This is a non-exhaustive list of ways that music care – self-care using music – works for you. We chose these examples to illustrate the vast opportunity for music care outside of clinical practice. They apply equally well to individuals, families, teams, and entire organizations.

For completeness, we have also provided links for “supportive music,” sometimes branded as “palliative music” or “life music care” in its own category, and “music therapy.”

For proof of music care, there are thousands of years of anecdotal evidence to review, and at least one hundred years of clinical research to support your quest, and, best of all, your own self-evident results.

Beyond supportive/background music, these examples invite intention, purpose, and skillful use…no therapist needed. Want to know more? Ask us how!

Intervention (Pain Points)

1. Support diversity
2. Support equity
3. Support inclusion
4. Support conflict resolution
5. Support peer counseling
6. Support mentoring
7. Support motivation
8. Support engagement
9. Support group/team cohesion
10. Support group/team purpose
11. Support training
12. Overcome language/communication barriers
13. Facilitate entrainment (“everyone on the same page”)
14. Physical pain relief
15. Anxiety release
16. Grief release
17. Fear release
18. Anger release
19. Trauma release
20. Trigger joy
21. Trigger excitement
22. Trigger anticipation
23. Trigger curiosity
24. Trigger/improve relaxation
25. Improve breathing
26. Improve sleep
27. Improve focus and concentration
28. Invite peace
29. Invite health
30. Release tension-type headache
31. Learn to find comfort in uncertainty
32. Become more open to diversity

Soft Skills (Leadership)

33. Improve empathy
34. Improve compassion
35. Improve authenticity
36. Improve appreciation
37. Improve discretion
38. Improve resilience
39. Improve integrity
40. Improve discernment
41. Improve collaboration
42. Improve dignity
43. Improve modesty
44. Improve charisma
45. Improve forgiveness
46. Improve respect
47. Improve loyalty
48. Improve courage
49. Improve ethics
50. Improve deliberation
51. Improve kindness
52. Improve humility
53. Improve insight
54. Improve abundance
55. Improve altruism
56. Improve fairness
57. Improve patience
58. Improve consistency
59. Improve honor
60. Improve humor
61. Improve excellence
62. Improve cooperation
63. Improve sustainability
64. Improve humor
65. Improve self-awareness
66. Improve self-compassion
67. Improve nobility

Growth Skills (Improved Performance)

68. Safe exploration of self-awareness
69. Safe exploration of self-actualization
70. Safe exploration of risk
71. Improve emotional regulation
72. Improve inspiration
73. Improve memorization and retention
74. Improve physical performance
75. Improve emotional awareness
76. Improve interpersonal understanding
77. Improve dialogue
78. Improve discourse
79. Facilitate paradox
80. Facilitate servant leadership
81. Facilitate emotional intelligence
82. Facilitate career development
83. Improve learning
84. Improve responsibility and response-ability
85. Improve decision-making

Transformation Skills

86. Explore and support non-linear, non-strategic thinking
87. Explore and support non-binary thinking
88. Facilitate and exponentialize results of Enneagram work
89. Facilitate and exponentialize results of mindset work
90. Facilitate and exponentialize results of presence
91. Facilitate and exponentialize process and results of openings to “5D” awareness and consciousness
92. Facilitate and exponentialize the process and results of shadow journeying
93. Facilitate and exponentialize the process and results of heroic journeying
94. Facilitate and exponentialize the process and results of “energy” work
95. Facilitate and exponentialize the process and results of “vibrational” work
96. Facilitate and exponentialize the process and results of plant medicine work
97. Facilitate and exponentialize the process and results of contemplative prayer
98. Facilitate and exponentialize the process and results of Reiki
99. Facilitate and exponentialize the process and results of breathwork
100. Facilitate and exponentialize the process and results of guided meditation
101. Facilitate and exponentialize the process and results of psychotherapy
102. Facilitate and exponentialize the process and results of “sound healing” work
103. Facilitate and exponentialize the process and results of network spinal analysis
104. Transform neglect to appreciation
105. Transform indiscretion to discretion
106. Transform rigidity to flexibility
107. Transform deceit to integrity
108. Transform bias to equity
109. Transform monologue to dialogue
110. Transform division to collaboration
111. Transform insignificance to dignity
112. Transform disrespect to respect
113. Transform disloyalty to loyalty
114. Transform incompetence to effectiveness
115. Transform inhibition to confidence
116. Transform cowardice to courage
117. Transform dissent to collaboration
118. Transform corruption to honesty
119. Transform carelessness to deliberation
120. Transform unkindness to kindness
121. Transform arrogance to humility
122. Transform disdain to empathy
123. Transform blindness to vision
124. Transform lack to abundance
125. Transform meanness to altruism
126. Transform partiality to fairness
127. Transform agitation to patience
128. Transform inconsistency to consistency
129. Transform dishonor to honor
130. Transform drama to humor
131. Transform imperfection to excellence
132. Transform conformity to contrast
133. Transform antagonism to cooperation
134. Transform cruelty to compassion

Spiritual Skills

It is difficult to define spiritual skills in precise terms but as one respected psychiatrist describes it, they “connect one to something one can neither see nor hear.” We think that definition could be expanded to include the other physical senses as well, although it may be wise to exclude “thought” as we generally perceive it as a particularly spiritual skill in favor of “feeling” or “intuition.” Science is weak on such things. The importance of spirituality in music is unmistakable: music connects human beings in ways science does not yet fully understand, both to the more intuitive parts of self/other awareness and to other people. There is no prerequisite to connect music and spirituality, although it is important to state that music and spirituality in no way interfere with one’s religious practice and, in many ways, music only enhances the religious experience.

That said, Music Care is a supportive tool for processing metaphor, allegory, and simile, which are timeless ways in which the language of spirituality is presented in the great wisdom literature of the world, from the Bible to the Torah, to the Koran, to the Bhagavad Gita and beyond. Music Care also helps skill-up for processing paradox, perhaps the ultimate gateway to spirituality in our age.

Supportive (Background) Music: see Life Music Care™ website

Clinical Applications for Music: see American Music Therapy Association website

The Music Care Basic Principles