While it has been understood for thousands of years that music is hugely beneficial, recent research proves that the benefits of music therapy can be measured in clinical terms.

People have long recognized the near magical power of music in our lives. More than two thousand years ago, Plato wrote, "Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, and life to everything." Research over the past century reveals that the life music gives can actually be therapeutic. Music therapy has been proven to help with a huge array of conditions—strokes, cardiac care, autism, substance abuse, brain damage, learning disabilities, Down Syndrome, chronic pain and more. You may be familiar with the story of healing music in the life of popular singer, Melody Gardot. When she was nineteen, Gardot was hit by a car and suffered brain damage. After trying various therapeutic approaches, her physician turned to music as therapy. Over the next months, music therapy not only helped rebuild the neural pathways in her brain, it enabled Gardot to become a successful singer.

But what exactly is music therapy? The definition written by the American Music Therapy Association is as follows: Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. In other words, music therapy is a health discipline that uses music to achieve non-musical treatment goals.

The clinical research for the benefits of such music therapy programs is compelling. As mentioned above, music has been proven to have the power to rebuild neural pathways in the brain. It is also a huge aid in pain relief, both as a treatment that reduces stress and as one that actually minimizes the patient's perception of pain. Many hospitals are incorporating music therapy as one of the treatments they offer. Furthermore, it can also help regulate breathing and lower blood pressure. And it enhances mood by elevating a person's spirits, which increases an individual's ability to focus.

One of the most heartening recent uses of music therapy is for children with physical disabilities and children with developmental disabilities. Because music can improve mood and focus, it can optimize the learning experience for those with disabilities. It has been shown to help such students increase their attention span, communicate better, increase eye contact, and follow direction. This aids them not only in the acquisition of knowledge, but also the acquisition of social skills – or the ability to interact with others. Furthermore, when musical instruments such as those in adapted guitar lessons or adapted keyboard lessons are used, music therapy has also been proven to increase small fine motor skills.

It can also help develop self confidence in children with special learning needs children. Clinical evidence has shown that such children with developmental or physical disabilities often have a high preference for music, and will respond to musical stimuli and only musical stimuli in an education setting.

Perhaps the famous saying, "music is the universal language" needs to be updated. Music is much more than a language the whole world responds to, it is also has genuine healing power that is available to everyone.