![\"Senior](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/4756067_3_articleinline_Dr-Shane-Cassidy-NMT-3.jpg\" "\\"Senior")
Senior music therapist and founder of Neurolinks Shane Cassidy says: \u201cMusic therapy is a great way of exploring things in what some people find a less invasive or more comfortable way.<\/p>\nHumans have felt the therapeutic powers of music for millennia. Ancient civilisations, from Australian Aboriginals to the wonderful swirling dervishes of Islam, have based much of their societies and spirituality on the rhythms and sounds of music.<\/p>\n
In the West, the likes of Mozart and McCartney have moved societal mountains with their talents. Yet, it is only recently that medicine has begun to recognise music\u2019s ability to heal in a more formal setting.<\/p>\n
Patrycja Lagowska sees proof of the therapy\u2019s effectiveness every day. One of her sons, 12-year-old Danny, is severely autistic with sensory integration disorder and some intellectual disabilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve tried every therapy available in the country,\u201d says the Kildare-based mother of two. \u201cThis has been one of the very good ones. Music therapy was recommended to us in May last year. It took some time because Danny finds it hard to engage with new people, but the way they\u2019ve been able to gain his interest has been really amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Danny has very few words. However, Lagowska says since he started music therapy, his willingness to engage with others has improved immeasurably.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s trying sign language that his therapist, Laoise FitzGerald, has taught him, and he\u2019s learnt a lovely goodbye song with the few words he has, and he signs along with that,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven though it\u2019s music therapy, she\u2019s working a lot on his communication and extending his attention span. It really covers a lot.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s also very good at regulating him, and if something doesn\u2019t work out, she\u2019ll change her voice or the music or help with breathing techniques if she sees that he\u2019s getting stressed for some reason.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Danny needs in-depth support, music therapy can be harnessed to meet the needs of almost any child.<\/p>\n
Senior music therapist and founder of Neurolinks Shane Cassidy says: \u201cMusic therapy is a great way of exploring things in what some people find a less invasive or more comfortable way.<\/p>\n
Senior music therapist and founder of Neurolinks Shane Cassidy says: \u201cMusic therapy is a great way of exploring things in what some people find a less invasive or more comfortable way.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe prefrontal cortex in the brain is what we use for planning and organising, and that is often disrupted by anxiety. The reason for this is that the amygdala is in overdrive, responding to fear.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we can regulate that and use any kind of structure or structured patterns, it helps. So with music, you\u2019re looking at song patterns or chord sequences, the melody might repeat itself, or you\u2019ll have repeated rhythms.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny of those phenomena that we see in music can feed into regulating that prefrontal cortex.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neurolinks provides professional music therapy services for people living with a neurological condition. It also offers services for people with physical, emotional, and mental health conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow it looks in a session will really vary from client to client,\u201d says Cassidy. \u201cWe can use music as a tool for improvising. We often explore instruments together.<\/p>\n
\u201cAgain, rhythm tends to be one of the most powerful tools. We might also look at lyric analysis. So we take an existing song that reflects where someone is in their life, and again, it takes the pressure off, particularly with young people. Instead of them having to name their feelings, we can use the lyrics and the song as a stepping stone or a way in.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes we might explore getting them to change the lyrics to describe their own situation better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Undoubtedly, one of the appeals of music therapy is its broad scope of offerings.<\/p>\n
\u201cTraditionally, we have relied a lot on words to reflect on how we are and to engage with others,\u201d says Triona McCaffrey, associate professor of music therapy at the University of Limerick. \u201cBut we know for some people, words fall short, or for others who don\u2019t have language, their communication is through vocalising to a piece of music or a song and engaging in that reciprocal communication beyond words.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no other stimulus that engages so many different parts of the brain simultaneously as much as music. It can be emotions, memories, or communication. It can be a complex intervention, but it\u2019s very good for us, and it\u2019s going to be really exciting to see where the research goes in the next 20 years.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Lagowska, the results are here and now.<\/p>\n
\u201cDanny rarely worked with anyone in the house. But now, when he knows Laoise is coming, he will actually go to the room where they work and wait for her to arrive,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been amazing. The only thing I\u2019d advise is having a bit of patience. You have to trust the process and give it a little bit of time to see results.\u201d<\/p>\n
Music therapy is still not officially recognised in Ireland; however, it is increasingly recognised as a bona fide treatment for various physical and mental health conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThough there are more than 200 people who are qualified to practice music therapy, it is not a registered health profession,\u201d says McCaffrey. \u201cIn Britain, it has been registered since 1999. It\u2019s not a protected title here, so that can lead to all sorts of problems around what is and what isn\u2019t music therapy and who can practice.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Triona](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/4756010_7_articleinline_Tr_C3_ADona_Dec_23_2.jpg\" "\\"Triona")
Triona McCaffrey, associate professor of music therapy at the University of Limerick<\/p>\n
McCaffrey runs the country\u2019s only master\u2019s degree in music therapy at the University of Limerick, and has been at the forefront of the practice in Ireland since her own graduation in the late 1990s.<\/p>\n
\u201cI still think it\u2019s in its infancy here,\u201d she says. \u201cIt takes time for the work to speak for itself. When I think back to when I trained, the landscape around mental health and therapy in general was totally different. We now have a much broader understanding of what it is to be healthy and mentally well.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe there is a growing openness to music therapy as a means of addressing the individual and adopting a more holistic approach.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost importantly, people now know that music therapy is an evidence-based practice and that builds confidence in the process.\u201d<\/p>\n
That evidence-based element is critical. While most lovers of the art know in their heart and soul that music can have profound effects on people, science needs proof.<\/p>\n
In recent years, hundreds of studies have been conducted on music therapy, with many focusing on its benefits to children.<\/p>\n