Music and Healing: Exploring Sound, Spirit, and Wellbeing

Music is healing—in the broadest, deepest sense of the word.

This topic of music and healing is close to my heart, and my life as a musician. It’s central to why I teach ukulele and how I make music.

For many years I’ve been exploring the ways music is used to support healing and wellbeing. In this post, I’ll share some of these. It’s a dynamic and diverse field, that encompasses both scientifically validated therapies and practices that are more on the spiritual side.

I’ve personally experienced many of the therapies I write about, and I’ve trained in some of them.

If you’re drawn to experience or train in any of these therapies, I’ll give you a sense of where they fit in the field of music and healing, without insisting that one path is better than another.

My intention is to inspire you to find a path that is right for you, and your unique skills and talents.

How music heals

Historically, music was central to the healing arts—and still is in many traditional cultures. In the West, that role is starting to re-emerge.
Music can reach places that drugs, high-tech medicine, and surgery can’t. Its power goes beyond “this fixes that.” It works on a deeper, more beautiful level.
Everything in the universe is vibration. Seen this way, music becomes a powerful tool for working with energy, with frequency, with the very fabric of matter.

There are three main areas I’ll cover here:

Music therapy
Sound healing (a vast field, so this will be a general overview)
Music that shifts mood and consciousness—this is where most of my own work lies.

Music is crucial for wellbeing

II’m especially passionate about how music lifts our spirits. That’s not a trivial thing. I believe music plays a crucial role in human wellbeing. It’s not just entertainment, distraction, or a hobby to squeeze in after the “important” stuff.

I’ve experienced many of these healing practices personally and trained in some of them. I also hold a postgraduate qualification in expressive therapies—the use of the arts in healing. Like most people in the field, I bring my own blend of training, experience, and intuition. There’s no single formula for music healing and sound healing—it’s a richly varied, multidimensional field of practice.

Healing vs curing

It’s important to distinguish between healing and curing.

Western medicine focuses on curing—fixing the problem. But healing is a deeper, integrative process. Dr. Thomas Egnew defines healing as:

“Bringing together aspects of one’s self—body, mind, spirit—at deeper levels of inner knowing, leading toward integration and balance.” (Annals of Family Medicine, May 2005.)

Most therapeutic uses of music belong in the healing category. That said, music can sometimes play a role in treating conditions that don’t respond well to medication.

Music has shown benefit for people with dementia, autism, mental health conditions, and addiction. It’s also used in palliative care to support those facing terminal illness.

Music therapy

Music therapists sit at the “respectable” end of the healing spectrum. The music therapy profession is certified, professional, and regulated. You can’t call yourself a music therapist unless you’re qualified and registered.

Training is usually postgraduate and requires a strong musical foundation—often with proficiency in specific instruments like piano.

Music therapists work both to support general wellbeing and in clinical contexts. They operate within healthcare frameworks and must align their work with the standards of hospitals, health authorities, and funders. Evidence-based practice is a cornerstone of the profession.

Despite this professionalism, music therapy is still considered an emerging field in some places. In New Zealand, for instance, it’s not yet a standard part of public health funding.

Many music therapists are employed by organisations, while others work independently. And while some might disagree, I believe there’s often overlap between music therapy and other sound healing practices.

Music and dementia

Music is considered one of the most effective therapies for people with dementia.

I have personal experience in this area, both with my mother and within my community. (You can read more about this in my post about my mother’s journey with dementia.

Some researchers claim music can delay the onset of dementia, though I haven’t seen robust evidence to support that. Many studies frequently cited in the media turn out to be small, early-stage research projects.

Beyond music therapy: the wider world of sound healing

Most people working in music and healing do so outside the framework of clinical music therapy. This includes sound healers, voice workers, rhythm therapists, and many more.

What follows is just a glimpse into the wide and colourful world of sound healing.

What is sound healing?

Sound healing is a form of holistic healing that uses vocal tones and/or instruments to promote wellbeing. It often overlaps with spirituality—sometimes broadly, sometimes rooted in specific traditions.

Sound healers may work one-on-one or in groups, offering sessions like gong baths or singing bowl events.

Jonathan Goldman, a pioneer in the field of sound healing, describes sound healers as either musicians who want to heal, or healers who use music.

Goldman had an awakening in the 1980s while playing guitar in a rock band:

“The music was making people angry… fights were breaking out. I thought, ‘I wonder if music could be used to make people feel better?’ It hit me suddenly, after 16 years on stage.”

Some sound healers have years of formal training; others are self-taught. Instruments commonly used include voice, drums, tuning forks, and singing bowls.

One unique approach is the Tomatis Method, developed by French ENT specialist Alfred Tomatis. It uses a device called the “electronic ear” to stimulate auditory and neural pathways.

Rhythm therapy

Drums and other rhythm instruments are another major part of sound healing, especially in animist/ shamanic traditions. They’re also used in music and rhythm therapy settings.

I spent several months assisting a rhythm therapist with a variety of clients, including business staff wellbeing events, a school for visually impaired children, and a care facility for “problem” youths.

One of the most memorable and powerful experiences was a drumming circle with a group of blind teenagers. I got to see how active music participation transformed the wellbeing of the teenagers. Some went from sullen and disconnected to smiling and dynamic and talkative within half an hour.

Healing through voice work

Voice is a powerful tool for healing. Voice work can be individual or group-based.

Australian singer and sound healer Dominique Oyston, with whom I’ve studied for several years, combines classical vocal training with deep experience in sound healing.

Voice work can also integrate with psychotherapy. Voice Movement Therapy, developed by British psychotherapist Paul Newham, focuses on emotional expression and healing through the voice.

Other vocal healing practices include toning, chanting, and ancient traditions like the Taoist Six Healing Sounds, a practice dating back to the 5th century.

British teacher Jill Purce is well-known for her group workshops in overtone chanting.

If you’re yearning to reconnect with your voice, here’s my blog post about how to start reclaiming your voice.

Shifting consciousness through sound

This is the part of sound healing I find most fascinating—how music shifts our emotions and state of mind.

Raising spirits with music

Making music can quickly elevate (or calm) your mood. This can be casual or intentional.

Group singing, lullabies, dancing to your favourite song—all of these create emotional shifts.

For me, the ukulele is the quickest way to access joy and fun. Even small moments of joy can help us manage life more gracefully.

Here’s my blog post about the joys of playing ukulele.

Making music with others creates entrainment—a syncing up of rhythms, breath, and energy. British music therapist David Aldridge describes this as an embodied way to change consciousness.

Music also affects our brainwaves, heartbeat, and stress hormones. It’s powerful stuff.

Some leading practitioners in trauma healing modalities, including Somatic Experiencing, are incorporating sound and vocalisation into their work.

More mood-shifting modalities

Two interesting techniques in this space:

The Bonny Method (Guided Imagery and Music)
Developed by music therapist Helen Bonny after her research into LSD was halted, this is a drug-free therapeutic method using classical music to facilitate altered states of consciousness and deep emotional processing.
Binaural Beats
This modality involves listening to a recording in which two slightly different tones are played, one in each ear, producing a perceived beat that entrains the brain. It’s said to promote relaxation and meditation. Psychologist Michael Breus even recommends it for improving sleep. (I can’t personally attest to this!)

How to start healing with music?

If any of this speaks to you, don’t just read about it—experience it. Music and sound are multidimensional; they don’t translate easily into words.

I have a shelf full of books about music and healing, and I’ve read my way through a lot of music therapy research. I’ve found that personally experiencing a modality makes a lot more sense than reading about it.

Whether it’s a crystal bowl sound bath, one-on-one voice work, a drum circle, a singing group, or a ukulele class—try what calls to you.

Find what makes you feel good, and make space for it in your life.

You won’t regret it.

For some more inspiration, check out the music healing section in my blog post about 75 music modalities.

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