Silence in Music Therapy: The Healing Power Where Silence Speaks Louder Than Sound
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In music therapy processes, music and melodies are certainly important, but scientists wondered: if music therapy lacks music, what impact does this silent period have on overall healing process?
Silence in Music Therapy: The Healing Power Where Silence Speaks Louder Than Sound
In music therapy processes, music and melodies are certainly important, but scientists wondered: if music therapy lacks music, what impact does this silent period have on overall healing process?
Research finds silence in music therapy may possess greater healing power than sound itself. Let's examine deep relaxation music therapy combined with structured silence's impacts and changes on people.
Three-Phase Experimental Research
Scientists designed three-phase experiments focusing on: 1. How pre-silence states affect silence quality 2. Different external environmental factors' regulatory effects on silence 3. Clinical applicability of deep relaxation music therapy and silence combination for specific populations
Phase One: Indoor Experiment
First phase conducted indoors, 60 healthy university students divided into 2 groups. Experimental group: deep relaxation music therapy + structured silence - students listened to therapist's improvised piano music, followed guidance for breathing adjustments and mindfulness practice, 16-minute practice followed by 6.5-minute silence.
Control group: lecture + structured silence - students first heard 16-minute lecture about music therapy and silence, then entered 6.5-minute silent period.
Results showed deep relaxation music therapy + silence group's relaxation levels were 40% higher than control group, future anxiety thoughts decreased 34%. Simultaneously, their perception of surrounding space significantly narrowed, attention shifted from external focus to internal self.
Phase Two: Outdoor Experiment
Second phase expanded experimental venue to botanical garden open areas with natural background sounds, adding salivary cortisol testing as physiological indicator.
Compared to indoor experiments, natural environment addition increased both groups' relaxation levels by average 28%. Regarding cortisol reduction, deep relaxation music therapy group decreased 38.7%, better than control group's 21.3%.
Results also found high mindfulness trait individuals showed biphasic responses in natural silence. Initially sensitive to environmental sound changes, later high mindfulness individuals felt their body boundaries gradually weakening, beginning wonderful experiences merging with nature.
Phase Three: Clinical Application
Third phase applied previous phases' results clinically, attempting helping students with music performance anxiety. In study targeting 12 music conservatory students, silence after deep relaxation music therapy reduced "ruminative thinking" incidence by 34%.
Therapist's professional intervention is prerequisite for silence effectiveness. Silence needs container, therapeutic relationship is that container. Without therapist's live guidance, replacing with recorded guidance, experimental students felt no healing during silence but more abandonment feelings.
Silence Application in Hospice Care
Silence demonstrates deeper healing power in hospice care. When late-stage cancer patient passed away with family present, therapist invited family sitting silently around body for 20 minutes.
Initial silence triggered family's strong tension and anxiety. Therapist established rhythm through breathing guidance, invited family touching deceased's arm feeling temperature changes, gradually transforming silence into shared tranquility among family, who spontaneously began sharing memories with deceased.
Dual Nature of Silence
But silence can also become double-edged sword. Questionnaire showed among 26 music therapists, 19 encountered problematic silence. When therapy fell into silence, 68% therapists experienced anxiety about breaking silence, 52% clients showed tension-related physical reactions.
Such silence often stems from unresolved issues in therapeutic relationship. Therapists must precisely grasp fleeting moments and critical points to exert silence's proper therapeutic effects.
Practical Psychology Suggestions
1. 6.5-minute silent ritual: Reference deep relaxation music therapy method from experiments - choose favorite music, adjust breathing following rhythm, listen quietly then turn off music, maintain sitting silently 6.5 minutes.
2. Anxiety pause button: When trapped in negative thoughts, find quiet environment, try discovering and distinguishing environment's faintest sounds, place palm on chest feeling heartbeat rhythm, using silence reducing ruminative thinking's impact.
