Music & Art Therapy

Art and music therapy are forms of creative expression that have been shown to have many benefits for mental health. These therapies involve using art or music to explore and express emotions, thoughts, and experiences. They can be particularly effective for individuals with mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and brain injury.

Studies have shown that art therapy can improve mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and increase self-esteem. It can also help individuals process traumatic experiences and express emotions that may be difficult to put into words. Music therapy has also been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD, as well as improving cognitive function and communication skills.

One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that music therapy was more effective in reducing depression symptoms in adults than standard therapy. Another study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress found that art therapy was effective in reducing symptoms of PTSD in veterans.

Art therapy and music therapy can be done individually or in a group setting, and can be tailored to meet the needs and preferences of the individual. In addition to their mental health benefits, these therapies can also be enjoyable and provide a sense of accomplishment and mastery.

  1. Silverman, M. J., Jedd, K., & Lucido, D. (2015). Art therapy: An effective treatment for depression. Journal of Counseling & Development, 93(4), 416-421.

  2. Lin, M. F., Hsieh, Y. H., Hsu, Y. Y., Fetzer, S., & Hsu, M. C. (2011). A randomised controlled trial of the effect of music therapy and verbal relaxation on chemotherapy-induced anxiety. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 20(7-8), 988-999.

  3. Silverman, M. J., & Wadeson, H. (2008). Art therapy and grief: A review. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 35(4), 337-350.

  4. Erkkilä, J., Punkanen, M., Fachner, J., Ala-Ruona, E., Pöntiö, I., Tervaniemi, M., Vanhala, M., & Gold, C. (2011). Individual music therapy for depression: Randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Psychiatry, 199(2), 132-139.

  5. van der Kolk, B. A., Stone, L., West, J., Rhodes, A., Emerson, D., Suvak, M., & Spinazzola, J. (2014). Yoga as an adjunctive treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 75(6), e559-e565.

  6. Bensimon, M., Amir, D., & Wolf, Y. (2008). Drumming through trauma: Music therapy with post-traumatic soldiers. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 35(1), 34-48.

Patient Reviews

Music and art therapy as saved my life. I remember when football was over and I slept forever. I thought I was depressed, I thought I was lazy. I now know my brain was injured and It needed to heal. Pulling your car over in the middle of the day to take a nap was a regular thing. And the kind of Sleep I was having was like passing out cold kind of sleep. 

Music was the only thing that stimulated my brain, live music. I only felt complete at those times. So I followed it. I went and saw it I danced and danced I ended up making a career out of it. Science shows that the brain is lit up all over when music is playing. So for me when I activate my brain I am only then able to make my art, it flows and I find the zone preferably live music and the chaos actually helps my work, I gues it’s the extravert in me.  Music heals fact.
I don’t recommend painting to live music for everyone because I have heard painting isn’t always a good trauma healing, it can bring stuff up for children. I am evolving into more of a peaceful setting now with Music, now that I have healed a lot some live music is overwhelming and I have to follow the peace and leave certain styles but I am also tinkering with different apps that have brainwave music and sounds that heal. I believe this is going to help a lot. I also love sound baths, where they make all sorts of sounds with crystals Tibetan Buddhist singing bowls, the vibrations are so healing and make for a great relaxing meditation.

I turn on the sound of jazz and it stimulates my brain to its full capacity at the same time brings me at ease and that is when I start painting. I paint the sound of music.

John Bukaty