Music is the art of arranging tones in an
orderly sequence so as to produce a unified and continuous composition".
In reality, music does not have any one concrete meaning. Music has different
meanings for different people. Music is unique in each person's life. To a
musician, music is their life. They eat, breathe, and live music. Music is
their passion. For others, music is a hobby, a pastime. Music is something that
arouses interest and is pleasurable. The casual fan may learn about music, how
to read music, how to sing, or how to play a musical instrument, but they do
not have the all encompassing passion a musician possesses. Music is a means of
relaxation for some, while others simply enjoy listening to the sounds,
melodies, and rhythms that music brings to their ears, minds, and hearts.
Music is an incredibly powerful form of
expression. It combines both words and sound to deliver a message.
Certain songs that one hears on the radio can trigger specific memories in
one's mind. There is no doubt, there is a strong connection between music
and our feelings.
Through my
experiences in therapy, I very quickly realized that people simply do not like
to sit down and just begin pouring their hearts out to someone they don't even
know. It was for this reason that I began to draw upon my own
experiences, and discovered a very powerful technique that allows me to use
music, something people already listen to and identify with, as a way to help
people heal.
Here, I am going to look specifically at
how music can be used to help those struggling with depression.
