Neurological
Music Therapy (NMT)
Music helps to activate cognitive, motor, and speech functions.
NMT can also be used to help retrain and rewire the brain. This is known as Neuroplasticity.
​
Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) is the therapeutic application of music to cognitive, affective, sensory, language, and motor dysfunctions due to neurologic disease of the human nervous system. It is for any population, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease, cerebral palsy, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, mental health, and other neurological diseases affecting cognition, movement, communication, and psychosocial function.
​
NMT is a research-guided clinical system driven by advances in neuroscience and the understanding of the perception, cognition, and production of music and how music can influence and change non-musical brain and behaviour function. Throughout history, music has been used therapeutically to support and improve wellbeing and facilitate positive change.
Today, Music Therapy is an established psychological clinical intervention delivered by HCPC-registered Music Therapists to help people of all ages whose lives have been affected by injury, illness or disability by supporting their psychological, emotional, cognitive, physical, communicative and social needs.
Music therapists facilitate musical activities, but our primary goals are non-musical. Each session is tailored to the individual. Sessions can be one-on-one or in small groups. Sometimes family, friends and carers can get involved too.
​
The sessions might include playing different instruments, singing, sharing or listening to music you enjoy, making music and free-play (improvising), movement, writing songs or song stories, and music technology.