Music therapy for substance addiction treatment

Music is unique in that it is a ‘whole brain’ process. When we actively make music or process music, it’s like fireworks going off in our brains. Music helps the brain to continue the healing process. I’m trying to help patients find a place where they can not only explore pain and hurt, but also build their confidence and self-esteem and provide a space they can have fun doing so. They are trying something new, something unfamiliar and it’s uncomfortable, but by being willing to wit within the uncomfortableness, they can find growth and recognize they are able to not turn to a substance to help them through it. It’s a blessing to be a small part of their journey to recovery.

For me, music therapy is a way to connect with our souls. It’s deep, it’s personal, but at the same time, it’s a unifying feature amongst all individuals. Music therapy, and music in itself, often expresses what can’t be said. We don’t always have the words to capture how we’re feeling, but music does. It allows patients to express various thoughts and emotions and reflect – and at the same time building connections with their peers.

A patient might come in and say they are feeling calm and content, but when they begin to play the drum during check-in, they strike the drum with intense force and at a rapid pace. This provides an opportunity for the group to share t their perception of the sound and, in this case, it’s incongruence; therefore, it allows the patient to reflect, looking inside themselves to figure out what is going on. The active music making provided the catalyst and space for the patient to express and notice what is happening within them with healthy feedback from peers.