I was born with music inside me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart. Like my blood. It was a force already within me when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity for me – like food or water.
Music Was My First Love!
Have you ever caught yourself ugly-crying to Adele or screaming along to Queen in your car?
Of course you have—because music isn’t just sound; it’s magic wrapped up in rhythm and melody.
I grew up in a very musical family, and music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
My dad was a singer/songwriter and he performed in a band with my uncles.
My brother, sister, cousins and I followed in their footsteps by starting our own family band in the early 80’s when we were just young kids.
I was the 10-year-old drummer (and occasional singer) as it was the only vacant position in the band.
Watching & Performing
I gave up on the band as a teenager but I did squeeze in as many live gigs as I could.
You can’t beat the shared experience of a large crowd at a gig.
Being right there in the moment. Excitement building as the lights go down and shadowy figures appear on the stage.
The huge roar when the lights come back up and your musical heroes launch into a banging, well-loved tune.
Cheering, clapping, whistling (in my case), singing your heart out. It’s truly magical!
In 2024, I rekindled my passion for performing and singing by joining the Funky Voices community choir, and I absolutely love both the learning and performing side of it.
My Happy Place
My happy place is when I’ve got a routine admin job to do and I can stick on my iPod, singing and whistling along at the top of my voice.
And I won’t just sing the words. I’ll sing, hum and whistle along to the bassline, drum fills, guitar riffs – the whole shebang!
Although I can’t hit the high notes in Boston’s More Than A Feeling to save my life, I sing like no-one’s listening (because they’re not).
I’m right there in the moment and loving every second of it.
In this blog, I’m diving into why music hits us so deeply and how music therapy is quietly revolutionising emotional, physical and psychological well-being.
Buckle up; this is gonna be good!
I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.
Understanding the Power of Music
Look, from ancient tribal chants to Taylor Swift’s breakup songs, music transcends borders, generations, and sometimes even good taste.
Historically, music’s had the power to rally armies, soothe heartbreak, and trigger awkward wedding dancing.
But why is that?
Scientifically speaking (don’t yawn yet), our brains are wired to connect music to emotions and memories.
Ever hear a song and get instantly transported to your awkward teenage years?
Exactly. Music’s sneaky that way.
So, What Exactly is Music Therapy?
If you’re picturing someone lying on a couch while Mozart plays quietly, think again.
Music therapy is way cooler and more active than that—literally.
It involves professionally trained therapists using music strategically to improve health and happiness.
There’s active therapy (playing, singing, composing) and receptive therapy (listening and reflecting).
Spoiler alert: music therapists actually train pretty hard—think Masters degrees, supervised clinical hours, and serious dedication.
One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.
The Incredible Benefits of Music Therapy
There are so many benefits of immersing yourself in music, such as:
Emotional and Psychological
Feeling anxious or stressed? Ditch the lavender candle and instead pick up some headphones.
Music therapy is a legit way to ease anxiety, stress and depression.
Seriously, countless people have swapped their anti-depression meds for Spotify playlists (well, almost).
Physical
This might surprise you: music therapy isn’t just good for your mood—it helps your body too.
It can boost motor skills, help manage pain and aid physical rehabilitation.
Turns out your favourite tunes do more than make you dance badly in the kitchen.
Cognitive
Want to boost your brainpower? Music therapy is proven to sharpen memory, improve focus, and enhance overall cognitive functioning.
It’s particularly powerful for seniors dealing with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Who knew your nan humming along to Sinatra was her secret cognitive workout?
Who Exactly Needs Music Therapy?
Honestly? Pretty much everyone could benefit from it, but especially:
- Kids and teens dealing with autism, ADHD or anxiety.
- Adults drowning in stress or battling burnout.
- Seniors looking to stay sharp and emotionally vibrant.
- Anyone bouncing back from trauma or health setbacks.
Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.
Nordoff and Robbins: Charitable Hero of Music Therapy
Meet Nordoff and Robbins, Britain’s superstar charity in music therapy. These guys genuinely change lives daily.
From empowering children with special needs to supporting mental health recovery, they prove music therapy is far from fluff.
Lucas’ Story
“Lucas has autism and ADHD, and can find it challenging to communicate and connect with others. He can become overstimulated, and time to process is something that is especially important to him.
Lucas began attending sessions with music therapist Joanna once a week. A goal of music therapy was to provide a safe and supportive space for Lucas to express himself. And it was hoped that this would help him to develop his communication skills and build his self-esteem.
Since starting music therapy, Lucas has become more and more engaged in the process. Often, he’ll sing or play instruments for the entire 30-minute session with Joanna! Lucas takes a leading role, and clearly communicates to Joanna what he would like to happen in the music. This includes indicating when the music should start and stop, as well as dictating the tempo.
Music therapy provides a space for Lucas to feel heard. It offers him a place for meaningful social interaction and self-expression. Which in turn, has helped him to grow in confidence.”
Check out some of their other stories; you’ll laugh, cry, and probably donate before you finish reading.
Seriously, they’re that good!
Practical Tips for Everyday Music Therapy
But you don’t need to wait for a formal music therapy session; why not DIY some therapy at home?
- Create personalised playlists to match your moods (yes, “Moody Monday Blues” still counts).
- Combine music and mindfulness—deep breathing exercises to calming tunes.
- Daily music exercises: sing (badly is fine!), play, or hum to relax and reset.
5 Tunes from my Personal Playlist
There are so many songs that bring back important memories for me or make me feel some kind of emotion or feeling. It’s really hard to narrow a list down to only 5 tunes, but I’ve had a go and explained why I chose these particular ones:
- Freedom ’90! – George Michael – This song sums up my lifelong dream to be my own boss. I can’t help singing out loud and dancing my socks off when I hear this tune. And I had a major crush on George when I was 12 years old, which was only heightened after I saw the Careless Whisper video!
- Rescue Me – Tyketto – This tune reminds me of the height of my gig going days in the 90s. I’ve seen Tyketto live too and loved them. It was also the song I chose to play daily when I was on furlough in 2020, to help me get through those Groundhog days.
- You Do Something to Me – Paul Weller – For my husband John and I, this is ‘our’ song. It sums up when we first met 26 years ago, and we chose to play it at our wedding a few years later.
- I’ve Been Loving You Too Long – Otis Redding – This song has brought me to tears on many occasions. I love Otis’ voice and the emotion he brings to every song he sings but this is one of my favourites.
- Patience – Chris Cornell – I’ve always loved Chris Cornell’s voice with it’s incredible four octave range, and although I love the original version by Guns ‘n Roses, this cover is beautifully sung by Chris and is just an emotional and beautiful version.
Music is Therapy!
So there you have it: music isn’t just something you stream while cooking dinner—it’s a powerful healing force that can genuinely transform lives.
Whether you’re boosting your mood, managing pain or helping your nan remember your name, music therapy has your back.
Embrace music—it’s free therapy (almost).
Ready to Dive Deeper?
Excited yet? You should be! My upcoming book, Sing Like No-One’s Listening! has music as therapy at its core and dives into how following your dreams, finding your purpose and using your unique voice could transform your life.
Learn to harness your inner rockstar (or shower singer) and experience a feel-good, fluff-free musical reminder to step out of the wings and into the spotlight of your life.