Music therapy and art therapy
By Porcospino
@Porcospino (31365)
Denmark
August 14, 2012 12:54pm CST
Do any of you have experience with art therapy, music therapy or a combination of both? (as a therapist or as a client?) What do you think about art therapy or music therapy, do you find it useful? Why/why not?
I have tried it twice. The first time that I tried it I took a course in personal development and art therapy was a part of the course. We were told to draw a picture that expressed the emotional atmosphere in our childhood home and we also had make other drawings. I found it interesting to express my feelings that way instead of using word like we usually do.
The second time that I tried art therapy it was a combination of art therapy and music therapy. We had to listen to some music and afterwards we had to draw the things that the music made us think about. I also found that interesting and I learned something from the experience. My friend tried a different kind of music therapy, she didn’t draw but her and her therapist played music together.
1 person likes this
6 responses
@skyandgrassplot (1497)
• China
15 Aug 12
Dear Porcospino,regarding to your mention about the music therapy and art therapy,actually I never heard about those therapy before,I am very curious about what kinds of disease can be cure by those therapy?And do this therapy can release our stress?What about the cost?Cause I am very interest in those therapy according to your description.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
15 Aug 12
When I received a combination of art therapy and music therapy it took place in a group. An art therapist and a nurse were in charge of the group and the sessions took place at the psychiatric hospitals where I spent some time after my depression. The members of the group had many different kinds of mental illnesses like depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, schizophrenia etc and most of us benefitted from the combination of art therapy and music therapy. The therapy was free because it took place at a public hospital. I am not sure what a private music therapist costs.
The other kind of therapy I experienced took place during a personal development course. That course lasted one week and cost about 3000 kr (=$500) The course was a combination of the art therapy, group exercises and gestalt therapy.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
15 Aug 12
I have to admit that I've never had any kind of formal art or music therapy, but I do know from my own experiences in my life that both art and music are things that can be very relaxing to a person that is going through a lot of stress in their lives. You see, my husband is a cancer patient and the only way that I was able to get through his active treatment was by listening to a lot of music and also zoning out with my art on a regular basis.
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@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
15 Aug 12
I recognize the things that you write about art and music, and I have used both things in my own life. During the difficult times in my life I have used art as a way to get through the bad things. I am an artist and I also paint when I am happy, but the there is no doubt that art is especially important during the difficult periods. Music is another thing that I use in the bad periods, and I feel that it helps me as well. I have a special cd that I like to listen to during those times.
@wolveren (1586)
• Cebu, Philippines
14 Aug 12
I have never tried that before. I mean the actual thing with a therapist. But as an artist, I listen to music when I'm designing or painting something and it does make my art better compared to times when I do them without any music. I guess music helps get my creative juices flowing and yeah a work of art just happens. 
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
14 Aug 12
I have experienced the same thing. I like to listen to music when I paint or draw and I think that the music helps me in my art. I listen to music in a different way when I paint and I notice some of the small details of the music that I don't usually notice. I haven't tried art/music therapy for about 6 years, but I remember it as quite interesting. Sometimes the music reminded of old things and later on when I returned to my home I used those things in my own art or in poems that I wrote.
@simonelee (2715)
• China
15 Aug 12
Tried to my clients in Mental facilities and it help us in gathering data. I tried it also at home when i don't feel well. When times i feel alone, depress and even angry. It help me vent out my tensions and emotions which i can't express into words. I'm a quite person so i don't like sharing my heartaches to someone.
1 person likes this
@Iriene88 (5343)
• Malaysia
15 Aug 12
Wow, that is really interesting. I have not tried this exclusively.
However, in one of the marketing course, the moderator on some soothing
music and asked us to relax and think of wonderful and happy moments.
We really felt great after that.
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@mikyung (2232)
• Philippines
14 Aug 12
This reminds me of my past Humanities lessons particularly when I'm still studying, I have this class wherein, we made a comparison, to obtain the effects of music to people with or without music particularly on painting. The results can be seen that mellow music can really enhance the product. This only shows the improtance of mucis in our life, it really puts color to the world. Thanks1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
15 Aug 12
It is interesting to hear that the results showed that music enhance the product, because that is also my personal experience. I like to listen to music while I paint or draw and the music has a postive effect on me and enhances my creativity. I really love music and I listen to music in my home, in the car etc and I think that music gives me new energy when I feel tired. A combination of art therapy and music therapy like I tried also focus on the connection between music and other things and very often the music reminded us of things that we hadn't thought about for a long time. I am interested in the education as music therapist, I think that it must be very interesting to work with people that way.
