Music and arts therapies

Music, singing, painting and dance are part of daily life for most people. In music therapy and other creative arts therapies, a trained therapist uses them on purpose to help with mood, stress, memory and connection.

This page explains what the research shows for depression and for dementia, what to expect from a session, and how families can bring music and art into everyday care. Some of these activities have good evidence behind them. Others are simply enjoyable and low-risk, and that matters too.

What music and arts therapies are

Music therapy is a health profession. A trained music therapist uses music inside a helping relationship to work toward personal goals, such as easing stress, expressing feelings or improving communication.⁸ The word "therapy" here refers to the therapist's training, not to one set method.¹

That is different from just playing music for someone. Listening to recorded music, even when a nurse or aide sets it up, is helpful in its own way. But it is usually not counted as music therapy.¹

Music therapy can be active, such as singing, drumming, playing simple instruments or writing songs. It can also be receptive, which means listening to music and then talking or reflecting about it.²

Art therapy is a mental health profession that uses drawing, painting, clay and other art-making with a trained art therapist. Art therapists in the United States hold a master's degree or higher.¹⁰ You do not need to be "good at art" for it to be useful. The focus is on the process, not the finished picture.

Dance movement therapy uses movement and dance to support emotional and social health.⁵

Music therapy for depression

A Cochrane review (a careful summary of all the good studies on a topic) looked at music therapy for depression in 2017. It found 9 studies with 421 people, from teenagers to older adults.²

When people got music therapy on top of their usual care, their depression improved more than with usual care alone. Both the clinicians' ratings and the people's own ratings improved. The reviewers rated this evidence as moderate quality. Anxiety and daily functioning, such as keeping up with work and relationships, also improved.²

There are important limits:

• The studies were few and small, so the size of the benefit is uncertain.²
• The benefits were measured in the short term.²
• It is not clear whether music therapy works as well as talk therapy, because too few studies compared them.²
• It is not clear whether active music-making works better than listening-based music therapy.²
• Quality of life did not clearly improve.²

The review found no sign that music therapy caused more harm than usual care.²

What this means for you. If you are being treated for depression, music therapy may be a good extra step, especially if talking is hard for you or you love music. Keep up your other care, such as talk therapy or medicine. Talk with your doctor before changing any treatment.

Music for people living with dementia

Music often reaches people with dementia when words no longer do. A person in the late stage may still tap along to a beat or sing a song from childhood.⁷

A 2018 Cochrane review looked at music-based treatments for dementia. It included 22 trials with about 1,100 people. Everyone lived in a nursing home or hospital.³ Here is what it found at the end of treatment:

Source for the table: Cochrane review of music-based treatments for dementia.³

What this means in daily life. Music will not bring back memory or slow the disease. But it can brighten mood and ease some hard moments for a while. The effects in the studies were small. A 2021 review found a small benefit for thinking skills from active music programs, such as singing or playing, but this needs more study.¹

For more on hard behaviors, see agitation and aggression, sundowning and apathy and depression in dementia.

Personalized playlists and "Music & Memory"

One popular idea is a personal playlist: songs the person loved, often from their teens and twenties, played on headphones or a speaker.

Music & Memory is a nonprofit program that trains nursing homes, assisted living, hospice teams and family caregivers to build these playlists.¹¹ The National Institute on Aging funded Brown University researchers to test how well the approach works.¹¹

Many of the program's claims, such as fewer falls or less need for calming medicines, are not backed by published studies on its own website.¹¹ So treat these hopes with care. A playlist is still a low-cost, gentle activity that many families find worth trying.

Singing groups

Singing together combines music, breathing, memory and company. It may help people who are lonely or isolated.

In the Community of Voices trial, 390 adults aged 60 and older joined choirs at 12 senior centers in San Francisco. Choirs met weekly for 90 minutes with a professional director. Most singers were women, and about 2 in 3 were people of color.⁶

After 6 months, choir members felt less lonely and had more interest in life than people who had not started yet. But the choir did not change depression scores, memory tests or physical tests like walking speed and balance.⁶

Some senior centers, faith communities and memory cafés host singing groups, some made for people with dementia and their care partners. See ways to feel more connected and support groups.

Art and dance therapy: what we know

Art therapy for dementia. A 2018 Cochrane review found only 2 small trials, with results for 60 people. Neither showed clear changes in memory, mood, well-being or quality of life compared with other group activities. The evidence was rated very low quality.⁴ This means we do not know yet, not that art is useless.

Dance movement therapy for depression. A 2015 Cochrane review found 3 small trials with 147 people. It could not show whether dance therapy helps depression or not. The evidence was very low quality.⁵

Art and movement can still bring pleasure, purpose and a chance to express feelings that are hard to put into words.⁷ For movement with stronger evidence for mood, see exercise for depression and anxiety and tai chi.

Is it safe?

Music and art activities are very low-risk for most people. A few cautions:¹

• Loud music can damage hearing over time. Keep the volume moderate, especially with headphones.
• Strong memories. A song tied to a loss or a hard time can bring up sadness or distress. Stop or switch if this happens.
• Body strain. Playing an instrument for long periods, or dancing without care, can cause pain or injury.
• Art supplies. For a person with dementia, choose safe, non-toxic materials and avoid sharp tools.⁷

How to find a music or art therapist

• Music therapists in the U.S. can earn board certification from the Certification Board for Music Therapists. They use the letters MT-BC after their name. The board has a "Find a Therapist" search.⁹
• Art therapists hold a master's degree or higher. You can check credentials through the Art Therapy Credentials Board and find one using the American Art Therapy Association's locator.¹⁰
• Music and art therapists often work in hospitals, hospices, senior communities, rehab centers and clinics.^8,10 Ask your doctor, hospice team or local adult day program whether they have one.
• Ask your insurance plan about coverage before you start. See paying for therapy and how to find a therapist.

Bringing music and art into daily care

You do not need a therapist to use music and art at home. These ideas are drawn from Alzheimer's Association advice.⁷

1. Pick familiar music the person enjoys. Let them choose when they can. Songs from their younger years often work best.
2. Match the music to the moment. Play calm music for rest or bathing. Use livelier songs to lift energy or spark memories.
3. Cut the background noise. Turn off the TV, close windows and use music without ads, which can confuse.
4. Invite movement. Clap, sway, tap a beat or dance together if it is safe.
5. Keep art projects adult. Avoid crafts that feel childish. Try painting, collage, flower arranging or looking at photos together.
6. Help start, then step back. You may need to make the first brushstroke. Talk about the work and the memories it brings.
7. Take your time. A project does not need to be finished in one sitting.

For more ideas by stage, see meaningful activities. Music also pairs well with reminiscence and life review and cognitive stimulation therapy. Caregivers can use music for their own stress, too. See caregiver stress and burnout.

Do I need musical or art talent to benefit?

No. Music and art therapy focus on taking part and expressing yourself, not on skill. Many people in these programs have never played an instrument or painted before.

Can music replace medicine for depression or dementia?

No. Music therapy has helped depression as an add-on to usual care.² For dementia, music can ease mood and some behaviors a little, but it does not treat the disease itself.³ Talk with your doctor before changing any medicine.

What if the person with dementia gets upset by a song?

Stop the music calmly and try something else or a quieter setting. Note which songs cause distress so others in the care circle know. The care circle tool can help you share this.

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.