Music as therapy

MUSIC THERAPY is used to address a wide range of emotional, cognitive, and physical challenges due to its ability to stimulate the brain and evoke various responses. It leverages the power of music to help individuals explore their emotions, improve communication, and enhance overall wellbeing.

Researchers are exploring how music therapy can improve health outcomes among a variety of patient populations, including premature infants and people with depression and Parkinson’s disease.

Dr Dahlia Blake, clinical affiliate assistant, Professor of Medicine at FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, said music as therapy has a wide range of proven benefits for patients of all ages, offering emotional, social, psychological, and physical health improvements.

“Music causes our brains to release chemicals that make us feel good. Therefore, it is a powerful tool for health and wellbeing. I have witnessed the power of music in reducing anxiety, relieving stress, lifting mood in depression, treating PTSD, alleviating pain and even improving communication and social interactions reducing feelings of isolation,” Dr Blake said.

Music as therapy she said, also enhances and support language and motor development, especially in children, memory recall, and has been shown to aid in the treatment of various disorders.

“Whether it is used alone or alongside traditional treatment, it is a valuable tool for healing and recovery. Most people are not aware that all genres of music can be used for therapy. Discussing music as therapy with your doctor can be a beneficial step in your care plan,” Dr Blake said.

Music, she said, is a vital part of her life and her medical practice. “It serves as my personal therapy; helping me manage stress, elevate my mood, provide burst of energy, and improves clarity to maintain focus, while evoking powerful, joyful memories, especially of my childhood in Jamaica. It sets a positive tone for the day ahead and uplifts my spirit during the day. It is essential to my wellbeing as the air I breathe,” Dr Blake said.

Dr Blake is a 2024 Governor General’s Award for Excellence and Community Hero – Frontline Worker Award recipient, and a distinguished quadruple board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience in internal medicine, pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. She currently practises critical care medicine, serves as a teaching attending for the Internal Medicine Residency Programme, and holds a part-time role as medical director of case management/utilisation review at Memorial Health System in South Florida.

In her medical practice, particularly in the ICU, she utilises music as an adjunct therapeutic tool for healing. “I ask patients and/or their families what music they enjoy and encourage them to play the favourite genres they love — whether it’s rock, R&B, reggae, reggaeton, gospel, or even country music. The simple act has a remarkable effect on their mood, often reducing anxiety and pain and even decreasing the need for sedation or pain medication based on my direct observations,” Dr Blake said.

“When no family is present, I will put on a soothing music TV channel which help to improve the patient’s overall comfort and promote healing. Music also creates meaningful connections and bonds between patients, families, and healthcare staff. One of music’s most important roles is in end-of-life care, when all other treatments have been exhausted. Music provides solace and healing for both patients and grieving family, making it an invaluable part of the care process,” Dr Blake added.

Dr Blake’s love for music, especially for opera, began early in her childhood. Her mother, she said, introduced her, and her siblings to opera which she said has left a lasting impression. I treasure the early experiences and the great memories.

“In addition to opera, reggae music has always been a significant part of my life. My father often played reggae at home, at the beach or while driving through the parishes in Jamaica, fostering in me a deep connection to both music genres and my cultures,” she said.

She soon became a member of The Opera Society, an affiliate of the Florida Grand Opera Fort Lauderdale, Florida; she is currently the president of The Opera Society, working to promote and share opera to her local community and beyond.

“I wanted to do more than just practise medicine; I wanted to create an experience that would uplift both local and global communities; Opera Meets Reggae (OMR), and I pitched the idea to the Florida Grand Opera, Miami, Florida and they were immediately on board and the collaboration began. I am excited to expand OMR, aiming to bring this unique cultural fusion to even more communities, starting with South Florida and the Jamaican community,” Dr Blake said.

OMR, she said, is about creating a cultural experience that unites people, opera and reggae lovers alike, transcend boundaries while using music as therapy to inspire hope, love, passion and joy in honour of Bob Marley’s timeless message of ONE LOVE.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com