Research on the effects of music is strong (Stephensen & Baker, 2016), and some studies indicate that music has the capacity to facilitate healing by influencing brain activity and creating and altering moods (Schweitzer, 2014). Music can facilitate the expression of emotions and reduce stress; it helps us tell our stories and process our experiences (Avent, 2016; Duffey, 2015). Music is used to capture attention, elicit memories, communicate feelings, and create a sense of community (Mandsager et al., 1997). It can help in the resolution of grief and abuse, increase intimacy between partners, be of assistance in identifying competing interests, and differentiate people (Duffey et al., 2001). Music is linked specifically with helping individuals convey thoughts and feelings, alter behaviors, and reduce unhelpful behaviors (Minor et al., 2013). Simply put, music is the soundtrack of our lives. William Styron (1990), the author of Sophie’s Choice, found music to be a lifesaver in his battle with depression and suicidal ideation. His experience is not unique.
Many populations who have been victims of abuse have developed distinct musical forms, such as Blacks’ creation of spiritual gospels and the blues. This type of music has provided an outlet for their individual and collective expressions of pain. Other groups have created different sounds that express the essence of their experiences and perceptions. In the United States the great diversity of sound includes rock and roll, bluegrass, hip-hop, rap, beach, jazz, country, classical, and big band music. An even wider variety of sound exists internationally, such as samba, reggae, and waltz.
Creative Reflection
What is your favorite type of music? How has it influenced your life? How do you think it might be therapeutic for you or for others?
According to Peters (2001), “Corporations such as MUZAK have made a business out of supplying background music to positively influence and regulate people’s moods and behaviors in offices, busi nesses,” and other environments (pp. 31–32). The influence of music in daily life is truly phenomenal. Even though people may not always remember lyrics, they seem to be influenced by “the beat, the rhythm, [and] the sound” of music they listen to regularly (A. White, 1985, p. 67). For many ordinary people, “music is the most significant experience in life” (Storr, 1992, p. 168).
Overall, music allows feelings to be revealed that may not be defined in words. In essence, music “is a form of communication analogous to speech in that it has cadences and punctuation” (D. Aldridge, 1989, p. 93). For example, new age music, which makes use of long themes and slow tempos, expresses a sentiment and affect that cannot be translated into a verbal equivalent. Music is seen as a therapeutic ally to verbal approaches to counseling because it links people together and gives them a common denominator (Rosenblatt, 1991).
In this chapter, I explore the multidimensional premise behind the power of music as well as the practical use of music in counseling. I distinguish between music therapy and the use of music in counseling. For instance, music therapy, which is much more formal, is the use of music within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. In addition, I explain and illustrate how music can be used with a variety of populations (from children to older adults) and in various settings (from clinics to educational environments). The use of music with other creative arts is also discussed.
Premise Behind the Use of Music in Counseling
Although all creative arts help foster a link between the inner world of the person and outside reality, music “enhances this process by requiring time-ordered and ability-ordered behavior, evoking affective response and increasing sensory input. Music also requires self-organization and provides an opportunity for socialization” (Wager, 1987, p. 137). Music creates an atmosphere. It can elicit a wide range of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual responses. Thus, music serves multiple purposes in helping individuals become more aware, able, confident, and social.
The importance of music to human health has long been recognized (Lingerman, 1995; Thaut, 2009). Throughout history, music has been used therapeutically. Hanser (1988) wrote, “The field of music therapy is based largely on claims of the sedative results music produces and the psychological impact of the musical experience” (p. 211). Documentation worldwide shows that music played a major role in healing and nurturing people from ancient cultures (J. J. Moreno, 1988b). M. E. Miller (1991) noted that “Homer recommended it to stave off negative emotions, and Pythagoras and Plato said a daily dose could improve one’s general well-being” (p. 1E). Shamans have used “hypnotic and rhythmic music” (J. J. Moreno, 1987, p. 335) to help achieve emotional highs, a tradition that continues today in most cultures. Qualitative data support the importance of music and music therapy in meeting spiritual needs: Music and music therapy help participants feel closer to God and elevate their moods, especially when they are in hospital settings (Cook & Silverman, 2013).
Music and medicine were at one time strong allies because of their similar emphasis on wholeness (Horden, 2017). Indeed, in some countries, such as France, this connection is still strong, and “psycho-musical techniques are regarded as excellent and privileged means of exploring dreams and ideas, the conscious and the unconscious, the affective and emotional worlds of the individual, and for provoking catharsis” (Owens, 1986, p. 302). In hospital settings, music may take one’s mind off unpleasant experiences and promote spontaneous interactions. In addition, music is used worldwide to promote positive mental health, especially in psychiatric hospitals (Covington, 2001).
Music is both a passion and a diversion, and its uses in counseling are geared accordingly. Among persons for whom music is a central part of life (i.e., a passion), identity is strongly influenced by their shared values with select performers, writers, and other listeners. These individuals are usually quite willing to participate in counseling activities that involve music. In this type of situation, many of the words, sounds, and feelings these people embrace as their own actually originated with someone else and have been borrowed and incorporated by these people. The extent of music’s healing and helping power in counseling is related to how deeply involved with it people are and what disorders or diseases they may be dealing with (Bruscia et al., 2009). Because their identity is partially wrapped up in music, people with a passion for it are eager to be exposed to musical experiences. Therefore, counselors are usually more successful using music when working with these clients than they would be when working with those for whom music is only a diversion. For instance, a person of any age who likes music and who has lost a father may find Ashley Gearing’s lyrical country song “Can You Hear Me When I Talk to You?” to be both cathartic and comforting (Mansfield, 2003). By being aware of the lyrics and melodies that clients have adopted and other complementary music, counselors who use music create conditions that foster increased communication and understanding (Gladding et al., 2003, 2008; A. White, 1985).
Creative Reflection
When have you or someone you know found a song or a piece of music to be comforting or uplifting? What piece of music was it? How was your mood altered? How do you feel about the music when you hear it now?
In addition, music in counseling may be focused on the interests and tastes of clients. A musical approach may take the form of writing, performing, or listening to certain types of sounds selected by counselors. The idea behind this activity is to foster therapeutic expression by having clients participate in experiences with unfamiliar music. For example, clients may play a new instrument in a predetermined way and make discoveries about their abilities never before imagined. Similarly, ethnic music (i.e., music identified with a particular culture or subculture) may motivate “otherwise unresponsive mainstream music therapy clients into musical experiences through the exotic appeal