Music has been a part of our life since our earliest memories. We enjoy listening to music and carry it through almost every moment of our lives. The meaningful stanzas, melodies and beats develop a special connection with our emotions. But how does music exactly work on the mind, and what role does music therapy play in restoring our health?
Role of Music in a Stressful Environment
In today’s fast paced work culture, conversation around mental health is more open. People are unable to figure out how to deal with certain emotions and manage their emotional load. Since mental and physical health are closely connected, finding a reliable practice that helps you slowdown is important. This is why music therapy has gained attention. Therapies done by expert music therapists can actually help you to gain a better understanding of self; and free your body, mind and soul from the toxicities.
Prof. Ashish Kasbe, Assistant Professor at Sri Balaji University, Pune’s School of Liberal Arts, explains that music therapy is one of the highly effective methods of treating mental health conditions. It significantly contributes to reducing stress and strengthens internal power to deal with roller coasters of emotions. It works well alongside conventional therapies but is not a standalone "cure" for all mental health issues. He says that music has the potential to uplift your feelings, however with the beat-driven tracks we are slowly losing touch with meaningful music—the cultural essence of India. These up-tempo diluted music makes more noise than giving a message.
He shares that music influences personality, resilience and social cohesion. It develops your flexibility as we go through several ups and downs. Today's youth struggle to regulate their emotions. They react faster than they respond. They quit quickly when life becomes unbearable. They rely heavily on AI tools for simple tasks and queries but hesitate to speak with parents or elders due to trust issues. In the middle of all this, music offers a safe space to feel, process and release.
Music Therapy as a Treatment Approach
The reference regarding ragas affecting brain activity is actually supported by the recent neuroscience research. The study from IIT Mandi using EEG microstate analysis confirmed that Raga Darbari enhances attention-related brain states while reducing mind-wandering, whereas Raga Jogiya activates emotional regulation pathways. These effects were measurable and consistent across participants, reflecting genuine neurological changes rather than subjective experience alone. Music therapy doesn’t work only on mental health issues. It is also helpful in different domains including physical, cognitive, spiritual, emotional, social, inter-personal, communication, quality of life, wellbeing and sleep quality.
Key Benefits of Music Therapy
1. Reduces anxiety and stress: Music has been shown to mitigate the stress response by helping regulate cortisol levels during challenging situations, while also activating the limbic system—the brain region central to emotional processing and memory formation.
2. Builds self-confidence: Music helps people explore their emotions honestly and gain clarity about themselves.
3. Supports growth and development: Engaging with music strengthens patience, discipline and emotional maturity.
4. Helps maintain physical health: Relaxing music can regulate sleep, improve breathing patterns and reduce physical tension.
5. Improves cognitive functioning: Rhythm and melody stimulate attention, focus and problem solving. Active music participation shows stronger effects on attention and problem-solving than passive listening.
6. Enhances social functioning: Group music activities improve communication and empathy through both neural activation (mirror neuron system) and behavioural outcomes.
Music Therapy at SBUP’s School of Liberal Arts
Under a comprehensive curriculum of its liberal arts course, the SBUP’s School of Liberal Arts, teaches music therapy as a concept and a practical skill that students can use in real life. The program includes four dedicated papers, arranged in a way that helps students first understand music deeply and then learn how to use it for healing. The School has four papers that includes evolution of music in India, global influence and development of music, foundations of music therapy and application music therapy techniques. Through practising music therapy papers, students here learn why certain sounds make us feel calm, happy or hopeful. They understand how music connects with memory, mood and emotional triggers. Alongside this the students also learn relaxation techniques, mood elevation theories and how to use music to support emotional balance and daily decision making.
These papers also connect with other subjects taught at the School of Liberal Arts such as leadership development, applied ethics and policy studies. The idea is to help students build a well-rounded understanding of human behaviour, community and personal growth.
Bringing Cultural Roots Back Through Music
India has a rich musical heritage, but many young listeners are now moving towards groovy music that has beats more than meaning. Through the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) framework, SBUP encourages students to reconnect with cultural music and understand why it affects us so deeply. More than entertainment music is a reflection of thought, culture and identity.