“Music Therapy and Mental Health” is the topic for the Mental Health Ministry program to be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, October 17, at Grace Lutheran Church.

The presenter, certified music therapist Erica Buchhammer, will discuss and demonstrate with numerous musical instruments how music may be used in the treatment of individuals challenged by mental illness or other health issues.

In her synopsis about the presentation, Buchhammer describes music therapy as “a psychotherapeutic method that uses musical interaction as a means of communication and expression, with the goal of developing relationships and addressing issues where words alone may not suffice.”

A part of the presentation will be interactive, demonstrating the various categories of music activities used in the therapy from listening and responding to playing and composing to movement, recreation and relaxation, or combined with other expressive arts. [Read more…]