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It is well known that prolonged stress can be damaging to both our physical health and mental health. Research indicates that chronic stress can cause pain, headaches, sleep issues and weight problems and can be damaging to our mood, productivity and our quality of life. During stressful times, we can use listening to music as a skill to help us cope with and manage stress and anxiety. Evening Song (linked here) combines listening to music with guided reflection through a virtual nature walk to provide stress relief.
Actively listening to this song, or your preferred relaxing music may slow the pulse and heart rate, lower blood pressure and decrease the level of stress hormones. Allow the guided imagery of this song to take your mind to a soothing venue.
Evening Song VIDEO by Sam Seicol and Peri Strongwater
Listening to music on your own or having music playing in the environment somewhere can certainly be relaxing, thought-provoking or rejuvenating, but in order for it to be Music Therapy it must be within a therapeutic relationship with a qualified professional. Music Therapy is an allied healthcare profession that incorporates the use of evidence-based music interventions to address individual patient treatment goals. Board certified music therapists systematically affect non-musical outcomes in cognitive, behavioral, social-emotional, psychological and physical domains . Music therapists use interventions such as songwriting, composition, active music-making, improvisation, singing, instrumental play, music listening and lyric analysis to reach a wide range of physical and mental health needs.
Spiritual Care and Music Therapy at Mass Eye and Ear have collaborated on creating musical content to support and nurture patients, families and staff. Chaplain Sam Seicol wrote original lyrics and Music Therapist Peri Strongwater, MT-BC composed and recorded the music. Questions welcomed at music_therapy@meei.harvard.edu