Music and Art Therapy

Overview

What It Is Music therapy and art therapy are credentialed health professions that use music or visual-art experiences, guided by a trained therapist, to support cognitive, emotional, physical, and social goals. Sessions may be individual or group and are tailored to ability and needs.

How It Works Music and art engage multiple brain systems at once—motor, auditory/visual, emotional, and social. Structured, enjoyable engagement can support mood, motivation, residual cognitive function, and motor timing through activation and practice of those networks. These therapies are not disease-modifying but can meaningfully improve daily experience and participation.

Conditions - Commonly used for: dementia (mood and engagement), neurological rehabilitation, depression, and trauma-related support. - Note: Moderate evidence for mood and quality-of-life benefits, especially in dementia. Risk is very low with credentialed therapists.

How it is administered

Individual or group sessions with a credentialed music therapist or art therapist. Session length is typically 45–60 minutes and is tailored to goals and ability.

The NPA Treatment Database lists this treatment in connection with 8 condition records. A database relationship does not establish effectiveness, safety, or suitability for an individual.

These controlled question pages reference this treatment through stored condition relationships.

Symptoms connected in the NPA database

The current record associates this treatment with the following symptom information. This is not a claim that the treatment will improve these symptoms.

Cognition & Memory

confusion with time/place
Delayed cognitive skill development
difficulty concentrating
Difficulty sustaining attention
difficulty with familiar tasks
difficulty with flexible thinking
Difficulty with sequencing
forgetfulness
intense focus on specific interests
Memory loss (especially recent events)
mental fog
processing speed for written information
racing thoughts
Short-term memory issues
Short-term memory problems
slowed processing
slowed thinking
spatial neglect
trouble organizing or completing tasks
trouble planning or problem-solving
Variable cognitive strengths/challenges
working memory challenges
working memory issues
worry

Emotion & Behavior

anxiety
apathy
avoidance behaviors
avoidance of reading tasks
Challenges with social communication
depression
difficulty with regulation
emotional dysregulation
emotional lability (uncontrollable laughing/crying)
emotional regulation differences
Excessive fear or worry
frustration
impulsivity
irritability
lowered self-confidence
Mood and personality changes
mood swings
repetitive behaviors
restricted interests
Social-emotional delays
withdrawal from activities

Motor Control

Balance and coordination problems
coordination or motor-planning differences
Delayed gross or fine motor milestones
difficulty walking
excessive movement (hyperactivity type)
Fidgeting
Later-stage mobility and coordination decline
Minimal (occasional fine-motor or coordination differences)
muscle stiffness/spasticity
muscle tension
One-sided weakness or paralysis
poor balance and coordination
reduced fine motor skills
Repetitive movements
restlessness
slowed movements
trembling
weakness

Practical information

Insurance coverage

Sometimes covered under behavioral health, rehabilitation, or long-term care benefits, especially in institutional settings. Coverage for outpatient sessions varies and is often limited.

Cost information

$50–$150+ per session depending on setting and therapist credentials. Group programs are usually less expensive.

Results and outcomes described in the source record

Mood and engagement benefits can appear within the first few sessions; cognitive or behavioral changes are typically assessed over weeks of consistent participation.

Side effects and risks

Very low risk. Highly tolerable. Rare emotional responses possible in sensitive individuals.

Research context in the NPA database

This section reproduces the current database's research summary and detail. Structured citation metadata has not been supplied, so it should not be read as an independently verified literature review.

Research summary

Evidence Level: Moderate

What the research shows: Research supports music and art therapy for improving mood, engagement, and quality of life, especially in dementia and neurological conditions. These therapies are not disease-modifying but can meaningfully improve daily experience.

Key takeaway: Low-risk, engaging therapies that support emotional and social well-being alongside medical care.

Research detail

Overview Music therapy and art therapy are credentialed health professions that use music or visual-art experiences, guided by a trained therapist, to support cognitive, emotional, physical, and social goals. Sessions may be individual or group and are tailored to the person’s abilities and needs. In neurological and dementia care, music therapy often emphasizes rhythm, familiar songs, and active music-making to support mood, engagement, and residual cognitive function. Art therapy provides non-verbal avenues for expression, sensory engagement, and emotional processing.

Evidence Base and Published Work • Randomized controlled trials support mood and quality-of-life benefits of music therapy in dementia. • Systematic reviews of music therapy in neurological and mental-health populations provide additional support. • Key published work includes: – RCTs supporting mood and quality-of-life benefits in dementia. – Systematic reviews of music therapy in neurological and mental-health populations. – These therapies are not disease-modifying but can meaningfully improve daily experience and participation. Risk is very low when delivered by credentialed therapists.

Outcomes Outcomes most frequently described include improved mood, engagement, and quality of life, especially in dementia and neurological conditions. Evidence is moderate. The approaches are low-risk and engaging.

Questions to ask a provider

1. Is music therapy, art therapy, or both recommended for my goals (mood, cognition, motor, expression)? 2. Will sessions be individual or group, and what credentials does the therapist hold (e.g., MT-BC)? 3. How many sessions are suggested before we evaluate benefit? 4. Is this covered under mental-health, rehabilitation, or hospice benefits? 5. How will progress in mood, engagement, or function be measured?

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