Congresswoman Gabby Giffords
As a musician, I always believed that music was powerful, but I never quite realized what a ray of hope it could be to a brain injury survivor until I read this article about Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords finding natural healing through music.
After reading a report a few years ago on the quest to find the “music center of the brain”, I had my own hypothesis on how music could be so effective at natural healing, but was still surprised that some people smarter than I am thought the same thing. Take for instance this report in the Arizona Daily Star:
Music has been practiced as therapy since wounded soldiers returned from World War I. Therapists in veterans hospitals quickly embraced the notion of using music to reignite damaged areas of the brain. Unlike speech, controlled by the left side of the brain, music engages both sides of the brain. And because both sides of the brain are involved, music is ideal for reigniting the brain’s spark plugs, said longtime Tucson music therapist Barbara A. Else
Actually it’s quite a wonderful blessing that music affects so many areas of the brain because it acts as a potent bridge unlike any other. Music therapy has actually played a huge role for Congresswoman Giffords after whe was nearly killed by a closse range shot in the head. I think it’s also a wonderful turn, that the high profile of her healing is opening eyes to the power of music to heal.
“Music therapy is an important tool that we’re learning more and more about. And it’s good to have a high-profile person who can point out the benefits of it,” [ Ben Folds] said during a phone interview in late December. “It was a small good thing to come out of something horrible.”
Just watch these videos to see how powerful music is to heal.
It takes them a while to get to the point (the end of the first video) but all three videos are worth the watch.
Giffords Healing using Music as Medicine Part 1
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQi7btgt_fw[/youtube]
Giffords Healing using Music as Medicine Part 2
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiJ9X_wLSWM[/youtube]
Giffords Healing using Music as Medicine Part 3
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfUKOBlZXdw[/youtube]
Are we presumptive to promote natural healing using music as medicine just because of Gabrielle Giffords, or is this just a slow coming of age of something mankind has always known – music can heal? Share your thoughts below.
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[…] an inpatient basis, the top offerings are therapy with pets, massage and music/art therapy, according to the […]