Expressive Therapies For Trauma Healing:Music Therapy And Sound Healing For Trauma Survivors 

Both music therapy and sound healing can be therapeutic for trauma survivors because they offer one-of-a-kind ways to process the impacts of trauma and find ways to cope with them. Both methods make use of the therapeutic potential of music and sound to advance healing and improve health more generally. 

A closer look at each of these methodologies is as follows:

Music therapy can be defined as:

Music therapy is an evidence-based practise that addresses physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs via the use of music treatments. These interventions are performed by a licenced music therapist.

Individuals who have survived traumatic experiences may benefit from music therapy in the following ways:

• Explore your feelings and use music as a nonverbal and creative avenue for expressing the painful feelings that are associated with trauma. Exploring one’s feelings in a protected and encouraging setting can be accomplished through musical activities such as singing, playing instruments, or listening to music.

• Music has the power to regulate the autonomic nerve system, which helps to soothe the body’s stress response, which in turn reduces feelings of worry and tension. Sessions of music therapy can include the use of relaxation techniques, such as guided imagery and deep breathing, to achieve the goals of promoting relaxation and lowering anxiety levels.

Improve your ability to regulate your emotions. Survivors of traumatic events frequently struggle with this skill. Individuals can acquire appropriate coping skills and techniques to better manage and regulate their emotions with the assistance of music therapy.

• Participating in music-making activities can provide a sense of mastery and a boost to one’s self-esteem, both of which are important for empowering oneself. A sense of connectedness and personal agency can be cultivated through the pursuit of musical goals and participation in musical activities involving other people.

• Group music therapy sessions can establish a supporting and inclusive environment, increasing social interaction, empathy, and connection among trauma survivors. This can be done by creating a supportive and inclusive environment through the use of music.

Sound Healing: 

Sound healing is a holistic practice that makes use of sound vibrations and frequencies to promote relaxation, balance, and healing. A variety of instruments and methods, including singing bowls, gongs, tuning forks, and vocal toning, are utilised in the process. 

The following are some of the potential benefits that sound healing can provide for people who have survived traumatic experiences:

• A deep state of relaxation can be induced by the calming sounds and vibrations that are produced by the instruments used in sound healing. This activates the body’s relaxation response, which in turn reduces stress and anxiety.

• The release of emotional blockages: Experiencing a traumatic event can cause emotional blockages to form within the body. Sound healing can assist relieve these blockages by vibrating at frequencies that resonate with particular energy centres or chakras in the body, which in turn facilitates the release of emotional tension and restores emotional equilibrium.

• Reestablishing a connection with one’s physical self is a common challenge for people who have survived traumatic experiences and have dissociated from their bodies. Reconnecting with one’s physical sensations and fostering a sense of embodiment can be accomplished through the use of sound healing.

• The reestablishment of an inner balance is necessary since trauma has the potential to throw off the normal equilibrium of the body. The purpose of sound healing is to bring back harmony and balance to the body by re-aligning the body’s energy systems and fostering a feeling of completeness.

• Sound healing sessions offer individuals who have experienced trauma the chance to practise mindfulness, concentrate on the here and now, and take part in self-reflection activities. Self-awareness and a sense of being “grounded” can both benefit from this practice.

It is essential to point out that experienced experts with prior experience working with trauma survivors should facilitate music therapy and sound healing sessions. These methods can be used in conjunction with other forms of therapeutic intervention and ought to be incorporated into an all-encompassing treatment strategy that is adapted to the specific requirements of the patient.