Music Therapy? Sound Healing? What's the Difference?

When I tell people that I'm a music therapist and that I work with music imagery, it's not uncommon for someone to draw an association with sound healing.

Sound healing, sometimes referred to as a sound bath, is an increasingly popular offering. As I hear more about this practice, it makes me wonder about the similarities and differences with my work as a music imagery therapist.

Naturally, I looked to what people were already saying online about this and I found some good resources. Some key takeaways for me:

• The use of sound for health and healing is an ancient practice used in many cultures. Only in the last century has it become professionalized in various forms. Brea Murakami, a music therapist, has a useful resource on her website to break down the differences between a number of these professions.
  

• While sound healing focuses on the acoustic and vibrational effects of sound on the listener, music therapists work within a triadic relationship of the music, therapist, and client/patient. In music therapy, the therapeutic relationship informs the musical experience, while in sound healing, the experience of the sound is primary.
  

• In Focused Music Imagery, a focus for the session is decided by the client, and the music imagery experience is shaped around this focus. In sound healing, a particular focus may be suggested by the facilitator or intuited by the client, but it does not typically direct the sound experience.
  

• Both practices have the potential to bring you into an altered state of consciousness with the intention to deepen self-awareness. Entering an altered state of consciousness can feel unsafe and potentially have a negative impact on people who have experienced psychosis, are affected by anxiety or trauma, have a heart condition, or experience sound sensitivity.  In Focused Music Imagery, the therapist creates safety using carefully selected music and their voice within a short time-frame to keep clients focused and grounded throughout the experience. Therefore, Focused Music Imagery is appropriate for a range of clients, including individuals with medical or mental health conditions.

• With regard to the above considerations, both practices can offer benefits for health and healing, in particular for stress reduction and relaxation.

So, when might you decide to work with a music therapist?

• You're looking for an individualized approach to meet therapeutic goals.
  

• You can benefit from therapeutic support in managing health symptoms and processing emotions related to trauma and grief.
  

• You'd like to explore tailored uses of music to address specific focus areas in the context of a therapeutic relationship.
  

To learn more, I recommend this fun, short video from music therapist Lela from Uku-Lela Therapy:

Note: While I have drawn from both music therapy and sound healing resources on the web to write this article, I am a professional music therapist, and not a sound healer. Therefore, I welcome feedback and corrections on any inaccuracies in this information from sound healing professionals.