Call it what you want — music heals. Whether you call it therapy or not, the therapeutic value of music can make a real difference in a person’s life. Music therapy is an evidence-based method used to build new connections, heal, and achieve recovery goals. Expressive therapies like art and music differ in format from standard talk therapies. However, these subtle differences make a significant impact on your healing and growth.

Therapeutic music involves listening to music or creating sound. In the process of either of these, you connect your physical self to the sounds. You also make emotional, mental, social, and spiritual connections to music.

Think about your favorite song and how it affects you when you hear it on the radio or television. It makes you feel connected and brings up deep emotions, memories, or thoughts. Maybe your song inspires you to go forward in your life. In music therapy, you learn to take these reactions and use them for real change where you need it.

This therapy uses two key forms. Those include active and passive therapy styles. In an active music approach, you participate in using instruments, your voice, or other objects to create music. In passive therapy using music, you relax while listening to music.

Research proves many types of music lower heart rate and improves mental well-being. You do not need any talent to use and benefit from music in therapy. You do not even need to be able to sing.

When you suffer from addiction or other mental health disorders, you isolate yourself from the world. You find yourself living in hiding, so you can pursue your drug or alcohol use without others interfering. However, through music, you connect with others in residential and inpatient treatment. Furthermore, this starts pulling you out of your isolation and helps you gain relationship-building skills.

At first, you may feel fearful of how a music therapy program works. However, usually by session two or three, you start opening up and seeing your own emotions more clearly. You may also start looking forward to your music therapy program as you grow and gain a better connection to yourself.