Music therapy, a relatively new concept in Thailand, is rapidly gaining recognition and becoming more accessible.
Hi everyone. I’m Jean, the ASD delegate for Southeast Asia. I am a music therapy student with a master’s degree. Before studying music therapy, I was just a music performance student — a Cellist! I had heard about music therapy once but never knew how it usually worked, so I took the introduction class and became interested. After I graduated from undergrad, I decided to continue to study for my master’s degree in music therapy, and now it’s the turning point of my life! Something that I didn’t like in the past was that I had to do everything, e.g., reading research and doing many documents, singing, and playing the guitar simultaneously. At first, I felt uncomfortable doing it, but my singing and playing guitar skills developed, and now I enjoy doing it!
Another thing I changed was how I used music. I now think about how music affects people, what style I should play to suit this person, and more! Also, the way I think about things in my life changed, too. I think about how things happen differently, so I understand why someone did something or said that without judging. So that makes me live happier! Also, my friend, whose name is Waris, is a master's student who studies music therapy in Germany! He said, “As a master’s student who has just embarked on a journey in music therapy for only half a year, my knowledge and understanding are still so far from complete. However, I noticed that how I look at myself, the people around me, and the music I make has changed a lot in the past 6 months.
While studying music therapy, I explored various concepts that attempt to explain human thoughts and behaviors and how music can be used in the right way to help people flourish. Those concepts showed me how unreliable our perceptions and thoughts are and how easily they can be shaped by our environment.
Being aware of how our beliefs and decisions in life could easily be influenced by so many unrelated factors, I became more open. I noticed that my judging thoughts toward others drastically reduced. This happened not only because of we are taught not to do so, but rather because we now authentically want to understand them. When someone says or acts inappropriately, they should not take sole responsibility for their actions. It might be because of their environment has not yet taught them what to do when they face disappointment, how to cope with stress, or has not supported them enough when they try to do good deeds. Most importantly, when I become a part of their environment, I know how to use my word and music to help them.”
As I mentioned before, studying music therapy has greatly changed my life, especially how I use music and how I see the world. Now, my music can help me and others, and I believe I will use my music to help more people in the future.
Written by Napapas Horrungruang (Jean)
Assembly of Students Delegate for Southeast Asia
