Rebecca Vaudreuil
Music Helps the Military and Healing
Posted by May 13, 2013
Rebecca Vaudreuil
Military service members are returning home in mass quantities nation-wide, some locations more prevalently populated and therefore more noticeable than others, such as in San Diego where Resounding Joy’s Semper Sound Military Music Therapy Program is based. 13% of all active duty military service members are stationed in California and San Diego has one of the largest military populations and is home to thousands of service members and their families. The need for service is ubiquitous and it is our calling to serve those who protect our freedoms as Americans.
The ever-compelling questions of, “WHY music?” and more commonly , “HOW can music therapy help returning veterans?” is answered in the complete music therapy definition as released by the American Music Therapy Association stating, “Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.” Music therapy was founded after WWII when psychologists at the VA in Topeka, Kansas saw the advantageous affects that music created by volunteer musicians had on the veterans. Psychologists began to train these volunteer musicians in the realm of behavioral psychology and hence the commencement of the music therapy degree, which can be earned on the bachelors, masters, and PhD levels from accredited universities.
In addition to this concise yet comprehensive definition, music therapy is used to promote wellness, manage stress, alleviate pain, express feelings, enhance memory, improve communication, promote physical rehabilitation and very importantly with the military, provide reintegration opportunities.
Table 1:1 Pre/Post Music Therapy Pain and Anxiety Scales ; Observation Length- 8 weeks; n= 15
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