Experienced male music therapists are in short supply

Do not just depend on food, exercises and SPA to relieve pressure in your life. If necessary, "music therapists" are at your service. In just one year, "music therapy," a brand-new profession, has become more and more popular. In fact, music therapy is very common in foreign countries. For example, Japanese pop star Noriko Sakai, who was involved in a drug abuse scandal early this year, is now trying to obtain a music therapist certificate, as one of the actions which she will take to thoroughly reform herself.

Music therapists know much about psychological tricks

Because music therapists cannot disclose any information about their clients, reporters were not able to observe the entire treatment process and therefore went to a music therapy center for a musical relaxation session (the preliminary stage of music therapy). Jiao Ting, a full-time music therapist, helped reporters reduce the pressure and stress in their lives.

Reporters wore headphones and laid on a soft sofa bed, listening to beautiful music. Just like running water and singing birds, the reporter found the music very comforting. "Carefully think of the feeling you have when you stand in front of a stream or when you spend time with an old friend. If you feel confused, you can recall this feeling and it will help you a lot," the music therapist said softly beside me.

This kind of relaxation was really magic. It quickly lifted me out of the pressure I was under at work and put me into a leisurely and comfortable state. In fact, every music therapist knows a lot about psychological hints or hypnotism, and is able to use music to influence the way other people think.

Make depressed people feel more optimistic

Jiao Ting introduced some devices and their functions to reporters. "We use sound consoles to adjust the volume, enabling clients to listen to music more comfortably. We use high-quality microphones characterized by satisfying sound-receiving functions because they can transmit soft sounds after clients are in a hypnotic state. The decoders can be used to convert MP3 format into WAV format, adding to the quality of the sound."

In general, music therapy can be very effective in treating depression, anxiety, obsession and insomnia. For example, a music therapist will first use depressing music to attract a depressed person. Then, the therapist will use meditative music to help the client to understand why he/she feels depressed. Finally, relaxing music will be used to make the client more optimistic.

Sometimes, music therapy is not only about "wakening clients' ears." Liu Yang, who once studied music therapy in Central Conservatory of Music, is currently a music therapist. Not long ago, she succeeded in speeding up the recovery of a paralytic's arm muscles by shaking some small musical instruments such as a bell and a maraca.

Male therapists are rare

One music therapy session usually lasts 2 to 2.5 hours. As a junior therapist, Jiao's base pay is 2,000 yuan per month. A client must pay 400 yuan for one-hour treatment with Jiao, while a one-hour treatment with a senior professor often costs 1,000 yuan. "A full time music therapist can make more money. Some university teachers and doctors often work as part-time therapists (they do not have base pays), of which senior ones can earn 10,000 yuan per month."

Reporters learned that all of Jiao's colleagues are female and most of those who are now studying music therapy in universities are female students. Jiao said "maybe girls are more sensitive than boys. They are keen observers and are willing to explore other people's minds. In the future, more boys may choose this profession."

Translated by LOTO