Healing Through Music: Depression Music Therapy Benefits And Uses

Music has been a part of culture since the first human civilizations. It has been used in many ways to tell stories, connect with others, and provide joy. According to the World Health Organization, music is an essential part of art and expression that can allow individuals a greater capacity for empathy.  

In modern psychology, music can also be used as a form of therapy, which has been suggested to be beneficial for various mental illnesses and symptoms and in improving quality of life overall, especially in group formats. One category of mental illness that may benefit from music therapy is depressive disorders. If you’re living with depression or symptoms of depression, learning more about the studies behind the effectiveness of depression music therapy can be beneficial. We’ll explore the history and research on music therapy for depression below. 

What is depression music therapy?  

Music therapy for depression can take several forms, potentially including the following activities led by a licensed music therapist:  

• Singing  

• Playing or learning an instrument 

• Improvised dancing to music  

• Guided dancing to music  

• Watching a musician perform  

• Playing instruments or singing with a group 

Multiple studies have looked at how music therapy may benefit those with depression specifically. One systematic review published in 2017 suggests that music therapy combined with traditional depression treatment may be more effective than traditional treatment by itself in reducing depressive symptoms.  

The history of music therapy 

The American Music Therapy Association states that the beginning of therapy with music as a healing practice occurred as far back as the writings of the famous philosophers Aristotle and Plato. As an official profession in the U.S., music therapy began around World War I and World War II to support veterans experiencing trauma after the wars. Music therapy was also historically used to treat physical diseases in the 1800s and has since been used to treat neurological conditions like dementia.  

This type of treatment gained the most popularity in the 1900s. In 1903, a woman named Eva Vescellus founded the National Society of Musical Therapeutics, the first national organization for music therapy. However, it wasn’t until the 1930s that music therapy was nationally recognized as a profession when psychiatrist Willem van de Wall used music therapy interventions in state facilities. His work, Music in Institutions, was a pioneering text in helping professionals understand how to use music therapy.  

Modern music therapy  

In 1998, the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) was formed to merge the National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) and the American Association for Music Therapy (AAMT). Another organization that ensures the credibility and training of music therapists is the Certification Board for Music Therapists, which helps trained therapists receive extra credentials for their skills and training in music therapy practice.  

To become a music therapist in the US, individuals must earn a bachelor’s degree or higher in music therapy and different music therapy methods from a program approved by the AMTA. Students may learn music composition, music therapy, music theory, and psychology. They may also go through a certain number of hours of fieldwork and supervised experience. Although anyone with this experience may enter the field, music therapists may not be able to offer traditional talk therapy without meeting their state’s requirements for a therapist or counselor license on top of their music therapy license.  

Music therapists often do not hold the same credentials as traditional therapists. They may only be able to offer their services through music therapy sessions without offering advice or the same level of care as a traditional therapist. For this reason, many clients have both a music therapist and a traditional therapist.  

What are depressive disorders?  

There are several depressive disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), including major depressive disorder, postpartum depression, and seasonal affective disorder, among others. People with depression often experience symptoms like the following, per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition:  

• A prolonged sad or low mood  

• A loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities 

• Difficulty with motivation 

• Memory loss  

• Sleep changes 

• Appetite changes 

• Feelings of apathy or emotional numbness 

• The desire to withdraw socially  

• Difficulty partaking in hygiene habits or daily chores 

• Irritability  

• Suicidal thoughts or behaviors 

Potential benefits of a music therapy intervention for depression  

Below are a few of the most common potential benefits of treating depression with music therapy. 

Emotional expression  

Major depression can cause periods of apathy, which might involve feeling numb or unable to express emotion. One older, short-term randomised controlled trial suggests that music has significant expressive qualities, allowing people to express emotions under the guidance of a music therapist without talking about them out loud or even understanding them cognitively. Note that psychological research is constantly changing and evolving. 

As it can be harmful to your physical and mental health to suppress emotions long-term, a music therapy intervention may be a way to release emotional pain or challenging feelings without overwhelming yourself. This is just one of the potential effects of music therapy. 

In addition, many people find music cathartic when they can feel the rhythm in their body and experience it in a sensory way. If you partake in music therapy involving improvised dance or musical creation, you may be able to further experiment with your creativity and expression through the effects of music by following your own rhythm.  

More effective coping  

Another potential effect of music therapy is the ability to learn coping mechanisms from it. As stress and anxiety are often connected to depression, addressing all three at once can be beneficial. Controlled trials and systematic reviews suggest that active music therapy (versus receptive music therapy) is associated with a more significant ability to cope with stress and tension. As an individual learns to use music as a coping mechanism, they may also feel motivated to try other healthy coping mechanisms for depression.  

Building confidence  

The music therapy process for treating a depressive disorder may also increase the confidence of those participating. Creating or participating in music can show individuals new skills they may not have been aware of. As they grow their musical abilities, they may feel more able to take control of their emotions, symptoms, and challenges as an additional potential effect of music therapy. One controlled trial suggests that music therapy may be highly effective in improving self-esteem in adults and potentially in children and adolescents as well.

Counseling options for depression  

If you’re living with symptoms of depression or have been diagnosed with a depressive disorder, music therapy may be just one type of counseling available to you. Many people choose to partake in a music therapy intervention alongside another form of treatment, like talk therapy with a cognitive behavioral therapistto improve their overall life. However, if you face barriers to attending in-person therapy sessions, like cost, scheduling, or availability, you might try online therapy instead. If you’re looking to get matched and meet with a licensed talk therapist, you might explore BetterHelp as an option. 

Online counseling can be as effective as in-person therapy for depression, with studies suggesting that it can even be a more effective treatment for depressive symptoms in some cases. With online therapy, you can meet with your therapist via phone, video call, and/or in-app messaging from anywhere you have an internet connection, making support fit into your everyday life. As depression symptoms can sometimes make it difficult to leave home or have the motivation to attend sessions, an online therapy session can make receiving support more convenient and offer key benefits.