Ava’s story
Ava is a year 9 student, and she struggles with anxiety and low self-esteem. But she loves to sing, and music therapy is helping her to work through her anxiety and self-image, and help build up her confidence.
Mental health hub
Music and mental health
Music can have a transformative impact on your mental wellbeing. That’s why we’ve brought together all of our mental health resources in one handy space for you to access at any time. On this page you’ll find information on:
- Mental health tips from our music therapists
- A blog on how music can improve your mental health
- Playlists for every mood, including one curated by our Music Ambassador Edith Bowman
- Stories of our clients who have used music to help with mental health challenges
So how does music help our mental health?
Whether you’re listening to it or playing it, music has many benefits for your body and mind, and its impact on mental health can be truly transformative. Music therapy, in particular, can be life-changing for individuals facing mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and stress.
Our highly trained music therapists provide a safe and supportive space where people can express themselves without the need for words. This unique form of therapy helps individuals move beyond simply coping – it empowers them to thrive.
Music has also been shown to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, reduce heart rate and blood pressure, and provide relief during stressful situations. Over time, listening to music regularly can even help to reduce long-term anxiety. In one study, students who listened to classical music daily for two months experienced significantly lower anxiety levels.
We work with pupils in mainstream and in Special Educational Needs (SEN) schools. Out of the pupils we work with in SEN schools, 92% of the people we asked last year said that music therapy improved their mental health. For our work with adults (in hospitals, rehabilitation centres, day centres, care homes), 92% of the people we asked last year said that music therapy enhanced their quality of life.
Mental health tips from our music therapists
We spoke to our highly-qualified music therapists about how we can use music to benefit our mental health. Here are their top tips.
Read our top tips
Blog: How music can improve your mental health
Music, and music therapy, can have a positive impact on your emotional wellbeing. Read about how music can improve your mental health in our blog.
Read our blog
Playlists to boost your wellbeing
Listening to the right tunes at the right time can help give your mental health a boost. We’ve created seven Spotify playlists to help with everything from better sleep to pain relief.
Listen to our playlists
Donate today
As a charity that receives no government funding, we rely on the generosity of people like you to make our transformative music therapy work possible. Donate today to support our work.
Donate
Stories
Ruby’s story
Aged only 14, Ruby was sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Life was still really difficult after being discharged, and music therapy therapy gave her a safe space, when she needed it most.
Tim’s story
Music therapy has allowed Tim, an accomplished musician coming to terms with a brain injury and amputated arm, to rediscover a sense of purpose and identity.