Music therapy draws on the power of music to help manage a range of physical and mental health conditions and effectively improve quality of life for those experiencing the impacts of service.
Research has found that music can change brainwave activity (Mofredj MD, 2016), which can have lasting benefits for your state of mind, even after you’ve stopped listening.
The mental health benefits of music therapy
Dating back to the American Civil War (Sullivan, 2007), music therapy has long been used to help veterans facing physical and mental health challenges.
By listening to music, or learning to play an instrument, veterans are better able to express themselves in a way that regular communication practices can’t provide.
Music therapy is beneficial for veterans and family members who experience symptoms of pain, stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Music therapy has many benefits, including:
Music therapy can be helpful for veterans who have experienced challenges in finding their identity following their transition from the Defence Force to a civilian lifestyle, by providing a place of retreat and relief and offering an outlet for increased creativity.
Support at Mates4Mates
Mates4Mates offers Skills for Recovery Programs to support improvements in health and wellbeing and provide veterans with techniques to help manage their mental and physical health.
One of these programs is the Online Music Therapy Program, which engages veterans and family members in the creative process of music therapy through listening to music, composing lyrics, and song improvisation.
Limited to a maximum of 8 participants, group discussions in these workshops encourage veterans to converse openly about thoughts, feelings, and ideas that may have been stimulated by engaging with music.
Mates4Mates also offers clinical services to support veterans and family members struggling with the impacts of service. We have a multidisciplinary mental health team including psychologists, counsellors, and social workers available for one-on-one appointments in centre or via telehealth.
To find out more about how Mates4Mates can support you, reach out on 1300 4 MATES (62 837) for a confidential chat.
Written by Simone Johns, Mates4Mates Social Worker
References
Music therapy, a review of the potential therapeutic benefits for the critically ill.
Music Therapy With Military Populations: A Scoping Review
Veterans’ Health Week is a Department of Veterans’ Affairs initiative that is held annually in October and aims to raise awareness and improve the mental and physical health of current and ex-serving Defence Force members.
