Music therapy can impart various coping skills, including specialized breathing techniques, rhythmic and auditory grounding, musical relaxation, and diversion strategies. These skills are cultivated within the framework of music therapy to equip individuals with the ability to employ them skillfully when confronted with challenging situations. The aim is to enable effective coping with external stressors or triggers that may arise during difficult times.

Through music therapy, individuals can find support in recognizing and articulating their emotions within a secure environment, facilitating enhanced interpersonal communication. Emotional literacy and nonverbal expression are integral aspects of emotional behavior. Music therapy aids in fostering the ability to effectively convey emotions both verbally and nonverbally, contributing to better emotional regulation

Music therapy allows people to work on frustration tolerance in a controlled atmosphere while doing something creative. A music therapist, for example, might ask the patient to participate in a structured improvisation based on themes related to mental health (e.g., triggers, overcoming frustration, coping with an onslaught of emotions during a panic attack). Practicing these internal reactions is part of developing strategies for dealing with frustration and avoiding being sent “over the edge.” In tandem with learning to deal with negative emotions like frustration, music therapy can also assist clients in developing relaxation skills that can be used before, during, or after demanding situations.

While mental health is often regarded as a personal matter, it markedly shapes our interactions with others. Isolation or outbursts are frequent outcomes of grappling with mental health challenges, and these interactions can occur within various contexts: with family, friends, partners, colleagues, or even strangers. Music therapy tailored for mental well-being can offer individuals an opportunity to refine social skills that can subsequently be integrated into their daily interactions. Although these sessions are often conducted in a group setting within music therapy, private sessions can also be arranged.

Mental health challenges can impair self-esteem and distort our self-perception. Music therapy has the capacity to foster self-assurance and amplify self-awareness of one’s behavior. During moments of vulnerability, showing kindness to oneself can be arduous. A music therapist can assist individuals in recognizing the positive qualities that may have faded from view (or, regrettably, never been acknowledged). Furthermore, the very act of making music and engaging with others inherently contributes to cultivating self-esteem.