Summary: Music Therapy In Mental Health

As I walked my students into the auditorium we could hear music playing and some students who were already seated were singing along. As the current song came to an end and a few cords of the next song began, the teachers listened in amazement as the 500 students in the audience burst into song. The sweet sound of children’s voices singing, Let it Go (Lopez), warmed the cold room. This performance was not planned or practiced; it started by just a few simple musical notes. The reaction of the students was almost automatic; they were not coerced or prodded to perform. For that brief moment school was a place where every student belonged and was eager to perform. Could this same musical magic be used in the classroom?
This experience inspired me to research ways that I could use music in …show more content…
In her book Guidelines for Music Therapy Practice in Mental Health, Lillian Eyre (2013) states:
Everyone has experience in listening to songs, and most people have meaningful associations to songs. Re-creative experiences such as singing songs demand that the client be oriented to reality and that he possess a modicum of self-organization. Singing together provides a way that clients of diverse functioning levels can have a unified experience, thus facilitating group cohesion.

Mental health professionals have seen the benefits of music in their practice. Some of the benefits include; meaningful associations, self-organization, group cohesion and unified experience for those of all levels, could music have the same benefits in the classroom? According to Dr. Jehan Mattar, (2013) it can. His study found that music, “…provides a positive atmosphere, which helps children to experience reduced stress and enhance development.”
Music has been proven to have an effect on the mind and even speed healing but can it make you smarter?

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