Music Therapy is the use of music within a therapeutic relationship to sustain, restore or improve emotional, cognitive, physical, educational, and spiritual health.
Music therapy utilizes the elements of music – its rhythms, melodies, and harmonies–to treat specific therapeutic treatment goals.
As a therapy, it is unique in its ability to open up avenues of self-awareness, self-expression, and communication that can lead to improved functioning. It can be an active and process-oriented therapy that employs singing, listening and moving to music, songwriting and playing instruments that do not require any skill or previous training. Music therapy is different from music education and music lessons, recreation and entertainment. Although music therapy may share common aspects with these pursuits, it is fundamentally distinct because of its emphasis, approach and aims.