It is hard to find anyone who doesn’t like music. We all have a song that gets us singing along, humming, or tapping our feet. Music therapy takes that universal love for music and applies it as a therapeutic tool to address social, emotional, communicative, motor, and sensory needs.

“The most succinct description I’ve ever heard about music therapy is that music therapy is the use of music to meet non-musical needs,”  Alec Betterley, a board-certified music therapist at Wildwood School, says. “The outcome of a session isn’t necessarily instrumental or vocal prowess; rather, we’re basically using music to target other needs. There are just a whole host of things that can be addressed through music.”

Students with autism often struggle with verbal communication. Music can become an alternative means of communication, helping them express themselves through rhythm and melody. Singing encourages vocalization and can be a fun way to improve speech patterns and articulation.

“Music is very predictable and can be easy to follow. So, suppose we’re singing a song and strumming along, and we come to the end of a verse and leave it blank, or do a call-and-response. Students can take the time to verbally respond or use their communication device, and it’s a way to open the door to speech,” Alec says.

Music therapy encourages social interaction, especially in a group setting. It can help students improve social skills through turn-taking and responding to others. The students probably don’t realize “therapy” is happening; they just know they’re having fun.

“There are several studies showing that music is processed in all areas of the brain, particularly those that process language,” Dara Ribis, a board-certified music therapist at Wildwood School, says. “Students who are verbal may know how to sing—they pick up the pitch, the phrasing, and the melody, and are singing along by the end of the session. Students who are non-verbal may begin to vocalize and hum along to the song.”

Emotional expression and regulation are challenges for students with autism. Music therapy can use melodies and rhythm to soothe, calm, and help develop techniques for self-regulation. Songs and lyrics can assist them in understanding, identifying, and expressing feelings.

“We can play soft chords on the guitar, and the students can take a moment to stretch and breathe. This gives them the opportunity to regulate so they can move onto the next activity, we can play something more upbeat to energize them. Music can be used in many different ways,” Dara says.

Music therapy can also help individuals manage their sensory sensitivities. Music therapists can adjust the volume and help a person with autism better understand their sensitivity. Music allows them to work with auditory stimuli in a controlled, safe manner.

“Sometimes we’re almost like DJs in how we control the music for an audience. We can change the volume or tempo depending on what the students need at the moment. It’s all about reading the room,” Alec says.

The techniques used in music therapy are varied and include improvisation, where students can create their own sounds; songwriting, which allows students to express themselves and their feelings; and movement to music, which helps with motor skills or serves as a calming agent.

Music therapists are not merely musicians. Board certification requires many course hours, clinical internships, and testing. They are trained in psychology, counseling, biology, and neuroscience. Additionally, music therapists need clinical musicianship skills with proficiency in voice, guitar, piano, and percussion. Since its founding, Wildwood has been a leader in music therapy, hosting many interns due to our strong reputation.