Can Music Therapy Help in a Crisis/Emergency Situation?

January 28th, 2011 · 2 Comments · Music Healing, Music in the News!

This morning at the University of Louisville School of Music, a fascinating lecture was delivered by Barbara Else, a certified music therapist from Tucson, Arizona. As a matter of fact, she was called in almost immediately after the shootings there just two weeks ago.

Here’s the story from our local news station:

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) – We all have our own taste in music, but can those tunes actually be good for your health?

The physical healing continues for the victims in the tragedy earlier this month in Tucson; the emotional healing, however, can take much longer.

That’s where music can come to the rescue.

“When you’re struck with acute stress, everything’s happening both in the mind and the body and so we tap into that through music,” said Barbara Else, with the American Music Therapy Association. She was called just hours after the Tucson shooting happened, to help those involved.

She shared her findings at U of L Friday. Music Therapy is nothing new: it’s been around for more than 60-years, but it’s techniques have gained popularity in the past decade.

“We might be using music and music techniques to help with relaxation and anxiety, through long term recovery which is still going on with music therapists in the NYC area post 911,” Else said.

And if classical or easy-listening music doesn’t strike a chord with you, that’s perfectly fine she said.

“Depends on the individuals preferences and needs and wants and what’s available at the time, we use a lot of live music but not necessarily,” she said.

While it works better with a trained professional, Else says using your favorite music to ease and escape your problems from the comfort of your own couch is a good start.

Tags: emergency response with music