Music Therapy

Alison is our Music therapist and she works with individuals and with groups, using a variety of different musical instruments as well as singing.

What is Music Therapy?

Music Therapy is the use of music in a controlled way to help physical, cognitive and emotional well-being.

We are all affected by music - it makes us move in certain ways, evokes emotions and helps us to focus and remember things. A music therapist is trained in how to use the elements of music : rhythm, harmony, melody, tone, colour etc effectively in a therapeutic way.

Music helps us to express things that are difficult to put into words. Playing music can help us to communicate our thoughts and feelings. Getting feelings out in this way can reduce frustration.

Why is Music Therapy suitable for someone with a head injury?

Our music receptors are located in the temporal lobe in the brain, next to speech, co-ordination and memory. Therefore music can help all of these areas to work more effecitvely.

People move more fluidly to music and playing music has physiotherapeutic benefits. Even when speech becomes difficult, people can still sing, and music can help in regaining fluent speech. The patterns within music can help to develop focus and concentration. Music can also be a way of accessing memories.

People who have had a head injury have often suffered great personal losses and can have resulting emotional difficulties. Speech and mobility may also be impaired, leading to yet more frustration at not being able to express feelings. Improvising music can be an important emotional release.

Where do sessions take place?

You have music therapy sessions either individually or within a small group at Herefordshire Headway on a Tuesday. Sessions last between 30 to 60 minutes and are usually weekly. The decision of when to end music therapy is made jointly between the therapist and the client.

What Equipment is used?

Sessions at Headway take place in the music room, which is well equipped with a wide range of instruments, including a piano, a keyboard, various percussion instruments, a guitar, and some electronic equipment.

What happens in a session?

At the beginning of a course of music therapy sessions you may wish to identify certain areas that you would like to work on, but you may just wish to play (improvise) and see what happens. If you like, the therapist will play alongside your music to support your playing. You may wish to talk about the music you make, or to record it and listen back to it.