Archive | Mythbusters RSS feed for this section

MythBuster Countdown #1: It’s too late in life to play music.

By on August 17, 2010 in Music & Wellness, Mythbusters

I’ve chosen this is as the #1 myth in the countdown because I work with tons of older adults, but most of my peers are in their 30s. So, when one of my friends mentions “Oh, it’s way too late for me to pick up music again” or “I haven’t picked up the clarinet since middle school, and it’s my biggest regret,” it drives me crazy! This post is for YOU, my dear friends who have hangups about how you wish you still played music. (The point of this post is only an aside to the topic of music therapy because of course, no level of musical skills or ability is necessary to benefit from music therapy.)

I know from real life experiences and clinical experiences that it’s never too late in life to play music. In order to back my argument up with substantial evidence, I had to dig around to find some research and ask the experts. First, check out one of my favorite books: The Brain that Changes Itself. It’s all about brain plasticity, and the author shares stories of people in physical rehab and people with special needs who end up teaching their brain new tricks at different ages.

Also, I asked Blythe LaGasse of the Music Therapy Research Blog, a blog with a community of readers interested in maintaining evidence-based practice. I can’t say enough good stuff about her work. You *have* to read her blog. She explained that two studies show neuroplasticity in adult non-musicians after a short period of musical instruction (Pascual-Leone 2001 and Lahav et al. 2007). She says, “In essence, it takes longer [to learn music at a later age] because it is new and our brains aren’t wired for music. BUT we can change that with practice in a relatively short amount of time.”

And now for some light-hearted venting: If it truly is your biggest regret to not have continued to play music, then get off the couch, quit playing video games, and play some music again. Your regrets will dissipate, and you’ll feel good about yourself. It really is that simple. Join a chorus, community band, or orchestra to give yourself some accountability. Or perhaps, find a great teacher and take some lessons to prepare for a recital. Jam with your friends. Sing in the shower. Boogie in your car. Then please, have no regrets.

And if you think it’s “way too late” to pick up music again, and you’re only 30, then come along with me to any given session in the middle of the day, drum with some older adults, and get inspired! If an 88 year old wheelchair-bound, arthritic woman can play a drum, smile, and have a grand time, then you can pick up either a drum or an instrument with a little more fine motor action. Just do it. Don’t drag your feet. Chin up, do it, and quit giving yourself excuses.

Do you have any friends who wish they’d never “quit” music? What would you say to them?

More MythBusters:

#9 Music Therapy is Therapy for Musicians, Right?
 #8 Making Music is Just for Kids and Professionals
 #7 Drumming is for Hippies Only
#6 Mozart Makes Your Kid a GENIUS
#5 You Either Have Rhythm or You Don’t
#4 Take 2 Bachs, a Bob Dylan, and Call the Music Therapist in the Morning
#3 Music Therapists are Entertainers
 #2 Kum Ba Yah Campfire Tours

Image above courtesy of Ian Kahn.

Comments { 4 }

MythBuster Countdown #2: Kum Ba Yah Campfire Tours

By on August 14, 2010 in Music & Wellness, Mythbusters

I’ve been toggling between two #2′s in the Countdown, and this one was most entertaining, so here you have it: Music therapists travel from campfire to campfire singing Kum Ba Yah! I’ll do my best to debunk this one.

As I recall when I completed my Masters in Music Therapy from FSU, my older brother (an accountant and all-around great guy) congratulated me and asked me if the campfire Kum Ba Yah tour was to be my life. I giggled and brushed it off. Granted it’s a funny thing to hear. Besides, what accountant has ever heard of music therapy anyway? (Except for mine ~ He knows more about music therapy than he ever imagined!)

While I laughed and brushed it off, another part of me remembered the deeply involved and complicated process I went through to get my thesis done. My thesis was The Effects Of Music Therapy On Physiological Measures, Perceived Pain, And Perceived Fatigue Of Women In Early Labor. Here’s the abstract of my thesis:

This study examined the effects of music therapy on women in early labor. Dependent variables were fetal heart rate (FHR), uterine contraction intensity (UCI), perceptual pain, and perceptual fatigue. Subjects were forty (N=40) parturients undergoing labor induction procedures. Subjects were randomly assigned to an experimental group (N=20) or control group (N=20). All subjects gave written consent prior to participation in the study. Results showed no significant differences in demographic or labor state variables between groups. ANOVA revealed self reported pain and fatigue were significantly lower for the music group. No significant differences were found for fetal heart rate or uterine contraction intensity. Further results and implications are discussed.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE campfires. I LOVE singing Kum Ba Yah. I have FUN working with kids at camps. I even have FUN working with older adults! I’m a fun-loving, easy-going, happy-go-lucky person. But here are two items that set music therapists apart from your average campfire tour band. (These two will get you started, and there are many more if you follow the links at the end.)

Assessment, Treatment Planning ~ In order for the music therapist to know what interventions to employ, he/she must do an assessment of the client. The assessment can include background, demographic, cultural, medical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual, all of which informs the therapist as to what intervention is most appropriate.

Documentation ~ The treatment team is able to see client progress through documentation. Physiological measures, behavioral observations, self-report measures, and anecdotal comments are all possible means of documentation. My documentation forms vary according to population. You can imagine that documenting for an older adult group is completely different than documenting for a premature infant.

Find out more about music therapy by visiting the American Music Therapy Association or reading my explanation here.

More MythBusters:

#9 Music Therapy is Therapy for Musicians, Right?
 #8 Making Music is Just for Kids and Professionals
 #7 Drumming is for Hippies Only
 #6 Mozart Makes Your Kid a GENIUS
#5 You Either Have Rhythm or You Don’t
#4 Take 2 Bachs, a Bob Dylan, and Call the Music Therapist in the Morning
 #3 Music Therapists are Entertainers
#1 It’s Too Late in Life to Play Music

Comments { 0 }

MythBuster Countdown #3: Music Therapists are Entertainers ♫

By on July 26, 2010 in For Music Therapists, Mythbusters, Older Adults

Are all music therapists entertainers? No, but some are. Are all entertainers music therapists? No, but some are.

My experience~ I’ve found that especially when working with groups of older adults, misconceptions about music therapy may arise from by-standers, staff people, and/or family members. And for good reason. Music is fun. Music makes you laugh and smile. Music tugs the heart strings. Not to mention, a therapist who is highly skilled at gaining rapport quickly with the client may appear to be “entertaining.”

The difference~ While some music therapists are professional performers as well (We’re quite a talented bunch!), when providing music therapy, he/she uses music as the tool to address client-specific goals. Here are 7 differences between music therapists and entertainers.

A Music therapist ~

  1. Uses research-based music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship (American Music Therapy Association, 2010).
  2. Focuses on the client. Music therapists purposefully create an environment suitable to healing the client and serving the physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and/or cognitive needs of the client.
  3. Assesses the client, designs a treatment plan, utilizes interventions to meet objectives, documents progress, evaluates treatment plan, and modifies the treatment plan according to progress.
  4. Is required to obtain a degree (bachelors, masters, PhD), attend a 6-month internship, and pass a board-certification exam.
  5. Provides service according to the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics regulated by the American Music Therapy Association in the US.
  6. Typically maintains board certification (MT-BC) through the Certification Board for Music Therapists in the US.
  7. Is a formally trained musician.

An Entertainer ~

  1. May be skilled at gaining rapport with an audience, while no therapeutic relationship or goals are present.
  2. Usually focuses on the audience entertainment. Entertainers perform music in front of an audience for the enjoyment of listening rather than healing.
  3. Does not engage in treatment planning or documentation.
  4. Is not required to obtain any formalized training or degree.
  5. May be a member of one of the several entertainer/musician associations.
  6. May or may not be licensed or certified.
  7. Is not necessarily a formally trained musician, but quite possibly could be an exceptionally talented musician.

Consider checking out Blythe LaGasse‘s latest post Systematic Review Supports Music Therapy for Dementia to find out about the evidence-based practice of music therapy for persons with dementia.

Both music therapists and entertainers are often LOVED by their clients and audiences, respectively. And like I mentioned in my recent Drum Call with Christine Stevens, there is a place for everyone. I am encouraged when one of my older adult facilities gets a new entertainer. The more music, the better! Music therapists don’t own MUSIC. However, music therapists are experts specifically at facilitating healing and promoting well-being through music interventions.

Have a comment? Throw it down! Would love to hear from you.

Here are some more MythBusters:

#9 Music Therapy is Therapy for Musicians, Right?
#8 Making Music is Just for Kids and Professionals
#7 Drumming is for Hippies Only
#6 Mozart Makes Your Kid a GENIUS
#5 You Either Have Rhythm or You Don’t
#4 Take 2 Bachs, a Bob Dylan, and Call the Music Therapist in the Morning
#2 Kum Ba Yah Campfire Tours
#1 It’s Too Late in Life to Play Music

Comments { 6 }

MythBuster Countdown #4: Take 2 Bachs, a Bob Dylan, and Call the Music Therapist in the Morning

By on July 22, 2010 in For Music Therapists, Music & Wellness, Mythbusters

“Quick Fix” is a buzz phrase, and for good reason. Before antibiotics, people died of infections. Before aspirin, people had to take time to comfort and nurture a head in pain (although the latter option is coming into style again, thankfully). Now we can pop a pill and be 100% in 15 minutes. Not to mention, the advances western medicine has made in trauma and emergency is amazing. In fact, music therapy paired with trauma and emergency care is extremely effective, too.

But maybe if we could take some sort of musical pill to take all of our ailments away~ Emergency musical surgery? Take 2 Beethoven Piano Sonatas, 1 Jimmy Buffet, and call me in the morning?

I’m not saying that doesn’t work for some people. But the professional practice of music therapy is quite a bit more involved than taking a quick listen to cure your ailments. Let me preface my post by acknowledging that there are some decent, effective, quick, individualized ways to reduce stress and clear the mind. Some recordings of guided meditation, relaxation exercises, calming music, and music for entrainment have gotten great reviews by listeners. Some music therapists recommend certain recorded music to effect stress and the mind, entrain brain waves, etc. I constantly see on Twitter “Oh Justin Bieber #musictherapy to ease my mind during traffic.” I say YES to that! (Well, I would prefer a nice Prokofiev symphony or Babatunde drumming, but to each their own.)

Music therapy, the profession~ The difference with the profession of music therapy is that it’s an allied health profession based upon 60 years of quantitative research with Standards of Practice and a Code of Ethics regulated by our national association. Music therapy is more like physical therapy or occupational therapy. When you go in for physical therapy, you know it’s going to take time to heal. You know that you’ll need to go through a thorough assessment so the therapist can make good decisions about interventions to put into your treatment plan. Then you’ll have follow up visits, where the therapist documents your progress, and possibly modifies the treatment plan. Eventually you will have made enough progress to be discharged from the treatment plan.

Treatment and documentation~ It’s true that music therapists occasionally provide single-session treatments, but keep in mind that the entire process above fits into that session as well. The key is documenting progress of the individual or group. In addition, we know from the research from birth to end of life, that live music is more effective than recorded. So, more often than not, music therapists use live music whether to facilitate music-making, music-listening, song-writing, relaxation exercise, or another creative strategy to accommodate the needs of the group or individual.

Impressive claims~ I’m always looking for products in addition to the regular practice of music therapy to help my clients. I recently stumbled upon a website through Twitter. The site claimed that their research-based, clinical-tested, neuro-technology music entrained your brain waves to reduce stress, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Basically, “Take two tracks of our specialized mp3′s and call us in the morning.” I listened to the music, and I actually liked it. It sounded like a mashup between classical and techno. As an open-minded music therapist, I would like to know whether I would recommend their products. I emailed them and asked for the specific research article(s) that backed up their claim. Here’s how our communication went:

Me: Hi there, Will you please let me know in which peer-reviewed research journals [your music] research is published? I’d love to get a full copy of some of your [music]-specific studies.

Them: I believe the main journal is Nature.

Me: I need the exact reference, including journal name, edition, volume, month, year of publication.

Them: I’m sorry but I don’t have access to those details, I’m sure the journal allows for easy search based queries.

Me: I have already searched the journal Nature to no avail. Please send me the details as soon as possible so that I can decide whether or not to recommend your product to my clients.

Them: [no answer after several weeks]

This product was a gimmick. In order to establish some integrity with a potential customer, you’ve got to give her what she asks for, and this doesn’t cut it. Interestingly enough, their marketing had gone viral on Twitter and probably other social medias for a week or so. If they do in fact help some customers, that is wonderful, and I wouldn’t stand in the way. However, I’m not sold, personally, and I would not recommend their products.

Point being~ Trust a music therapist when it comes to the topic of music and health! Ask a music therapist, or do some research yourself before jumping into a product with impressive claims.

Comments? Ideas? Feel free to share below. I’d love to hear from you!

Here are some more MythBusters:

#9 Music Therapy is Therapy for Musicians, Right?
 #8 Making Music is Just for Kids and Professionals
 #7 Drumming is for Hippies Only
#6 Mozart Makes Your Kid a GENIUS
#5 You Either Have Rhythm or You Don’t
#3 Music Therapists are Entertainers
#2 Kum Ba Yah Campfire Tours
#1 It’s Too Late in Life to Play Music

Image above courtesy of Carlos Porto.

Comments { 4 }

MythBuster Countdown #5: You Either Have Rhythm or You Don’t

By on July 7, 2010 in Music & Wellness, Mythbusters

Rhythm: You have it, even if you say you don’t. We are biologically programmed to express it. Heartbeats. Breathing. Footsteps. Language. Blinks. Birthdays. Sex. Sleep cycles.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, rhythm is “movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions.” Rhythmic cycles can occur over short periods of time (ocean waves) or long periods of time (season cycles).

I Got Rhythm, and I Got Math, too? I was recently hiking in Yosemite and talking with a friend about mathematics. He mentioned how strange it was when people said “Oh, I’m no good at math.” He said “Just imagine all of the complex calculations the brain goes through every millisecond in order to sustain life, including all of the systems of the body, not to mention all the cognitive processes. Even putting one foot in front of the other and making the judgments of how far to step, where to position the foot, which muscles to use, how to distribute the weight of the body and keep balance, compensating for rocks and roots underneath the foot. All that and more in just one step.” So, how can someone say they’re no good at math when their brain is a mathematical genius?

When he mentioned that, I was floored. I had never thought about mathematics in that way before. I use a very similar example in my music & wellness presentations. How can one claim not to have rhythm when rhythm is a fundamental component of being human? It’s in our DNA. And apparently, math is too!

It’s not even possible to be human without having rhythm. Of course, perception is everything, so as a therapist I am certainly empathetic with nay-sayers. But outside of a session, it feels so good to say “I got rhythm and you do too!”

Here are some more examples of rhythm in nature: cycle of seasons, lunar cycle, sunrise/sunset, ocean waves, crickets and birds chirping, wind. There’s even visual rhythm when you look at the horizon, mountain tops, or stars.

Got more thoughts? Throw down a comment!

Here are some more MythBusters:

#9 Music Therapy is Therapy for Musicians, Right?
#8 Making Music is Just for Kids and Professionals
#7 Drumming is for Hippies Only
 #6 Mozart Makes Your Kid a GENIUS
#4 Take 2 Bachs, a Bob Dylan, and Call the Music Therapist in the Morning
#3 Music Therapists are Entertainers
#2 Kum Ba Yah Campfire Tours
#1 It’s Too Late in Life to Play Music

Image above courtesy of renjith krishnan.

Comments { 3 }