Discover the Healing Power of Music Therapy with Samantha Foote: What It Is, How It Works, Its Benefits!
I had the honor of meeting with Music Therapist, Samantha Foote, who has been practicing music therapy for 12 years in Boise, ID. After playing music in high school, she was drawn to music therapy because of its unique combination of music and psychology. As a Music Therapist, she has seen firsthand the transformative power of music on individuals from all walks of life!
I didn’t know much about music therapy before meeting Samantha, and I’m grateful for her taking the time to share with me what music therapy is, who can benefit, how it works, and the healing benefits that come from it.
What is Music Therapy?
Music therapy is a therapeutic approach that uses music to help people improve their physical, emotional, cognitive, and social skills. It is an evidence-based practice that empowers an individual or group to achieve non-musical goals like improving communication and fine-motor skills, to reducing anxiety and depression, and even recovering from brain injuries.
Music therapy uses a variety of music-based approaches like listening to music, singing, playing instruments, songwriting, and movement! One of the best things about music therapy is that it is adaptable and can be mixed and matched to meet the unique needs and preferences of each person – plus, it’s a lot of fun!
Who Can Benefit From Music Therapy?
Music therapy can benefit everyone – all ages and abilities! It has been shown that many people with a variety of conditions, including but not limited to:
- Autism spectrum disorder
- ADHD
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Traumatic brain injury
- Eating disorders
- Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety
- Substance abuse disorders
- Chronic pain
- Cancer
- Parkinson’s disease
- Stroke
- Developmental disabilities or delays
Music therapy can also benefit individuals who are looking to improve their overall wellbeing, reduce stress, or enhance their creativity.
How Music Therapy Works – Brain Rewiring!
“Music can access more of the brain than any other stimulus, it can create new neural pathways.” – Samantha Foote
Music therapy works through harnessing the power of neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to rewire itself by reorganizing and creating new neural pathways. Music has the ability to stimulate and synchronize multiple areas of the brain, including those involved in cognition, movement, emotion, and memory. Over time and practice, people can create and strengthen neural pathways, leading to a variety of benefits!
“From our heartbeats to our brain waves, our bodies are naturally hardwired with rhythm. It’s only natural we respond to the beats in music.”
– Peterson Family Foundation
Benefits of Music Therapy
“Music can have an effect on us on a genomic level. There was a study that showed that when people made music after being in a stress induced state, 19 of 45 stress indicators in their DNA switched from ‘stressed’ to ‘non stressed.’ When people in the study destressed by relaxing and reading, 9 stress indicators were switched to ‘non stressed.”
– Samantha Foote
The benefits of music therapy can include:
- Improved mood and emotional regulation
- Increased socialization and communication skills
- Reduced anxiety and depression
- Improved cognitive function and memory
- Attention and focus
- Fine motor skills
- Enhanced physical rehabilitation and mobility
- Reduced pain and discomfort
- Increased creativity and self-expression
- Challenging limiting beliefs
- Confidence and self-acceptance
- Self-compassion and self-love
- Trauma recovery (consider combining with DBT)
No matter your starting point or wellness goals, everyone can experience a variety of benefits from music therapy!
Are You Already Using Music Therapeutically?
I know that personally, I have unintentionally used music therapeutically in my life, and it’s been exciting to understand now that my body was naturally drawn towards music in an effort to heal, recover, and connect:
Processing strong emotions – music has helped release strong emotions by listening to a song that evokes certain emotions so my body is able to process and release the emotion.
Stress relief – music has been shown to calm the nervous system and reduce cortisol levels in the body. I find it to be true that when I’m stressed I’m inclined to play relaxing music to help me feel calm.
Reconnect to the past – I love to play a song that takes me back to a happy moment or season in my life. Music can take me right back to a vivid memory so I can almost relive and feel those same happy emotions.
Types of Music Therapy Interventions
There are a variety of interventions used in music therapy, something for everyone!
- Music listening
- Songwriting
- Music improvisation
- Movement to music
- Singing
- Playing instruments
Try these different techniques and see what resonates most with you!
Harness the Power of Music Therapy
I’ve loved learning about music therapy and realizing that it really is a powerful practice that can have a profound impact on people of all ages and abilities. By harnessing the power of music therapy, you can improve your physical, emotional, cognitive, and social wellbeing.
Samantha’s advice to start benefiting from music in a therapeutic way:
“Just start making music! If you have affirmations, sing them, play the drum, use your body as a percussion, improvise! Take a song you love and rewrite the lyrics for yourself”
Find a Music Therapist
If you are in the Boise area and you’re interested in experiencing the clinical benefits of music therapy, you can connect with Samantha Foote here!
If you’re outside of the Boise area, you can search for a trained and certified music therapist in your area through the American Music Therapy Association’s website.
Recommended Readings & Resources
- Creative DBT Activities Using Music (Deborah Spiegel)
- Neurological Music Therapy
- PBS Special
- Music Medicine
- There’s a Song for That (Julie Hoffer)
- This is Your Brain on Music (Daniel Levitin)
Thank you again to Samantha Foote for taking the time to teach me about music therapy and all its benefits!
I hope you consider trying music therapy and/or telling your loved ones about this powerful, transformative therapy!
In wellness,
Jeanna Rice, Thrive & Co
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