical diaries. They are the sounds of our personal development.”

As a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC) working with Aultman Hospice and Aultman Cancer Center patients, when I first meet someone, the conversation eventually turns to music.

I may say, “Well. Why don’t we start with a song?” As a patient begins sharing about music they love, there is often a visible change in their expression, posture or demeanor. Patients often appear more relaxed, and even smile, just at the thought of music.

Some people speak about songs from their childhood that bring up fond memories of their parents, siblings or school friends. Others share about concerts they went to as a teenager or young adult, and the nostalgia associated with this type of music.

Some share about singing songs with their grandkids or about a song they heard on the radio that morning. Almost everyone has a meaningful connection to music. As a music therapist, my role is to remind patients of this connection and help them access and utilize it as they navigate life’s transitions and challenges.

During a hospice music therapy session, a patient and I may spend time reminiscing on different stages of their life. This can be done through conversation about music, through singing songs or even by writing an original song that tells the story of their life.

This process of engaging in life review may end in the creation of a legacy project such as a playlist, recording or original song that a patient can give to their loved ones as a keepsake. Through this creative process, patients have the opportunity to express and reflect on their thoughts and emotions, as well as feel heard. During other visits, a patient may engage more passively by listening to music for relaxation, comfort and support.

During a music therapy visit at the Cancer Center, we may use live music for relaxation, to decrease anxiety, decrease pain perception, to provide a positive means of coping or to provide emotional and spiritual support during treatment.

This may look like discussing and listening to meaningful music, singing, using guided imagery and deep breathing to music, analyzing song lyrics or even falling asleep to continuous music. Patients are given autonomy to choose music that validates their current experience or music that shifts their mood and perspective.

One of the greatest testaments to the effectiveness of music therapy is that people are already using music therapeutically before ever engaging in a music therapy session. Every person is innately musical, from the moment that their heart beats in rhythm. In terms of how much it means to people, and how appreciated it is, there’s nothing else like music.