Healing Through the Universality of Music

One thing I love about music is the shared experience it can provide: People come together to celebrate their favorite artists, but it also brings people together as people connect with each other or an artist through lyrics. As a therapist, one question I love to ask in an intake is what people’s favorite songs/albums/artists are, or what songs they are currently listening to on repeat. This provides a lot of insight into ways the person may be trying to connect with themselves or the world around them.

Currently, I hear a lot about Taylor Swift’s “Tortured Poets Department” album as well as Billie Eilish’s new album “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT.” I also have a handful of clients who mention Mac Miller’s music and how it resonates with some of their own pain. Last summer, the most mentioned artist and album in sessions with me was Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS” album. What I find interesting about how music shows up in therapy is the lyrics people connect with, why it connects with them, and what it says about their life experiences and/or healing journey.

Research shows that music activates multiple parts of the brain and can provide stress relief, calming, healing emotional wounds, joy, and connection. Listening to music can also serve as a distraction from pain and help people reconnect with themselves. I personally have also found that singing along with music provides a sense of steady, rhythmic breathing, which helps regulate the nervous system. Music is also a big sensory experience that can help people regulate sensory needs or concerns.

With so many avenues of music, from genre to artist to variation in instruments, there is something for everyone in the musical world! What do you love about music and how it has helped you heal or connect with the world?

For more information about how music can help mental health, here is a great article:

https://www.harmonyandhealing.org/how-music-helps-people-heal/