This week, we’re taking a look at the ways people use music to heal from trauma. Throughout my life, I’ve suffered from different types of trauma, and have always found music to be particularly healing and soothing. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there is a link between music and positive mental health that extends to trauma recovery.
This is because music can act as a catalyst that allows people to share difficult feelings and emotions that may be too traumatic to process through other forms of communication. The artists at Songs for World Peace (SWP) communicate their stories with us, giving them a chance to process their own events, whether happy or sad. As listeners, we have the opportunity to hear these stories and empathize with what these artists have experienced. That in itself can be therapeutic. Keep reading to discover how impactful music can be during the healing process.
Every day, we use music to help us through life. Music is a wondrous phenomenon that pushes us through workouts, helps us through monotonous work tasks, and fills us with joy during times of celebration. Participating in music boosts mental well-being because it allows us to manage and express emotions, which has a positive influence on our mental health (1). Music can also provide respite for those suffering from PTSD or other life stressors, and offers a safe space to process trauma. Music can also stimulate reward pathways in the brain, which can give survivors relief from the distress they are feeling. Research shows that there are several effective methods used in trauma therapy that help survivors work through repressed traumatic events through creative outlets such as music, and that people with PTSD respond particularly well to music therapies. Art and music allow people to express their trauma in ways that might be more comfortable than verbal communication (3). Additionally, music has been shown to have a positive effect on stress levels by regulating the autonomic nervous system, which helps to control heartbeat and blood pressure (4).
Music is a joyous gift to the world that helps us to communicate ideas and passions that can move people to act in extraordinary ways. It allows us to join together as a community that helps others, raising spirits and advocating for change. This is the type of movement we need to foster peace, which is one of the core missions of SWP. SWP provides a platform and a safe space where people can share their stories, whether they are happy or sad. As a community advocating for global peace, we support one another in our journeys, developing a shared understanding through music.
This year, the Finale Song 2024 produced by SWP in collaboration with Plant and Care For Peace will focus on environmental peace and will be released on The International Day of Peace (September 21st). Please join us in fostering peace and environmental awareness as we lead up to our song release and Panel Discussion on The International Day of Peace on September 21st. Enjoy our past Finale Songs and panel discussions on our YouTube channel.
Written by Michelle Karth PhD Neuroscience and Behavior
Perkins, Rosie, et al. "How participatory music engagement supports mental well-being: a meta-ethnography." Qualitative health research 30.12 (2020): 1924-1940
Bensimon, Moshe, Dorit Amir, and Yuval Wolf. "Drumming through trauma: Music therapy with post-traumatic soldiers." The arts in psychotherapy 35.1 (2008): 34-48
Green, Amy. "Art and music therapy for trauma survivors." Canadian Art Therapy Association Journal 24.2 (2011): 14-19
Li, Xintong, and Siran Min. "Researching how music affects the autonomic nervous system and influences wound healing processes in trauma patients." International Wound Journal 21.3 (2024): e14790
Enjoy our most recent blogs!
Echoes of the Earth: Translating Environmental Data into Music
Beyond Borders: Music's Power to Bridge the Divide of Otherness
Harmonizing Empathy: Music as the Path to Peaceful Connection
https://www.songsforworldpeace.org/post/harmonizing-empathy-music-as-the-path-to-peaceful-connection
Comments