We all know from personal experience that music can boost mood. For example, when feeling down in the dumps, upbeat songs like “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey or “Happy” by Pharrell Williams can get us out of the doldrums.
Music therapy applies this basic idea to the clinical world. It uses music’s natural ability to make people feel better to improve mental well-being.
What is music therapy for teens?
Formal music therapy is conducted by licensed music therapists—professionals trained to use music in a therapeutic way. Because teens are naturally drawn to music, it’s an increasingly popular way of reducing psychological suffering among teens.
Teen music therapy can include active music-making, such as writing or performing songs. It also includes passive activities, such as a teen listening to music and talking about how it makes them feel.
According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy started after World War II, when hospitals often invited musicians to play for wounded veterans. Doctors began to notice that the music seemed to have a healing effect on patients.
The benefits of music therapy for teens
Your teen doesn’t need to be a musical prodigy to experience music therapy’s benefits. All that’s required is the ability to enjoy music in its many forms. Indeed, while stress triggers the release of cortisol, which increases heart rate, raises blood pressure, and compromises the immune system, listening to music has been shown to lower cortisol levels by up to 61%.
Many teens find it challenging to open up during counseling. While revisiting trauma and challenges in talk therapy can feel overwhelming, music therapy offers a gentle and non-intrusive way to process painful experiences. Such music for teens allows them to explore those experiences from a safer distance.
Music is a nonverbal way to get feelings out. With music therapy, instead of struggling to express deep emotions, youth can let songs do the talking. Whether playing an instrument, writing a song, or just listening to a favorite tune, teens can process and express what they’re going through without the pressure of having to talk about it.
For example, adolescents suffering from depression often feel emotionally numb and lack motivation to do anything. Music therapy offers a way out of their misery by helping them reconnect with their emotions and energy.
What conditions can be improved through music therapy?
Beyond depression, music therapy has been shown to help teens manage the following mental health conditions:
- Schizophrenia
- Anxiety disorders
- Communication difficulties
- Emotional dysregulation
- Low self-esteem
- Impulsivity
- Substance use disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
How does music affect teens’ brains?
Music activates brain regions responsible for emotional processing and triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. That’s why listening to a favorite song is not only enjoyable but also can evoke strong feelings.
When we listen to a tune we originally heard in high school, we’re transported back to that time, experiencing all the emotions we felt back then. The breakups, heartaches, academic triumphs, and failures all come rushing back. Such revisiting of music that holds a special place in our hearts not only has a cathartic effect but also helps emotionally struggling individuals reconnect with their feelings. It can also boost empathy.
Music can also help the brain grow and adapt, an especially important process for teens because their brains are still developing. Adolescent brains have great neuroplasticity, which means they have a considerable capacity to reorganize by forming new neural pathways in response to new learning and experiences.
Importantly, music activates both the logical, problem-solving side of the brain and the creative, emotional side. When a teen reads music or plays an instrument, they use both halves of their brain simultaneously, which helps with brain development. This can improve their problem-solving abilities.
Playing music can also strengthen motor skills and create new neural connections that improve overall coordination and dexterity. For example, a teen learning to play the piano is constantly refining their finger movements, timing, and hand-eye coordination—skills that can aid in other pursuits like sports and art.
Types of music therapy interventions for teens
When a teen begins music therapy, their counselor will ask them what they hope to gain from it. For example, they may be working to manage depression symptoms or boost self-confidence. Once goals are established, the therapist selects an appropriate treatment approach. The following are common music therapy interventions:
- Analytical music therapy: In this method, teens use music—like singing or playing instruments—to express feelings or thoughts they might not even realize they have. Sometimes, we hold emotions so deep that we lack awareness of them, and music can bring those feelings to the surface. Analytical music therapy can help teens process difficult emotions like sadness, anger, and fear without the need to talk about them directly.
- Nordoff-Robbins music therapy: In this therapy, the therapist and client create music together to help the client work through emotions. For example, while the therapist plays a calming tune on the piano, the teen may tap a drum to match the anxiety they feel. As the session continues, the therapist adjusts the melody to guide the teen toward greater relaxation, and in turn, the teen’s drumming slows. This back-and-forth music making allows the teen to express their feelings nonverbally while learning how to manage and release their anxiety.
- The Bonny method of guided imagery and music (GIM): In this approach, classical music is used to trigger thoughts and feelings. The therapist plays music, and the adolescent listens and describes the memories and emotions the musical selections evoke.
- Vocal psychotherapy: Developed by Dr. Diane Austin, this therapy involves using the breath, natural sounds, vocal improvisation, songs, and dialogue to foster psychological growth.
The ISO principle: A music therapy strategy for teens
One strategy music therapists use to help teens with emotional difficulties is the ISO principle, which was introduced in the 1940s by Dr. Ira Altshuler and involves playing music that matches a client’s current mood. The music is gradually changed to shift to a different emotion. It’s particularly beneficial for teens suffering from affective disorders.
Some people think this strategy is counterproductive. After all, shouldn’t you play an upbeat song to counteract a teen’s negative emotion? However, according to the ISO principle, listening to music with a drastically different mood can amplify the intensity of the original feeling.
For example, if someone is anxious, playing calm new age music might make them feel worse because the music doesn’t match the energy they’re experiencing. They may think that their feelings are being contradicted rather than validated.
A music therapist using the ISO principle to shift a teen’s emotional state starts by playing a song that mirrors whatever the adolescent is currently feeling. For example, the therapist would play a sorrowful song for a sad teen and a tune that evokes anger for an angry teen. Such matching of music and mood often has a cathartic effect, helping dissipate the intensity of the original emotion.
Once the teen feels their negative emotion diminishing, the therapist presents increasingly upbeat songs. Over time, this can help teens develop the ability to switch emotional gears on their own using the power of music.
What to look for in a music therapist
To find a qualified teen music therapist, parents can start by checking resources like the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) website, which has a directory of certified therapists. A music therapist should have an undergraduate or master’s degree in music therapy from an approved institution and be board certified.
Some insurance plans cover music therapy, but check with your provider to confirm whether it’s included. If insurance doesn’t cover it, some therapists offer sliding scale fees or payment plans to make it more affordable.
Even if your teen doesn’t enroll in formal music therapy, you can help them incorporate the therapeutic benefits of music into daily life. For example, encourage them to create playlists that reflect their various moods and journal about how certain songs make them feel. They may even want to try their hand at playing music or songwriting.
Music therapy for troubled teens: Final thoughts
Music therapy can be a fantastic complement to traditional talk therapy. Because most teens are passionate about music, it’s an easy way to overcome the initial resistance many adolescents feel about counseling.
For more comprehensive support, Avery’s House offers residential programs specifically designed to help teens overcome whatever mental health challenges are preventing them from forging a fulfilling adulthood. Through a combination of evidence-based therapeutic techniques, including music therapy, Avery’s House provides a safe, nurturing environment for teens to heal.
Contact us today to learn more!