Reduced Pain Perception
Music therapy can help lower pain levels and decrease distress in individuals by directing attention away from the pain or anxiety through engaging the listener with music, either through familiar songs or instrumental play.
Services
Pain Management
Music therapy can act as a powerful non-pharmacological tool in both acute and chronic care. It works by stimulating the brain's reward system, increasing dopamine, and distracting from discomfort, often lowering the need for pain medication.
Non-pharmacological support
Helping reduce pain perception, stress, anxiety, and distress through music therapy.
Supporting comfort, regulation, and emotional wellbeing
The brain's neural networks for processing music heavily overlap with the networks that process pain. Music stimulates the release of dopamine, which acts as a natural pain reliever and mood booster. Music therapy sessions work on reducing anxiety which addresses the emotional and psychological components of pain, helping to alleviate the tension and agitation that often exacerbate physical discomfort.
How We Help
In music therapy sessions, the therapist will help identify areas for development to achieve outcomes such as:
Anxiety and Stress Reduction
Engaging in shared musical activities with others encourages interaction which can lower stress and anxiety.
Active vs. Passive Engagement
While listening to music is effective, active music-making (playing instruments, singing) with a therapist can offer deeper emotional regulation and pain management.
Who It Is For
Support across clinical, care, and community settings
Sessions can be delivered across various settings, including hospitals and palliative care, residential and nursing homes, and other places where older adults may benefit from relational, music-based therapeutic support.
This service may support people who:
- Manage long-term chronic pain, including conditions such as fibromyalgia or arthritis
- Oncology and Palliative Care Clients, relieving cancer-related pain and reducing reliance on opioids.
- Postoperative and Surgical Clients, focusing on alleviating surgical pain and easing anxiety.
- Paediatric and Procedural Clients, focusing on reducing anxiety and distraction during painful medical procedures (e.g., burn dressings, spinal taps).
In Practice
A therapeutic approach that supports the whole person
Pain is not only physical. It can affect mood, sleep, confidence, relationships, and the ability to feel calm or in control. Music therapy can support people emotionally and physically by creating a safe, engaging space where attention, expression, and regulation can shift.
Discuss a referral
Our Approach
How support is delivered
Initial conversation
We begin by understanding the person’s needs, setting, pain experience, and support goals.
Assessment
We consider emotional wellbeing, presentation, communication, comfort, and therapeutic fit.
Therapy delivery
Sessions may include listening, singing, rhythm, improvisation, relaxation, or active music-making.
Review
Support is reviewed so sessions remain safe, meaningful, and responsive to changing needs.