The Power of Sound: Exploring the Effects of Music Therapy on Combat Trauma

Combat changes people, not just in the obvious ways we see, but deep in the nervous system,

memory, and body. Traditional treatments like CBT, EMDR, and exposure therapy can be

lifesaving, but they’re not a perfect fit for everyone.

For some veterans, music is the missing link. It’s not just a feel-good playlist; music therapy is a

scientifically supported way to regulate the nervous system, process trauma, and reconnect with

parts of yourself you thought were gone.

Why Music Hits Different for Trauma Recovery

Trauma lives in the body as much as in the mind [1,2]. Music works because it’s a whole-brain

experience, lighting up areas like the hippocampus (memory), amygdala (emotions), motor

cortex (movement), and prefrontal cortex (decision-making) all at once [3,4].

That means it doesn’t just make you “feel something”; it engages the same brain-body systems

trauma disrupts, giving them a safe workout.

Four Ways Music Therapy Works

1. Regulating Rhythms

Repetitive beats can sync your brainwaves and heart rate, helping you to relax or focus

depending on the tempo. Low bass frequencies (20–40 Hz) even stimulate the vagus

nerve, which activates your body’s natural “rest and recover” mode [5,6].

2. Accessing Locked Emotions

Sometimes you can’t talk your way into feeling again, but a single song can open the

floodgates. Music helps process emotions without forcing verbal retelling [3,7].

3. Reconsolidating Memory

Music sparks the hippocampus, which can help re-store difficult memories in less

distressing ways [4,8].

4. Reward and Motivation

Powerful songs trigger dopamine release, making you feel good and want to re-engage with life [9].

What Science Says

• Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) improves memory, executive function, and emotional regulation for people with PTSD and brain injuries [10,11].

• Vibroacoustic Therapy (VAT)—low-frequency sound you can feel in your body—reduces anxiety and helps with sleep [5,6,12].

• Group music-making, like drumming circles, strengthens connection, trust, and belonging—things many veterans miss after service [13,14].

Where EDM Fits In

EDM naturally incorporates many of the same elements found in NMT and VAT, making it an

accessible, non-clinical tool for trauma recovery. Its repetitive rhythms and low-frequency bass

lines (often 20–40 Hz) mirror the grounding effects of VAT, stimulating the vagus nerve and

supporting parasympathetic activation [5,6,12]. The build–drop–release structure of EDM

engages the exact prediction and reward systems that NMT uses to promote emotional regulation

and cognitive engagement [10,11].

In group settings, festivals, silent discos, or even community dance nights, EDM can create the

same sense of connection and shared rhythm seen in therapeutic drumming circles [13,14]. That

shared beat creates safety, trust, and belonging, three pillars of trauma-informed healing. In this

way, EDM isn’t just music you listen to, it’s music you feel, move with, and heal through.

It’s More Than “Just Music”

Music therapy meets two big needs many veterans have after service:

• Purpose — mastering an instrument, mixing a set, or learning rhythms offers

achievement outside the military.

• Community — shared music experiences rebuild camaraderie without the pressure of uniform or rank.

And the best part? You don’t need a clinical office to start. Whether it’s DJing in your garage,

dancing at a festival, or joining a drum circle, music can be a tool you carry anywhere.

Bottom Line

Music therapy won’t replace evidence-based trauma treatment, but for some, it’s the bridge

between feeling stuck and feeling alive again. It works with the brain and body, gives space for

expression without overexposure, and reconnects people to joy, purpose, and community.

Sometimes healing starts with a beat.

References

1. van der Kolk BA. The Body Keeps the Score. New York: Penguin Books; 2015.

2. Ogden P, Fisher J. Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. New York: Norton; 2015.

3. Eck A. How Music Resonates in the Brain. Harvard Medicine Magazine. 2024 Spring.

4. Altenmüller E, Schlaug G. Neurologic music therapy: From basic research to clinical practice. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2015;1337(1):257–64.

5. Ganesan K, Acharya H, Mooventhan A. Vibroacoustic therapy: A narrative review. Int J Yoga. 2021;14(1):47–55.

6. Bhat M, Shanmugavel A. Whole-body vibration therapy in PTSD: A randomized study. J Trauma Stress. 2020;33(2):254–66.

7. Koelsch S. Brain correlates of music-evoked emotions. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2014;15(3):170–80.

8. Janata P. The neural architecture of music-evoked autobiographical memories. Cereb Cortex. 2009;19(11):2579–94.

9. Salimpoor VN, Benovoy M, Larcher K, Dagher A, Zatorre RJ. Anatomically distinct dopamine release during anticipation and experience of peak emotion to music. Nat Neurosci. 2011;14(2):257–62.

10. Thaut MH, Hoemberg V, editors. Handbook of Neurologic Music Therapy. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2014.

11. Magee WL, Davidson JW. Singing in therapy: Monitoring disease in chronic degenerative illness. J Music Ther. 2002;39(1):20–39.

12. Bartel L, Mosabbir A. Possible mechanisms for the effects of sound vibration on human health. Healthcare. 2021;9(4):356.

13. Winkelman M. Group drumming as a therapeutic tool. Altern Ther Health Med. 2003;9(1):26–32.

14. Hall KS, et al. Social support, resilience, and suicide prevention in U.S. veterans. JAMA Psychiatry. 2021;78(2):191–201.