Music as Self-Care

Emily Lehr is a board-certified music therapist based out of Nashville, TN and Morgantown, WV. Specializing in psychiatric and medical music therapy, Emily is an advocate for the power of music to create accessibility for all people in all walks of life. Emily also has an artist project under her name in which she writes and performs folk and Americana pop music.

AMTA's Definition of music therapy is: The clinical & evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. Music therapy interventions can address a variety of healthcare & educational goals:

• Promote Wellness

• Manage Stress

• Alleviate Pain

• Express Feelings

• Enhance Memory

• Improve Communication

• Promote Physical Rehabilitation

• and more

Music As Self-Care: How to Use Music to Preserve Your Energy and Fuel Your Hope When Life Is Exhausting

I don’t know how everyone else feels, but I am tired. The exhaustion from managing my day-to-day responsibilities and navigating through a world that hasn’t felt this unpredictable and unsafe since COVID is a challenge I am still trying to overcome. I am fighting to take care of my dog, show up for my friends in meaningful ways, hold space for my clients, and make sure I’m getting three full meals in a day, all in addition to worrying about the future of my country and wanting to be a supportive community member. It all feels a little bit daunting.

In the midst of all of this chaos, I submit to you for your consideration, my “How To Survive 2025 And All the Years to Follow with Music Guide.” Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, or how afraid the current administration and news cycle may leave you feeling, we can all benefit from a little emotional regulation and self-care. Here are my 3 ways to musically show up for yourself during globally and personally stressful times.

#1:  Develop a Music-Based Mindfulness Practice

I’ve learned a lot about mindfulness from my work as a psychiatric music therapist and as a therapy client myself. Mindfulness is a tool that is prioritized in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, which is a development of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and teaches mindfulness, emotional regulation, acceptance and distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Mindfulness focuses on the present moment without judgment. I love to engage in mindfulness through sensory-based grounding techniques and deep breathing. You can incorporate music into your mindfulness practice by creating a mindfulness and meditation playlist, listening to a pre-recorded music-based meditation, or just taking a nature walk and noticing the natural music in your environment. You may find it helpful to create art, engage in deep breathing, or journal while listening to music, whether in your natural surroundings or through recordings.

#2: Make Music in Your Community

There is something sacred and healing about making music with the people around you. Our current culture seems to prioritize commodification much more than humanity, but contrary to what that one teacher may have told you when you were young or what you’ve picked up on from watching reality shows like American Idol or The Voice, you do not have to be taught how to sing to make meaningful and joyful music. One of my core beliefs as a music therapist is that we are all inherently musical, and we can access this musicality at any time! Find a local open jam in your area, get together with friends to sing your favorite hits or play instruments, join a community or church choir, attend a community dance, or just serenade your dog while you wash the dishes. Making music is so good for us – mind, body, and soul – and it doesn’t have to cost you a dime.

#3: Refine Your Listening

It’s easy to get into ruts in all aspects of our daily lives, and that doesn’t exclude our listening patterns. I am continually surprised by the impact something as simple as changing the songs on my playlist can have on my mood. I have two modes of listening that my own patterns fall into: introspective and contemplative – and fun and energetic. I often need to connect with myself or God to renew my sense of peace, so I listen to Madison Cunningham or Jon Foreman. Other times, I want to feel empowered and silly and free, so I listen to Sabrina Carpenter or Chappell Roan. Something as simple as trading out my favorite pop hits for old and new protest songs the day after the 2024 Presidential Election was a balm to my soul when I felt helpless and afraid. I can still remember listening to the words of a Tenth Avenue North CD blaring from the car radio that helped me survive the death of a close friend when I was in high school. They reminded me that other people also felt “worn” and struggled to keep their heads above water amidst inexplicable grief and anger. Utilize those mindfulness skills to learn what influences your mind needs at different points throughout your day and week. If listening to angry and sorrowful music is keeping you stuck in an unprocessed emotion, rather than helping you to acknowledge your grief, maybe it’s time to switch things up, and vice versa. Remember the power and influence that our music can have over us, and use it to your advantage.

This is not a prescriptive list, nor is it a one-size-fits-all recommendation. My hope is that this list will simply spark some inspiration in anyone who is looking for ways to disengage with anxiety and reengage with themselves and the folks around them. We need each other more and more every day, and we have to start by showing up for ourselves. Take care of one another, and make some music today!