And other health benefits of music therapy
When life is shaped by hospital visits, treatment schedules, and long days of uncertainty, finding moments of calm can feel out of reach. For people living with cancer, music can offer that pause—a way to feel present, connected, and human again.
Music therapy builds on something we already know intuitively: that sound affects how we feel. It gives patients a safe, creative space to process emotions and find relief from the physical and emotional strain of treatment. Unlike simply turning on a favorite song, music therapy is guided by trained professionals who use rhythm, melody, and interaction to help patients manage pain, anxiety, and fatigue.
Let’s explore how music therapy fits into cancer care by looking at:
What is music therapy?
Music therapy is a structured, evidence-based form of treatment that uses sound to support healing. For people facing cancer, it offers a way to manage symptoms that medicine can’t always reach, such as anxiety before a scan, restlessness during chemotherapy, or the quiet grief that follows a diagnosis.
At its core, music therapy is guided by a board-certified music therapist—a professional trained in both psychology and music, usually containing an academic degree. These therapists use rhythm, melody, and creative engagement to help patients express what might otherwise remain unspoken or to ease other discomforts. Whether the goal is relaxation, pain relief, or emotional support, sessions are tailored to the individual’s needs and energy level.
Unlike listening to a playlist at home, music therapy is interactive and intentional. It engages both the mind and body through sound, helping patients find balance in moments of distress or discomfort.
Some key aspects of music therapy include:
Inside a music therapy session
Every person’s experience with cancer is different. No two music therapy sessions are the same. A session might take place in a hospital room, an outpatient clinic, or even online. What they all share is a calm, flexible space where patients can explore emotion, reduce stress, and regain a sense of control.
Most people begin after getting a referral from their care team. The first meeting usually focuses on understanding the patient’s goals: managing pain, easing anxiety, improving sleep, or simply feeling more at peace. From there, the therapist designs sessions that fit both the patient’s comfort level and energy for the day.
During a typical session, a therapist might:
Some therapists might also try to ensure the music first matches a patient's emotional state before gradually shifting toward a calmer or more positive mood. The entire point is that music helps reveal a voice that might otherwise be difficult to discern.
Therapeutic benefits for people with cancer
While traditional methods of treating cancer, such as chemotherapy or radiation, are still useful and encouraged, there are other forms of medical treatments for patients with cancer. Music therapy addresses the emotional and psychological dimensions of cancer care, offering comfort in ways that clinical treatment alone cannot. It doesn’t replace medical intervention, rather, it complements it by helping patients cope with pain, fear, and fatigue.
Emotional and Psychological Relief
The emotional toll of cancer can be immense. Feelings of uncertainty, loss of control, or grief can surface even in moments of physical stability. Music provides a nonverbal outlet for these emotions, allowing patients to express rather than suppress what they feel.
Physical and Cognitive Aspects
Music therapy can also ease many of the physical and neurological side effects that accompany cancer and its treatment. Whether through active participation or quiet listening, patients often find measurable relief in both body and mind. For pain management, music helps redirect attention away from discomfort and may even trigger the body’s natural release of endorphins, creating a sense of calm and control. Its rhythmic patterns can also regulate the body’s stress response, promoting better sleep and restoring energy levels that treatment often depletes.
Gentle, slow-tempo melodies combined with focused breathing have been shown to lessen nausea and fatigue, two of the most common side effects of chemotherapy. For those experiencing what’s often called “chemo brain”—a foggy difficulty with focus or memory—music’s repetition and rhythm can help sharpen cognitive clarity. In this way, music therapy becomes more than emotional support— it engages the body’s own systems of healing, helping patients feel more grounded and aware in their recovery.
Accessing music therapy
For people living with cancer, knowing how to begin with music therapy can make it easier to include this form of care alongside medical treatment. Many hospitals and cancer centers now offer music therapy as part of their integrative oncology programs, but patients can also find certified therapists independently.
The first step is often to ask your oncologist or care team for a referral. They can connect you with a licensed professional who has experience working with cancer patients. If your treatment center doesn’t offer the service directly, you can search for a board-certified music therapist through the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). These professionals are trained not just in music, but also in psychology, physiology, and counseling, and ensure that the therapy remains both safe and therapeutic.
Before starting, it helps to have a conversation with your care team about your goals and expectations. You might ask:
Because each person’s experience with cancer is unique, music therapy adapts to meet those needs. Patients are encouraged to share their musical preferences, whether that means classical, folk, gospel, or soft instrumental music. This personal connection to sound often deepens the therapeutic effect, transforming the session from a medical appointment into a moment of genuine comfort.
Music is a connection tool
Music has an unmatched ability to recall memories, evoke emotions, and restore a sense of continuity in a life disrupted by illness. A familiar song can remind someone of who they were before diagnosis or offer a space to imagine who they still might become. Within therapy, that connection can be deeply healing, and patients may choose songs that represent strength or resilience, or write new ones that tell their stories in ways words alone cannot.
Many programs also invite family or caregivers to participate in sessions. Sharing a musical experience, whether listening together or creating something new—can strengthen bonds and open conversations that feel too heavy to start otherwise. In group settings, music often becomes a shared language, helping patients connect with others who understand their experiences without needing to explain them.
For some, music therapy touches on spirituality or legacy. It might mean finding peace in the rhythm of a hymn, recording a song for loved ones, or simply resting in the quiet of an instrument’s sound. These moments don’t erase fear or pain, but they offer something just as vital: presence.
Can I benefit from music therapy?
Yes, anyone can benefit, regardless of musical ability or background. All that’s required is openness, and a willingness to let sound do what other treatments sometimes cannot. Guided by trained therapists, music becomes a companion in treatment and in healing. It’s true that music therapy won’t cure cancer. But it can bring lightness to the process of living with it. Patients often find something in music therapy medicine can’t always offer: hope, acceptance, and the quiet strength to keep going.
