HARMONY AND TEMPO –

July 3, 2022 – Music therapy is an evidence-based therapeutic method. It can help to reduce anxiety and improve heart rate and learning. Depending on your reasons for getting music therapy and on your practitioner, you may do different practices in your sessions including playing, singing, listening, or dancing to music.

We will talk about some of the benefits of music therapy which are relevant to addiction recovery. However, it is worth noting that even without music therapy, you may still experience some of these benefits from playing and listening to music yourself. In order to recover from addiction, you must learn how to identify triggers for relapse. Being self-aware is key to this. You will need to be able to recognize how you are feeling as there will be particular emotional states in which you are more likely to relapse. Music can help you to recognize and accept difficult emotions. You might have noticed that when you do not understand how you are feeling, you put on music which matches your mood. This can help you to make sense of your emotions.

Expressing how you are feeling can also help with processing emotions. It especially helps if you learn how to express them to your family and friends. Healthy relationships are vital for long-term sobriety, giving you a support network through recovery. You can express yourself in multiple ways with music such as through writing or performing a piece which speaks about what you are going through. Even if the song does not have lyrics, it can express your feelings through the mood or tempo changes.

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