When we are injured, both the area of the brain corresponding to the part of the body that was hurt and emotional centers in the brain are activated. Consistent physical pain can actually lower our threshold for the amount of pain that can cause distress, leading to a destructive feedback loop. In order to decrease the amount of suffering that we experience as a result of injury, it is important to find ways to activate the emotion centers of the brain in positive ways.

Scientific research points to significant activation of the ‘emotion’ centers of the brain while listening to and engaging in music. Music therapy can be a particularly effective modality of treatment for working with people experiencing acute and chronic pain. Using both non-musical and music therapy interventions, I tailor sessions to individual needs to help decrease pain and facilitate coping.