Music Therapy in Adolescent Mental Health
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
It is no secret that the teenage years are a transformative time, full of stressors. Adolescents struggle with the weight of school, working for the first time, maintaining strong friendships and family relationships, and figuring out who they are. During this time, the weight of all the pressure can build up and cause some teenagers to experience more serious symptoms.
According to the National Institute for Health, more than 5.3 million adolescents aged 12-17, or about 20% of teens, were struggling with a diagnosed mental or behavioral health condition in 2023. These diagnoses may include depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders. These hidden disabilities are extremely real and taxing, and can affect every area of a person’s life. Depression can make seemingly “easy” tasks feel daunting, and anxiety can cause overwhelming panic in everyday scenarios. Teens struggling with substance abuse disorder may not know how else to cope with the pain and emotional weight they feel. These diagnoses, and others, make it difficult for these adolescents to live their life to the fullest.
At The STAR Center, our music therapy team works with adolescents struggling with their mental health in a variety of settings, including inpatient care, outpatient programs, and individual sessions. During these sessions, our goal is to provide a safe space for these adolescents to process their emotions and the events going on in their lives. We are trained and certified to use music as a tool in a therapeutic setting.
This may look like using the lyrics of a song to discuss coping strategies, unhealthy habits, self-awareness, and more. We may also use instruments to help teens express their feelings nonverbally, or songwriting to explore deeper conversations. The music we use depends on what they adolescents enjoy, because in music therapy, person-preferred music is the most successful in reaching goals. We may use a country song one day, and a rap or pop song the next. Building rapport in therapy is crucial, and using music that is meaningful to the people we work with is the best way to facilitate that connection.
Below is an example of a music therapy intervention and session plan that may be used in adolescent mental health.
Intervention: Music-Based Discussion
Goal(s):
- To increase self-awareness
- To increase emotional identification
Objective(s):
- Through participation in music-based discussion, participants will increase self-awareness and emotional identification as evidenced by expressing one personal insight regarding their fears, as well as stating at least two fears by the end of the session.
Song(s) Used:
Icebreaker: Somebody’s Watching Me by Rockwell, Vampire by Olivia Rodrigo, Superstition by Stevie Wonder
Intervention: Thriller- Michael Jackson; Sidelines- Phoebe Bridgers
Procedure:
1. Check-in
a. MT-BC will invite each group member to share their name, pronouns, and how they are feeling today.
2. Icebreaker (10 min)
a. MT-BC will facilitate “Name That Tune”
b. Theme: Halloween Songs
i. Somebody’s Watching Me- Rockwell
ii. Vampire- Olivia Rodrigo
iii. Superstition- Stevie Wonder
c. MT-BC will play the instrumentals (live) and sing the vocal melody on a repetitive sound (ex: da, la, ta, etc.). Pts should be instructed to raise their hand if/when they recognize the song. Once therapist has sung 1 verse and 1 chorus, they will call on one pt to share the name of the song and artist.
3. Music-Based Discussion
a. MT-BC will prompt discussion about classic Halloween themes, items, and songs.
b. MT-BC will show participants short segment of music video for “Thriller” by Michael Jackson (timestamps) and prompt discussion on physical/environmental fears (spiders, the dark, tight spaces).
c. Discuss:
i. Is fear reserved for physical experiences, or if you can be scared of time/feelings/events?
ii. Do things that look/seem scary always end up BEING scary? Or is it our assumption/perception?
4. Sidelines- Phoebe Bridgers
a. MT-BC will handout lyric sheets and highlighters, direct participants to follow along and mark anything that stands out, and play song live on guitar.
b. MT-BC will open up discussion, using questions below as a guide.
i. What did you think of this song?
ii. What is this song about?
iii. Did any of the lyrics stand out to you?
iv. Why is she saying she isn’t scared of anything? Do you believe her?
v. If not, then why do you not believe her? What elements of the music made you think maybe she is actually scared?
vi. Who is she trying to convince?
vii. Why is she saying she isn’t scared if we know she really is?
viii. Why do we have to cope with fear?
c. MT-BC will transition discussion to the topic of coping skills to close session.
5. Check out
a. MT-BC will invite each participant to share their name and one coping skill they can use when experiencing fear.
Mental health challenges can feel isolating, but no one has to face them alone. Music therapy provides a creative, evidence-based approach that helps people build confidence, process emotions, strengthen communication, and develop healthy coping strategies.
If you or someone you love could benefit from music therapy, The STAR Center is here to help. Our board-certified music therapists serve individuals of all ages and abilities, creating personalized experiences that support emotional wellness, personal growth, and a higher quality of life.
To learn more about Music Therapy at The STAR Center or to schedule an assessment, contact our team today. We would be honored to help you discover how music can become a pathway to healing and hope.
