Music therapy is a relatively new therapeutic practice that’s used to help people with mental disabilities. Whether it’s through simply listening to music, singing or dancing, to things like making music or playing an instrument, this type of therapy is being used all over with people that have diseases like Alzheimer’s and disorders like autism. It is also used in hospitals to alleviate pain, promote movement with dancing,  and to lessen muscle tension.A couple of students at North are interested in studying music therapy in college.

Sierra Martin, senior, shares that she’s been working with kids who have special needs for a while now and she also loves music so this is a chance for her to “incorporate the two things I love the most.” She explains that she first realized she was interested in music therapy when she met a child with Down Syndrome whom she bonded with immediately, she explains that she has “never been able to work so closely with a Down Syndrome student, and it changed my life.” She plans to one day open up her own counseling facility or become a teacher to incorporate music and art.

Mayte Gomez Cruz, senior, also plans to major in music therapy. She shares that “my sophomore year I took intro to psychology and I loved it, I didn’t want to leave music. With music therapy, I can do both and help others.” She explains how “music therapy has been around for a long time, but it is relatively new and becoming more widespread.”