The Role of Music and Rhythm in the Development, Integration, and Repair of the Self

Music and rhythm are an intrinsic part of being human, and we are surrounded by the rhythms of life that create an intrapersonal and interpersonal harmony essential for healthy growth and development. Each individual&s;s capacity for social interaction is shaped by the earliest experiences of synchrony with the primary caregiver, where healthy attachment is formed through physiological and emotional regulation, the harmonic state of homeostasis. The biological functioning that is responsible for achieving and maintaining homeostasis is mainly controlled by the more primitive parts of the brain, the brainstem, and cerebellum. Where adverse life events negatively impact on the ability to regulate both physiologically and emotionally, therapeutic interventions that are grounded in music and rhythm can support and enhance the growth, integration and repair of the self.