Learn about these unique therapies available in Park City.
In today’s day and age, life moves fast. You’re rushing from one meeting to the next, remembering to pick up a child in between, all while dealing with the normal stresses of being a human. Whether struggling with anxiety, a physical injury, grief, post-traumatic stress disorder or more, there are many different therapeutic options available.
Many are finding themselves reaching for non-traditional healing remedies, including music, animal healing, spiritual healing and reflexology. Each form of therapy has its own benefits and unique attraction.
MUSIC THERAPY
According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy is “the clinical and 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.”
In simpler terms, music has been proven to help with the physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs of individuals. Music therapists are trained to provide guidance on creating, singing, moving or listening to music for their patients’ needs.
Not only can music serve as a form of physical and mental rehabilitation, it can serve as a means of communicating as well. Many with neurological, auditory or speech-based disabilities find music as a way to express their emotions to loved ones.
There are seven specific types of music therapy, depending on patients’ needs. Forms include the Bonny Method to aid patients with physiological and psychological issues; Dalcroze Method which benefits those with motor difficulties; Kodaly which aids in learning and healing; Neurological Music Therapy which influences brain function and behaviors; Nordoff-Robbins Method that benefits disabled children; and Orff-Schulwerk that helps children with developmental delays and disabilities.
Though music therapy is most common with children and those with special needs, it can be beneficial for additional forms of motor disabilities, Alzheimer’s, and more.
ANIMAL HEALING
Research demonstrates that providing patients time with trained animals produces proven positive effects, according to the Georgetown Psychology department. Therapy animals can include dogs, horses, cats and more, resulting in dependable companionship, reduced anxiety, increased exercise and even more specific therapeutic needs.
While dogs have always been known as “a man’s best friend,” animal-assisted therapy only began being studied in the 1960s. It originated in child-focused therapy, and has since grown from an observation-based to evidence-based therapy.
In the years since its initial observation, animal healing has proven to make people sit less (dogs love a good walk, and horses love to run), boost moods with a few moments of snuggles, lower blood pressure and even provide sensory-based relief for people with disabilities.
“Oxytocin is a hormone that is closely associated with empathy, care, relationships, and trust,” Georgetown Psychology researchers explained. That’s why some people call it the “love hormone” or the “cuddle hormone.” Scientists have also found a positive relationship between human-dog interactions and oxytocin levels. Studies by a group of Swedish researchers show that oxytocin levels rose for both dogs and humans as they interacted with each other.
Animal healing can also help victims of more serious PTSD incidents, as dogs can be trained to help military service members, survivors of sexual assault, and other individuals who have experienced severe trauma.
SPIRITUAL HEALING
The term “spiritual healing” is all-encompassing of a range of methods, with healing prayer being the most common.
A 2018-2019 study in Iran focused on four patients and targeted their work experience, duration of illness, level of education and beliefs. The study examined the power of spiritual healing on each patient, which resulted in the patients’ disbeliefs transforming to trust, frustration with previous treatments growing to acceptance and doubt becoming certainty in the validity of the treatment.
Because spiritual healing is one of the most natural forms of therapy, it is easy to perform alone. According to Raising Self Awareness, the five steps of spiritual healing are awareness of your situation, honoring your feelings, compassion, surrendering your pain and feeling a lighter heart.
The goal of spiritual healing is to ultimately restore one’s inner peace. If you’re looking for a more calming and grounding source of healing, this is the perfect fit. Even if you’re not religious, the referenced study proves the positive impacts on people of all religions and beliefs. By clearing your mind and creating a state of peace, you can build a wellness of your spirit.
REFLEXOLOGY
For a physical approach to healing, reflexology has centuries of practice to support its argument. Reflexology is a type of therapy that uses gentle pressure on specific points along your feet, hands or ears to help you refresh.
The theory behind these specific pressure points relates to their connections to various organs and body systems. By applying the gentle pressure, healing methods can take place, letting the body go back to homeostasis, its normal state of being.
This method of therapy is best for internal and organ healing. This is a common practice in Chinese medicine, used to balance out stress and energy that ultimately leads to disease and illness prevention. This form of healing can also work well for enhanced circulation and normalizing the metabolism, according to the Ontario College of Reflexology (OCR).
The OCR explains that a full session should always be performed on both feet. Depending upon the client’s requirements, sessions generally last between 45 to 60 minutes.
Other beliefs hold that reflexology can reduce pain through calming touch, which may help to improve someone’s mood, reduce stress and pain, and even just boost overall well-being. Other patients have claimed reflexology helps with immunity, spinal issues, correcting hormonal imbalances, improving digestion, and easing arthritis pain.
LOCAL HEALING
Music Therapy
Harmony Music Therapy : 801-200-3273
Animal Therapy
Park City Horse Experience: parkcityhorse.com Spiritual Healing
Crystal Springs Healing: 435-640-2181
Reflexology
Oasis Massage: 435-659-7511
