By Wendy Young, LMSW, BCD

The Science Behind the Song

Music soothes the savage beast…maybe just as much as a pill! So say researchers at Stanford University, in a study published in this past decade…According to Gabe Turow, a visiting scholar to Stanford, “Listening to
music seems to be able to change brain functioning to the same extent as medication, in many circumstances.”

This has huge implications for how we look at and treat such issues as ADHD, strokes and chronic stress. Different types of beats per minute create different outcomes, which can be explored further in this press release from Stanford.

The Magic of Music

Music can change our feelings, our heart rate and our mindset. It can set the tone of our experiences, from relaxed to upbeat and anywhere in between. It certainly evokes emotion! Do you recall your “wedding song”?

Music means many things to many people, but one thing is certain, music makes a difference. Even skeptics would have to admit that this makes total sense when they stop to imagine watching a suspense or thriller movie without background music. Wouldn’t be the quite the same, would it? If you grew up during a particular time, I could almost guarantee you remember the musical score from JAWS or STAR WARS. See what I mean?

To Every Song a Story

What I like best about music, is the stories it can convey in a unique and memorable way. I often use music in therapy with adolescents…and I certainly always ask my young clients what type of music they like, as well
as what their favorite songs are. I invite them to bring the music in. The music almost always gives me a glimpse inside their inner worlds, and says things that their words never do. It has provided an incredible launching board for discussions of the most intense and meaningful kinds. Music, when used in therapy, can express anger, rage, sadness, despair and telltale signs of hope. That and a whole lot more. Its healing properties cannot be overlooked.

Whether it’s researched in science labs, listened to in a clinic, or blasted out of a stereo, it seems we’re all drawn to music and its rhythmic qualities. From lullabies to heavy metal, our tastes in music may change over time,
but the quality, and transformative potential it adds to our lives cannot be underestimated.

Wendy Young, LMSW, BCD, is an award-winning Child & Family Therapist, early childhood behavioral health consultant and the founder of Kidlutions: Solutions for Kids, where she specializes in helping parents deal with the “tough stuff” when it comes to raising kids: intense anger, grief & loss, dealing with divorce, relocation, helping promote social-emotional development and more.