Humans have felt the therapeutic powers of music for millennia. Ancient civilisations, from Australian Aboriginals to the wonderful swirling dervishes of Islam, have based much of their societies and spirituality on the rhythms and sounds of music.
In the West, the likes of Mozart and McCartney have moved societal mountains with their talents. Yet, it is only recently that medicine has begun to recognise music’s ability to heal in a more formal setting.
Patrycja Lagowska sees proof of the therapy’s effectiveness every day. One of her sons, 12-year-old Danny, is severely autistic with sensory integration disorder and some intellectual disabilities.
“We’ve tried every therapy available in the country,” says the Kildare-based mother of two. “This has been one of the very good ones. Music therapy was recommended to us in May last year. It took some time because Danny finds it hard to engage with new people, but the way they’ve been able to gain his interest has been really amazing.”
Danny has very few words. However, Lagowska says since he started music therapy, his willingness to engage with others has improved immeasurably.
“He’s trying sign language that his therapist, Laoise FitzGerald, has taught him, and he’s learnt a lovely goodbye song with the few words he has, and he signs along with that,” she says.
“Even though it’s music therapy, she’s working a lot on his communication and extending his attention span. It really covers a lot.
“She’s also very good at regulating him, and if something doesn’t work out, she’ll change her voice or the music or help with breathing techniques if she sees that he’s getting stressed for some reason.”
While Danny needs in-depth support, music therapy can be harnessed to meet the needs of almost any child.
Senior music therapist and founder of Neurolinks Shane Cassidy says: “Music therapy is a great way of exploring things in what some people find a less invasive or more comfortable way.
Senior music therapist and founder of Neurolinks Shane Cassidy says: “Music therapy is a great way of exploring things in what some people find a less invasive or more comfortable way.
“The prefrontal cortex in the brain is what we use for planning and organising, and that is often disrupted by anxiety. The reason for this is that the amygdala is in overdrive, responding to fear.
“If we can regulate that and use any kind of structure or structured patterns, it helps. So with music, you’re looking at song patterns or chord sequences, the melody might repeat itself, or you’ll have repeated rhythms.
“Any of those phenomena that we see in music can feed into regulating that prefrontal cortex.”
Neurolinks provides professional music therapy services for people living with a neurological condition. It also offers services for people with physical, emotional, and mental health conditions.
“How it looks in a session will really vary from client to client,” says Cassidy. “We can use music as a tool for improvising. We often explore instruments together.
“Again, rhythm tends to be one of the most powerful tools. We might also look at lyric analysis. So we take an existing song that reflects where someone is in their life, and again, it takes the pressure off, particularly with young people. Instead of them having to name their feelings, we can use the lyrics and the song as a stepping stone or a way in.
“Sometimes we might explore getting them to change the lyrics to describe their own situation better.”
Undoubtedly, one of the appeals of music therapy is its broad scope of offerings.
“Traditionally, we have relied a lot on words to reflect on how we are and to engage with others,” says Triona McCaffrey, associate professor of music therapy at the University of Limerick. “But we know for some people, words fall short, or for others who don’t have language, their communication is through vocalising to a piece of music or a song and engaging in that reciprocal communication beyond words.
“There is no other stimulus that engages so many different parts of the brain simultaneously as much as music. It can be emotions, memories, or communication. It can be a complex intervention, but it’s very good for us, and it’s going to be really exciting to see where the research goes in the next 20 years.”
For Lagowska, the results are here and now.
“Danny rarely worked with anyone in the house. But now, when he knows Laoise is coming, he will actually go to the room where they work and wait for her to arrive,” she says.
“It’s been amazing. The only thing I’d advise is having a bit of patience. You have to trust the process and give it a little bit of time to see results.”
Music therapy is still not officially recognised in Ireland; however, it is increasingly recognised as a bona fide treatment for various physical and mental health conditions.
“Though there are more than 200 people who are qualified to practice music therapy, it is not a registered health profession,” says McCaffrey. “In Britain, it has been registered since 1999. It’s not a protected title here, so that can lead to all sorts of problems around what is and what isn’t music therapy and who can practice.”
Triona McCaffrey, associate professor of music therapy at the University of Limerick
McCaffrey runs the country’s only master’s degree in music therapy at the University of Limerick, and has been at the forefront of the practice in Ireland since her own graduation in the late 1990s.
“I still think it’s in its infancy here,” she says. “It takes time for the work to speak for itself. When I think back to when I trained, the landscape around mental health and therapy in general was totally different. We now have a much broader understanding of what it is to be healthy and mentally well.
“I believe there is a growing openness to music therapy as a means of addressing the individual and adopting a more holistic approach.
“Most importantly, people now know that music therapy is an evidence-based practice and that builds confidence in the process.”
That evidence-based element is critical. While most lovers of the art know in their heart and soul that music can have profound effects on people, science needs proof.
In recent years, hundreds of studies have been conducted on music therapy, with many focusing on its benefits to children.
In 2016, a study published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry found participants, in this case children aged eight to 16, who received music therapy showed significantly improved self-esteem and reduced depression by week 13.
The most marked improvements were found in adolescents aged 13 and over, and among those with clinically diagnosed anxiety or depression.
A 2017 study on the effects of improvisational music therapy versus enhanced standard care on symptom severity among children with autism spectrum disorder found those receiving music therapy showed greater improvement in social engagement, emotional expression, and parent–child interaction when compared with enhanced standard care.
For a country so proud of its music and musical heritage, it seems bizarre that music therapy is still not officially recognised. With the mounting evidence of its effectiveness in so many aspects of both physical and mental health, it is perhaps time for that to change.
