Recently, Tong Xinyao from Class 11-3 organized an art therapy exhibition in the fourth-floor atrium. Many people think that music therapy is just listening to a comfortable song. Through this exhibition, she hopes to break this misunderstanding and help more people understand how music can be used as a clinical tool. The exhibition introduces music therapy as a clinical method in which trained therapists use music interventions to mediate psychological pain and improve overall mental well-being.

The exhibition presents the four main methods of music therapy. First, the Receptive Method, including guided imagery, Music Reminiscence (the elderly with dementia), and Vibroacoustic Therapy. The Re-creative Method involves the client performing a piece of music, by which they experience recreation from “acting.”A key example is Melodic intonation therapy, where patients sing short phrases accompanied by tapping with the rhythm. The Improvisational Method encourages spontaneous music creation without fixed rules. It is used to manage emotions. Last but not least,  the Compositional Method, the client creates their own music or lyrics. This can provide space for self-expression and identity. One way is "musical autobiography", in which customers compile songs that mark the main events of life. This method supports the exploration of identity and emotional expression.

The exhibition then answers the question: What is the mechanism behind music therapy? Music activates the reward pathway of the brain by triggering the release of dopamine, and at the same time regulates the levels of neurohormones. Music mainly affects three key areas of the brain: the prefrontal cortex (emotional regulation and decision-making), the hippocampus (memory), and the amygdala (stress, fear, and emotional responses). Strengthening the connection between these areas can improve cognitive ability and emotional control. Music intervention also affects genes related to neuroplasticity, including BDNF, SNCA, and GATA2. In addition, tapping, nodding, or breathing with the music disrupts repetitive negative thoughts.

The exhibition shows cases from the book Classic Cases of Music Therapy. A 13-year-old girl named Xiao Yan was hospitalized for anorexia due to the risk of low body fat rate and self-harm. She initially refused all treatments and only accepted the music therapist's invitation to "play" the instrument. In a therapy session, they "spoke" with each other with two hand bells, one red and one yellow. This simple behavior made her see her illness as a separation from herself. She realized that although she didn't want her illness to go away, she didn't want it to control her. This marks a turning point. On the same day, she ate solid food for the first time in six months. Through continuous treatment, she recovered and was discharged from the hospital two months later.

The exhibition also shows three musical instruments commonly used in music therapy. First, the singing bowl. The singing bowl originated in the Himalayas and is made of seven-metal alloys. The player hits or rubs the rim with a padded mat. The sound vibration can help relieve anxiety, insomnia, and pain. Handpan is a steel percussion instrument developed in Switzerland in 2000. Its rich and harmonious overtones naturally guide the brain into a relaxed state, making it ideal for mindfulness and anxiety relief. The ocean drum is a double-headed drum filled with small metal beads. When it tilts, it will make a sound like waves, imitating the liquid environment of the womb. It has been used in neonatal intensive care units to soothe premature infants.

Music therapy is not passive listening. This is a form of psychological support based on scientific evidence and professional guidance. This exhibition invites the public to explore how sound can genuinely participate in restoring mental and physical health.