Music therapists are prone to several mental health risk factors: as a helping professional, we are prone to compassion fatigue and burnout while doubling as professional musicians puts us at an increased risk of depression, anxiety and high rates of stress. New years are new beginnings and perhaps this is the year that you prioritize your mental health.
Read MoreThe study sought to understand how music therapy altered mood for adolescents participating in group services as well as the effect that demographics had on mood alteration, or not. The study was conducted at a large pediatric psychiatric hospital and included over 350 participants aged 12-21 in 3 different units of the hospital.
Read MoreMusic therapy is included as a related service under the IDEA act (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ), found in section B. This means that music therapy can be included on students’ Individualized Education Plans or IEP’s for qualifying students. The article identifies within the literature review that music therapists often work with students on the autism spectrum, citing that over 36% of music therapists responding to a survey indicate that they work with autistic students in a public school setting. This is not the only population served through music therapy however. They also discussed how music therapists work collaboratively with the other members of the IEP team including OT, PT and SLPs.
Read MoreNeuroimaging has been used to chart human network connectivity and dopamine release in the brain when listening to what the participants rate as pleasurable music. Several different studies also used PET scans to track blood flow to various parts of the brain, including the mesocorticolimbic system which is primarily responsible for reward and reinforcement.
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