Music Therapy for Mental Health Wellness
3 Breathing Techniques to Help Ground You
If no one’s asked you lately – How are you? It’s Mental Health Awareness Month, so we’d like to check in and see if you’re living your best life. If so – amazing! But if you find yourself struggling to do your best at work, showing up for your loved ones, or upset with everything going on in the world – we hear you. A great way to reset can be to turn off the tv, and switch on some music in the mornings instead. Integrating music into your day in some way, whether it’s drumming, singing, listening to music, moving/exercising to a beat, discussing song lyrics, drawing to music, etc. can help combat common symptoms of stress and anxiety because of the way the brain responds to that stimulation.
Another helpful tool we use is breathing techniques! Here are our favorite top three that we use across all ages.
1. Bubble Breathing: Imagine you have a bubble wand, and take a deep breath in through your nose. Then, slowly breathe out through your mouth as if you’re blowing up a bubble through that imaginary wand. Repeat until you feel a bit better than you did before.
2. Hand Massage: Hold your left hand in your right and put your right thumb on the pad of your left palm under your pointer finger. Use your thumb to massage in circles, working your way from the inside to the outside of your palm. Next, squeeze and pinch each fingertip. Now, flip your hand and rub the top of it. Repeat on the other hand!
3. Sun and Sand: Envision you are at the beach on a beautiful summer day. Sit criss-cross applesauce on the sand. Breathe in and stretch your arms up high above your head, reaching towards the sun and lengthening your body. Feel your shoulders stretch. Now, breathe out and reach your arms out in front of you towards the sand. Hold the stretch for ten seconds and relax.
We love sharing strategies with others through music therapy services and creative arts wellness workshops that not only are fun, but help improve anxiety and stress. If you or you loved one are struggling with mental health, we’d love to see how we can help!