If you’ve ever felt a rush of emotion hearing a favorite song or created a playlist for your workouts, you might already be using music to help yourself feel better.
Kids can use music the same way. Paying attention to what songs they like and how they respond to them can tell you a lot about how they're feeling. Music therapists, like Destiny R. Boyum, use music to help people express their emotions and talk about what they're going through. They're trained in music, body anatomy, and counseling and work with all kinds of people.
Music therapy has been proven to help with anxiety, lower blood pressure, reduce pain, lift your mood, improve your life quality, and slow down your heart rate.
You don’t need to be a great singer or dancer to benefit from music. Just listening to music can be helpful. In a session, a music therapist might play an instrument, sing, or use recorded music. They might ask you to move to the music, talk about the lyrics, or even try playing an instrument yourself.
Sometimes, music can bring up strong emotions that you might not expect. It can be a good way to start talking about tough things like grief or big life changes.
Even kids can find comfort in music. Here are some ways parents and caregivers can use music to help kids feel better.
As kids get older, they often start liking different kinds of music than their parents. This helps them figure out who they are. If you’re worried about the music your kids are into, try talking to them about it. Ask them why they like the songs and calmly explain why they make you uncomfortable. Remember, music is a safe way for teens to explore who they want to be.
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