Mindfulness and Music Therapy
By Camille Carso, MT-BC
Mindfulness and music therapy are complementary practices. Each is enhanced by the other and utilizing them together can significantly benefit a person’s daily life.
What is Mindfulness?
- “Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Mindfulness is a quality that every human being already possesses, it’s not something you have to conjure up, you just have to learn how to access it.” – (Mindful Staff, 2020)
What are some of the benefits of mindfulness?
- Anyone can do it. Mindfulness practice cultivates universal human qualities and does not require anyone to change their beliefs. Everyone can benefit and it’s easy to learn.
- It’s a way of living. Mindfulness is more than just a practice. It brings awareness and caring into everything we do and it cuts down needless stress. Even a little makes our lives better.
- It’s evidence-based. We don’t have to take mindfulness at face value. Both science and experience demonstrate its positive benefits for our health, happiness, work, and relationships.
- Stress reduction. Many studies show mindfulness practice reduces stress.
- Focus. It has been shown that mindfulness can help increase the time you can focus on a task.
-(Mindful Staff, 2020), (Daphne M. Davis, PhD, and Jeffrey A. Hayes, PhD July/August 2012)
How effective is mindfulness in a Music Therapy setting?
- Studies have shown that music therapy and mindfulness services, when provided in conjunction, can lead to increased attention, elevated mood, decreased pain and anxiety, and improved sleep quality.
What are some interventions that can be used with our clients at Prospect Music Therapy?
- Active Listening
- Clients are directed to focus their attention on auditory stimuli through instrument counting, word counting, or matching rhythm
- 5 Senses
- This exercise, which involves sequentially identifying items perceived by each sense, can enhance clients’ environmental awareness and provide an opportunity for self-soothing when experiencing anxiety.
- This can be supported with music by having calming instrumental music playing in the background. This can lend itself to the sense of hearing and the clients can point out different sounds that they hear in the music.
- Itsy Bitsy Spider
- This finger play can be used to increase mindfulness with young children. It gives them the opportunity to focus fully on their fine motor skills and to minimize environmental distractions.
- Progessive Muscle Relaxation
- This common mindfulness technique, which involves the sequential tensing and releasing of muscle groups, can increase clients’ body awareness, aid in identifying areas of pain or tension, and promote stress reduction. When pairing it with live music, the music therapist can utilize the musical phrasing to support the muscle movement.
Music therapy and mindfulness are powerful tools independently, but when used in conjunction, they can offer enhanced benefits for both clients and therapists. Mindfulness is a way of life that can become habitual if given the chance. Try it yourself and see if you notice a difference!
Resources:
Fjorback, L. O, Arendt, M, Ørnbøl, E, Fink, P, & Walach, H. (2011). Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 124(2), 102–119. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.2011.01704.x
Lesiuk, Teresa. (2015). The effect of mindfulness-based music therapy on attention and mood in women receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer: A pilot study. Oncology Nursing Forum, 42(3), 276–282. https://doi.org/10.1188/15.ONF.276-282
Liu, Haizhi, Gao, Xiurong, & Hou, Yuxin. (2019). Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction combined with music therapy on pain, anxiety, and sleep quality in patients with osteosarcoma. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria, 41(6), 540–545. https://doi.org/10.1590/1516-4446-2018-0346
Mindful Staff, 2020. What is Mindfulness? – Mindful. [online] Mindful. Available at: <https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/> [Accessed 24 March 2021].
