Music therapy is a therapy that uses music as a therapeutic tool. It aims at the well-being of the person through several approaches: active, receptive or a mixture of both. The benefits are numerous, particularly in the case of anxiety, mood or sleep disorders, as well as in psychotic patients or those with neurological problems. Music therapy also contributes to the improvement of learning and to the cognitive and emotional development of young children. Welcome to the world where music heals the mind!

Music therapy is a therapeutic technique halfway between art therapy and psychological approach therapies. Everyone can benefit from it and it fits perfectly into medical care protocols, whether in a hospital or in a private practice.
Music therapy was born in the United States in the 1950s and arrived in France in the late 1960s. Depending on the country where it is offered, it is colored by the currents of psychotherapy commonly practiced.

Music therapy is a discipline that can accompany a large public: patients, pregnant women, elderly people, children, adolescents... It can therefore be found in hospitals, maternity wards, EPHAD, medico-social establishments, nurseries, schools, prisons, specialized clinics, thermal cures...

The objective is to bring well-being to the patient, to accompany him to re-train his body, to alleviate the stress of a hospitalization, to create a link between the patient and his relatives, to facilitate the good psycho-motor development of the little ones, to stimulate the cognitive functions (memory, concentration, attention...)...

Sometimes people are uncomfortable expressing their pain in words and others simply cannot. Music allows us to go through the body and encourage spontaneous expression without the need to speak.
Singing is also practiced. This allows us to work on breathing, to learn to put our voice down, to dare to emit a sound, to take our place in the world.
Listening is an integral part of the therapy. The discovery of classical or contemporary music from the four corners of the world opens the patient to new horizons and therefore to new perspectives. Listening to music, listening to silence, listening to the other is listening to what is going on within oneself.

Music therapy is based on neurobiology and clinical and analytical psychology. It can be adapted according to the problems of the targeted public. Nevertheless, there are 3 approaches:

• Receptive approach: the patient listens to music specially selected for his or her needs: soothing or energizing. 
• Active approach: the patient uses his voice, his body and/or small instruments (even his instrument if he is a musician). 
• The mixture of the two. 

Practiced in a group setting, music therapy helps create social bonds and promotes sharing, listening, respect and coordination.

Music therapy is a perfect complement to psychotherapy. Some therapists will belong more to the psychoanalytical movement while others will be systemic, cognitive-behavioral... Thus, each therapist develops his or her own practice.

Only the courses listed by the french federation of music therapy guarantee the title of music therapist. Some universities and specialized centers offer a solid training that allows one to set up in private practice or in a private or public structure.
The qualities required to do this profession-passion is first of all to have a good instrumental and vocal practice and a solid musical knowledge. You also need a good sense of pedagogy, empathy and above all a background in child and adult psychopathology. 

Many ancient cultures use sound as a means of healing. Mantra, koto Tama, chanting are all vocal practices that guide the mind towards inner calm and the opening of the field of consciousness.
In North Africa, the Gnawa perform trance ceremonies that last a whole night during which women "heal" themselves and free themselves from negative energies.
Music has accompanied mankind since the beginning of time. Today, it infiltrates institutions for the well-being of patients!