“No one has created or invented Music Therapy; however, many individuals have discovered its theories, ideologies and methodologies.” (Rolando Benenzon)
Unlike psychology or other medical/clinical disciplines, it is difficult to trace Music Therapy to one original source. It can be argued that music therapy arose from the intuitive and innate human desire to use rhythm, melody, and lyrics to make sense of life as well as emotional, psychological, and physical states. Cross culturally, humans evolved to have a primal need to create and articulate themselves through music. Music has been observed to support humans in making connections to their body, mind, heart, and spirit. In the past and still in present day, music is used to induce trance states to support people in addressing psychological needs. Music was given specific meaning, intention and was used to mend the ill. For example, Shamanism is one of the oldest and long-standing faith’s that has been observed to use music in this way.
Participation with the Ojibwe Indigenous Community, receiving teachings from Slavic, Indigenous Elders and my own experiences inform my knowledge on music within Shamanism. Within Shamanism, music is used in several ways including worship, connection with nature, induce altered states of mind, activate the healing response in the body, celebrate life and community. Music is revered as a tool that could be used as medicine. These musical intentions and uses have been observed in other cultures around the world and are maintained and celebrated into present day.
Advancements in technology and social perspectives corelate with deepening our understanding of music and its impact on wellbeing. Our human desire to understand expanded and Music Therapy expanded from an intuitive practice to something that could be studied, and its effects made into fact. Science is now providing a clearer understanding and explanation for what our ancient human ancestors already knew.
“Music Therapy is systematic in that it is goal-directed, organized, knowledge-based, and regulated; it is not merely a series of unplanned, random experiences, that turn out to be helpful” (K.E. Bruscia, Defining Music Therapy, pp. xxiii).
The West is now catching up to being able to explain the impact of music through the lens of the scientific method. Music Therapy continued being recognized for its potential into the early 19th century concurrently with the advancement of psychology. Music was explored and reported to have benefits on the psyche in European medical journals dating as early as 1744 (B.L. Wheeler, Music Therapy Handbook, pp. 20). Musicians and Physicians shared a common interest in experimenting with Music and began using it as an alternative to common practices within psychology at the time. Another notable recognition of the impact of music therapy was seen post World War II in the US. Soldiers were recovering from the traumas they experienced in the war and nursing staff observed that when music was played in the unit, patients were able to cope better with their trauma and experienced less symptoms. This led to the creation of the National Association of Music Therapy in the United States in the 1950’s, which led to other Music Therapy Associations being created in other countries including: Brazil, Columbia, Britain, Finland, South Africa, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico.
Currently, music therapy is serving a variety of populations including mothers and infants in natal units of hospitals, people recovering from and coping with psychological and physical trauma to those who about to take their last breath. The intentions remain the same, but the understanding of the impact of music has deepened. I am forever grateful to those who came before and continued to maintain and advocate for the therapeutic, healing benefits of music.