How Music Can Heal Our Brain and Heart | Kathleen M. Howland | TEDxBerkleeValencia

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Published 2015-05-27

Music therapy is an ancient and yet very modern practice that has the power to heal and transform our brains and bodies in significant ways. Kathleen Howland, speech language and music therapist explains how music really does have the power to heal our brain and heart.

Themed Changing Currents, TEDxBerkleeValencia welcomes leading international innovators, entrepreneurs, creative business people, and artists from diverse countries representing music, fashion and design, the environment, technology and religion. The second edition of TEDxBerkleeValencia, which took place at L’Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe, addressed several notions of change - paradigm shifts; movement, both physical and societal; and new tendencies across multiple disciplines.

TEDxBerkleeValencia website: tedxberkleevalencia.com/

Kathleen M. Howland is a certified music therapist and licensed speech language pathologist. For the past 30+ years, she has worked with a variety of clinical populations using music to enhance speech, language, cognition and movement in habilitation and rehabilitation settings. Her doctoral studies in music and cognition have informed and supported her interest in bridging the communities of science and art in order to identify best practices. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses at Berklee College of Music and the Boston Conservatory in music therapy, neuroscience and positive psychology.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

All Comments (21)

@Dil.Careem 1 year ago

Music is my only friend helping me to come out of unpleasant circumstances promptly. No matter whether I go with the tune, it helps me attain peace of mind. Music is like magic which is always there for me.
@siohosy2630 7 years ago

her voice is like music....
@robintucker 3 years ago

She is the MOST wonderful. I take her class at Berklee College of Music.
@emilythesongbird2306 5 years ago

What a beautiful and powerful talk! I witness the healing power of music in so many ways on a daily basis. It is so important for us to not just see music as entertainment but to realize it's therapeutic nature. Thank you for sharing so openly and honestly, with such poise, grace and compassion. In Harmony and Gratitude
@kandyappleview 4 years ago

"Please don't presume we're there to entertain or perform. That's a magical byproduct of what we do" This resonates with me. One of my former teachers talked about what art really is. The painting, the recording, the sculpture.... that's not the art. That's the byproduct of art. The art is the dragging of the brush across the canvas, the feeling of creating or experiencing sound that resonates through the entire body, the use of the hands and tools to mold and shape. The evidence we get to enjoy for years to come is but a magical byproduct of the art that took place.
@New_Zealand_Music 1 year ago

Music is magic. Can help create new neural pathways. And increase the size of certain parts of your brain. I also do other neuro plasticity exercises. Like writing with both hands etc.
@scottfranson4215 4 years ago

Please never stop teaching,I think you will have more to say and it will mean more then you know now. It will be WONDERFUL
@mattcarlson8262 2 years ago

I am sure that babies can feel vibrations much sooner that the third trimester. Wonderful talk.
@Xelann 6 years ago

Her voice is so melodic and soothing, I wish I could have that effect.
@Schhmoop 7 years ago

I love your serene, confident energy...beautiful talk.
@Rachel-wv4cg 1 year ago

I never appreciated music so much, thank you.
@emilyhedrick2851 4 years ago

I love her voice.
@shaneD7378 1 year ago

I was just wondering about this after my personal experience with music as a coping strategie and of course ted have covered it perfectly
@pam685 4 years ago

I am cooking and the truth is that everything they say comes at the moment that it has to arrive, I was interested in how we manipulate the networks and how we can use them to our benefit and I came to healing music and shamanic healing music and then unintentionally or destination I arrived here !!! With this voice blessed gift from heaven! just listening to his vocal intonation vibration accurate that makes me happy and I'm cooking with such incredible enthusiasm, my English is very limited (using google translate now) but that matters ... with that voice that is like the love-filled lullaby of a mother arms and it makes us feel so tender ❤️👍🙏😄
@dhirenderbajaj4529 7 years ago

I am so happy that I want to be a music therapist..... Thank you so much..
@audreyo761 4 years ago

Mom's heartbeats, first thing u learn
@talktimewithreidmoriarty 9 years ago

that was fabulous Kathleen. i know this to be true for my son with autism yet still took notes because you explain it so well! i'm glad Allie shared this with me:)
@WhitneyJonesMusic 9 years ago

Being of service to our fellow humans = purpose driven lives! :-) #MT-BC
@emilythesongbird2306 7 years ago

Thank you Kathleen for your thorough and beautiful explanation and affirmation of the power of music to heal. I agree with you wholeheartedly. Music began bubbling up inside me 15 years ago as I began to feel and experience the healing power of music in my life. Then I too began to use music to heal others through a unique music healing program I developed. It does transform. I see it with alzeimer's patients, children of all ages and their families. I am deeply grateful for your talk and for the power of music to heal our cells and our planet.
@SomosLaNuevaEra 2 years ago

Smile on your face and in your mind‚ positive energy will come to you to help dispel negative things ❤️