Online Article:

In The Age of Antidepressants, Music Therapy Is Breaking Barriers

By Kyle Stockman

 

With the use of antidepressants on the rise, new light is being shed on their harmful effects. Enter music therapy. Music therapy is an alternative or additional treatment for depression, which utilizes music to address the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of patients. The main draws of the therapy are that it comes with zero noted side effects and is arguably just as effective as more widely used, and invasive treatment methods. This is an especially appealing option for mothers suffering from postpartum depression, where there is fear that administering antidepressants may contaminate their milk. 

 

“Many mothers have concerns about taking depression medication whilst breastfeeding and uptake of psychological therapies with new mothers is relatively low,” says Dr Daisy Fancourt, a lead scientist in a study operated by the Centre for Performance Science and funded by Arts Council England. The study placed groups of  other and baby in environments where they could sing “together” and measured the improvements of the depressive mothers in relation to a control group. The group of women who were allowed to sing experienced a quicker improvement in their symptoms. Fancourt continues, “these results are really exciting as they suggest that something as simple as referring mothers to community activities could support their recovery”.

 

In another study based around music therapy conducted by scientists from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, in Brussels Belgium promising results correlating increased intersubjectivity between mother and baby and a decrease in depressive symptoms was found. This correlation lends irrefutable evidence that music therapy can have a profoundly positive effect on a depressive mothers symptoms and their relationship to their child.

 

“The beauty is that there’s a potential for pregnant women to discover the immediate benefits from incorporating relaxing music into their daily routine,” says Karen Kleinman, a psychotherapist specializing in maternal mental health.

 

Mother Elizabeth Larsen, who suffered 4 miscarriages before successfully giving birth, experienced extreme anxiety before her yoga teacher recommended she try music therapy. Larsen recounted her experience with music therapy saying,  “During sessions, I listened to the acoustic guitar. At home, I listened to relaxing music on my headphones. The music calmed my anxiety, which helped me stay positive.” 

 

“I use music as a teaching tool. We might analyze song lyrics or listen to instruments or music that can aid in relaxation,” says Larsen’s clinician Kate Taylor, a board-certified music therapist. “Songs can bring up intense emotions for women, which can help them connect with the baby, and openly share their worries and feelings about motherhood.” This bond is the exact element which is missing from treatments such as antidepressants or psychotherapy, and what makes music therapy such an appealing alternative.

 

Screenplay:

INFOMERCIAL SCREENPLAY

 

SETTING: A TV Set with a couch facing the Salesman’s chair, much like a talk show but without a desk. 

CAST: Saleswoman, Carey Jones, Jessica Daniels, Lilli
Thompson

 

Camera pans across a clapping studio audience as a contrived music theme plays, Saleswoman walks out waving to the audience.

 

    Clapping subsides.

 

Scene 1

SALESWOMAN

Welcome everyone! I’m so excited you are all here today!

 

    Audience claps

 

SALESWOMAN

We are here today to talk about music therapy and how it can assist in your recovery from postpartum depression. 

 

    Audience claps 

 

SALESWOMAN

Before we get into it, I have a few special friends I would like to introduce! Please welcome licensed Music Therapist Carey Jones and two of her patients, Jessica Daniels and Lilli Thompson.

 

Contrived theme begins to play as the three women walk onto stage

 

SALESWOMAN

Hey everyone thank you so much for being here!

 

(Women talking over one another)

Thanks for having us! Great to be here!

 

SALESWOMAN

First off, Carey, do you want to tell us all a little bit about what you do?

 

CAREY

Absolutely! I am a licensed music therapist which means that I use music to create a therapeutic and supportive environment which taps into non-verbal processes to facilitate emotional, physical and mental change. I specialize in treating women suffering from postpartum depression, which is why I am here today. 

 

SALESWOMAN

Now correct me if I’m wrong but music therapy can be an extremely effective alternative to antidepressants, is that correct?

 

CAREY

Most definitely! The vast majority of my patients experience extremely positive results from the treatment, including decreased depression, forming a better relationship with their baby and improved mood, which is why I brought along Lilli and Jessica.

 

 SALESWOMAN 

    (turning to the two women)

How are you two doing?

 

LILLI AND JESSICA TOGETHER

Great! So happy to be here!

SALESWOMAN

So you girls both suffered from postpartum depression?

LILLI

Yeah, so after I had my son Max, who is now two years old

 

    Audience claps

 

LILLI

    (beaming)

Thank you! Anyways, about two weeks after I had my son Max I started to feel really down a lot of the time, and I felt like we were not bonding. One of my doctors diagnosed what I was feeling as PPD and suggested I start taking Zoloft, and wrote me a prescription. I was very apprehensive to start taking an antidepressant so quickly because I was breastfeeding at the time and wasn’t very educated on the effects it could have on my baby. I started looking into alternative treatments and found Carey’s website. I really liked what I read about music therapy so I reached out and set up an appointment. 

 

SALESWOMAN

So tell us about your results, I’m sure we are all dying to know.

 

    Audience laughs and claps a bit

 

LILLI

Oh my gosh, the results were astounding. The first meeting we had, Carey gave me a song to sing “with” Max. I immediately felt this deep bond that I don’t really experienced yet, it only got better from there. I also started listening to a selection of music that calmed me down every night before I fell asleep which really relieved the anxiety and depression that I was feeling. It really does work! 

 

    Audience Claps 

 

SALESWOMAN

So Jessica did you share a similar experience?  

 

JESSICA

Yeah, actually I started getting depressed when I was about 7 months pregnant, doctors told me it was because my hormones were changing. I was also really apprehensive to start taking an antidepressant especially while pregnant! I started doing my research, just like Lilli, and found that music therapy could be a really great option for me. Carey was in my area and I set up an appointment a day later. Throughout the rest of my pregnancy we worked on relaxation techniques and how I could work music into my day, and once the baby was born into her day. It really facilitated our bond growing strong. Also my depression basically completely went away after about 3 weeks of daily sessions.

 

SALESWOMAN

That is some powerful testimony ladies! Thank you so much for sharing. Our number is at the bottom of the screen, call now to talk to one of our licensed therapists, and we will be right back with more!