St. Rita Music Therapy

Does Music Therapy work?🤔

Does Music Therapy Work? Download Tab For A Cause: https://tab.gladly.io/12toneWhat is music therapy? Is it even a real thing, and if so, how and why does it work? In the last of our...

Have you taken a photo that showcases the power of music therapy? Why not submit it to the World Federation of Music Therapy's annual photo competition?

To support World Music Therapy Week, the Federation is looking for images that capture the essence of music therapy.... like this one, by Angels of Joy from Greece, one of last year's winners.

Anyone can enter the competition, including colleagues of Registered Music Therapists.

To learn more, check out WFMT’s online form. https://tinyurl.com/phd8b4h



Photo credit: Angels of Joy via World Federation of Music Therapy

📷 A music therapist plays guitar to a baby in an intensive care ward. They are surrounded by life-saving medical equipment and monitors.

This week we celebrate all things music therapy as part of which runs from today until Friday.

Music therapy is an evidence-based allied health profession that dramatically improves health outcomes, experiences, and quality of life.

The week gives us an opportunity to shine a light on our highly skilled and talented Registered Music Therapists (RMTs) from all around Australia and the globe. We will be sharing the stories of our RMTs and giving you an insight into the diverse areas in which they work.

Our profession continues to flourish every year. Watch this space for the AMTA 2023 Music Therapy Workforce Analysis which is launching later this week to find out what our current workforce looks like across Australia.

Here are some interesting facts on our nearly 800 RMTs:

85% female workforce
29% born overseas
24% of respondents speak languages other than English, across 21 languages
27% RMTs work in rural and regional locations

We wish you a wonderful week and please feel free to tell us what you are up to by sharing the hashtag

Source: Australian Music Therapy Association 2023 Music therapy workforce analysis. Based on Workforce analysis, Australian Music Therapy Association December, 2022. Prepared for the Australian Music Therapy Association by HealthWork AHP Workforce

Image ID: A square white and red graphic which reads 'World MUSIC THERAPY Week' in red font. It has a picture of the world above it in red and a graphic of a guitar at the bottom with the text

This week we celebrate all things music therapy as part of which runs from today until Friday.

Music therapy is an evidence-based allied health profession that dramatically improves health outcomes, experiences, and quality of life.

The week gives us an opportunity to shine a light on our highly skilled and talented Registered Music Therapists (RMTs) from all around Australia and the globe. We will be sharing the stories of our RMTs and giving you an insight into the diverse areas in which they work.

Our profession continues to flourish every year. Watch this space for the AMTA 2023 Music Therapy Workforce Analysis which is launching later this week to find out what our current workforce looks like across Australia.

Here are some interesting facts on our nearly 800 RMTs:

85% female workforce
29% born overseas
24% of respondents speak languages other than English, across 21 languages
27% RMTs work in rural and regional locations

We wish you a wonderful week and please feel free to tell us what you are up to by sharing the hashtag

Source: Australian Music Therapy Association 2023 Music therapy workforce analysis. Based on Workforce analysis, Australian Music Therapy Association December, 2022. Prepared for the Australian Music Therapy Association by HealthWork AHP Workforce

Image ID: A square white and red graphic which reads 'World MUSIC THERAPY Week' in red font. It has a picture of the world above it in red and a graphic of a guitar at the bottom with the text

Music is a universal language, and it's in our DNA 🧬

Which is why we believe that everyone can benefit from the superpower that is music 🎹

🎵Why does music work?🎵

1.) It Activates the Whole Brain

2.) Preferred Music Increases Dopamine

3.) Music Provides a Clear Signal

4.) Neural Synchrony

Music works because it activates the whole brain! Think about it. If you’re listening to music, the auditory cortex and hearing centers in your brain are involved. Your motor cortex is activated when you move to Music. If you’re reading music, the occipital region of your brain is engaged. And SO much more!

"Music therapy really can be an immensely transformative and life-altering tool for improving the quality of life for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease."

Music Therapy for Dementia: Tools for Improving Quality of Life | Help, Dementia! | NewsBreak Original Dementia and Alzheimer's disease are such incredibly complex conditions that affect memory, cognitive abilities, and mood. It can be incredibly challenging for those who suffer from dementia, as well as for their caregivers and loved ones. However, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests m...

“Listening to familiar songs can trigger memories. But the emotions churned up by these memories can be quite painful, carrying with them the aftershocks of trauma.”

Music Therapists are trained in the necessary therapeutic skills to safely process difficult emotions or memories triggered by music and to support the client in healing. This is why, when considering music as part of an individual’s care plan, seeking the advice and expertise of a music therapist is invaluable.

In a powerful piece by music therapist Dean Olsher, he recalls his work with Marian, an older lady living with Alzheimers. Olsher describes how Music Therapy offered Marian a medium through which she could process trauma and highlights the importance of music therapy input in care settings.

Read more about Marian’s story here: https://bit.ly/3sxSmyS

Could music therapy ease the world's Dementia crisis?
A new wave of research aims to move beyond anecdotal evidence. If it proves significantly beneficial and easily " dispensable," the savings in terms of wellbeing and in terms of monetary costs would be immense.

🎵🎶 Did you know that music therapy can have a significant impact on mental health? 🎶🎵

Music therapy provides a safe and non-verbal outlet for expression and can help individuals to process and cope with difficult emotions. It can also be used to improve mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and promote overall well-being.

🎵🎶 For those with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and persistent distress, music therapy can be a valuable addition to traditional treatment methods. It can also be used to support individuals in recovery from substance abuse and addiction.

🎵🎶 If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, consider seeking out a music therapist or incorporating music into your self-care routine. Music has the power to heal, and together we can make a difference. 💚🎵🙏

Disability day of Mourning.

What is Music Therapy? 🎶
Music therapy is a research-based practice and profession in which music is used to actively support people as they strive to improve their health. To be a Music Therapist in Australia requires a Bachelor of Music Degree, Masters Degree in Music Therapy & up to date registration with the Australian Music Therapy Association. Music Therapy is an Allied Health Profession (as is Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy).

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RMTs Change Lives Series - Episode 3 - Thomo's Story Episode 3 of the RMTs Change Lives Series "Thomo's Story" discusses Music Therapy in Neurorehabilitation

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RMTs Change Lives Series - Episode 2 - Jackson's Story Episode 2 of the RMTs Change Lives Series "Jackson's Story" discusses Music Therapy with Children with Disabilities

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RMTs Change Lives Series - Episode 1 - Rose's Story Episode 1 of the RMTs Change Lives Series "Rose's Story" discusses Music Therapy in Paediatrics

Music can help us with anxiety, stress, or when we are feeling disconnected. so here are some ways that music can help when you're feeling overwhelmed 🎶❤️

Music therapy is the act of making music collaboratively, and it can help people with all kinds of conditions: from autism to dementia, learning difficulties to brain injuries, life-limiting illnesses to mental health issues, grief and trauma.

We use the power of music to create space for people to express themselves and find connection in society.

"The brain that engages in music is also changed by engaging in music" - Michael Thaut

Did you know that music is one of the only stimulus that can engage and activate all areas of the brain?

The right hemisphere of the brain processes music while the 'language center' is in the left hemisphere. However, elements of music such as rhythm, pitch and tempo are also required in speech and language production.

It has been proven in neurologic music therapy research that music can reroute and create new neural pathways in the brain. Therefore, music can be used to help people in stroke rehabilitation to regain their speech.

Watch in this video how various regions of the brain are activated while listening to an Argentinian tango!

The Tango Brain | How Music Affects the Brain This animation shows how the cortex is activated during listening to a piece of Argentinian tango. It is based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI...

This is so true!

You may look into a music therapy session and see a music therapist and a child singing and playing the drum together.🪘🎵

"That's lovely.. they really enjoy the music" you might think to yourself.

What you may not see:
✅Promoting communication through familiar song
✅Encouraging eye contact and social interaction
✅Strengthening fine motor skills by holding a drum be**er
✅Increasing range of motion, strengthening their core, trunk rotation, etc.
✅ Promoting sustained attention and turn taking through musical play
✅ Addressing sensory needs.. and that's only the tip of the iceberg!

To someone passing by, it may look like they are just playing the drum and singing together, but each activity is specifically designed to meet the needs and goals of each individual client 🎵✅

Did you know that music is one of the only stimuli that can activate all regions of the brain? 🧠

That’s right! ✅

There is no specific music centre in the brain but rather widely distributed neural networks that are shared with general ‘non-musical’ cognitive, motor and language functions.

How Does Music Affect Your Brain? | Tech Effects | WIRED In this episode of Tech Effects, we explore the impact of music on the brain and body. From listening to music to performing it, WIRED's Peter Rubin looks at...

Music Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder This video explores music therapy as a treatment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Music is used to address physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs...