The Healing power of music & the benefits of conscious listening

Music is more than just background noise or entertainment; it's a powerful, ancient force that connects us deeply to our emotions, our memories, and even our physical health. Across cultures and throughout history, music has been used to express love, grief, joy, and community. Today, scientific research and therapeutic practices are confirming what many have intuitively known: music has the ability to heal, regulate, and transform us.

I have been working with music for over 30 years, as a teacher, performer, and music producer, and I also integrate it into my work as a psychotherapist. Over the years, I've worked with charities, supporting autistic children, young people, and disadvantaged adults, as well as teaching guitar and music more broadly. I have seen firsthand how conscious engagement with music and creativity can support emotional well-being.

In this piece, I want to explore how listening to and making music can help us express, regulate, and understand our emotions, and why it has such a profound effect on mental health.

Music and the brain: The science behind the sound

Neurologist Oliver Sacks famously explored how music impacts the brain, particularly in patients with neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. He found that even when patients lose the ability to communicate verbally, familiar songs can awaken memories and emotions deeply embedded in the brain. This phenomenon shows that music activates multiple brain regions involved in memory, emotion, and movement, creating pathways that words alone often cannot reach.

Similarly, neuroscientist Daniel Levitin explains in his book This Is Your Brain on Music how music engages the brain's emotional centres, releasing dopamine, the chemical linked to pleasure and reward. This is why a powerful song can move us to tears or lift our spirits instantly.

Music in counselling and emotional expression

In psychotherapy, music is increasingly used to help clients express emotions that may be difficult to verbalise. Music therapy isn't about musical perfection; rather, it's about using sound as a medium to explore, release, and understand inner feelings. For many, playing an instrument or simply listening mindfully provides a pathway to self-awareness and healing.

Research shows that music therapy can reduce anxiety, alleviate depression, and even improve physical symptoms such as pain and muscle tension. The rhythmic patterns in music can regulate the nervous system, encouraging relaxation and a sense of safety. Clients can experience music as a form of emotional expression and connection, accessing parts of themselves that may be locked away in trauma or stress.

Conscious listening and mood regulation

Most of us naturally choose music that reflects our mood, listening to sad songs when we feel down, or upbeat tunes when we want to celebrate. But what if we became more conscious about the music we select? What if, instead of allowing music to deepen negative feelings, we used it deliberately to uplift, soothe, or energise ourselves?

Music psychologist Dr Anabel Jensen highlights the importance of mindful music listening. By tuning into how different songs affect our emotions and body, we can create personalised playlists that support mental wellbeing. This conscious engagement helps us move beyond passive listening and turns music into an active tool for emotional regulation.

The expressive power of making music

Beyond listening, creating music, whether through singing, drumming, or playing an instrument, offers a unique form of expression. Music allows us to release tension, anger, sadness, and joy in a nonverbal way, bypassing the mind's defences. It can be a form of emotional catharsis and a way to connect with our inner selves.

Psychotherapist and music educator Dr Catherine Meads emphasises how music-making can build self-esteem and confidence. By finding our own voice and rhythm, we nurture identity and mindfulness. This creative process is deeply healing and accessible to everyone, regardless of musical skill.

Music as a bridge between people

Music also connects us to others. Group activities like drum circles or choir singing promotes a sense of belonging and community, which are essential for mental health. Through shared rhythms and harmonies, people experience unity and emotional resonance, breaking down feelings of isolation.

Bringing music into everyday life

Incorporating music consciously into daily routines can be a simple yet profound way to enhance well-being. Whether it's starting the day with energising tunes, using calming sounds during meditation, or playing an instrument to unwind, music offers endless possibilities to support emotional balance.

Music, movement, and somatic release

Music is not experienced by the mind alone; the body responds instinctively. Movement is embodiment. When we dance, tap a foot, or sway, we bypass purely cognitive processing and let the body express emotions that may have no words. Trauma specialists Peter Levine, author of Waking the Tiger, and Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score, highlight how rhythm and free‑form movement can release tension and trauma stored in muscle and nervous tissue.

Moving to music helps us let go of stress and reconnect with ourselves. A steady rhythm can calm the nervous system, while dancing brings back a sense of joy and freedom in the body. It's a gentle, restorative way to release tension and feel more grounded, offering the body a chance to express what words sometimes cannot.

Final thoughts: Becoming your own music companion

You don't need to be a professional to harness music's therapeutic benefits. By asking yourself questions like "How does this music make me feel?" or "Does playing this instrument help me express what I'm holding inside?" you can begin a mindful practice of self-care. Music can become a companion on your journey toward emotional health, a way to express, regulate, and heal.

In a world that often feels disconnected and overwhelming, music invites us back to ourselves and each other. It is a timeless tool for transformation, waiting for us to listen more consciously and play more freely.