Music Therapy Approaches for Children with Mental Illnesses in China

Children's mental health, including their emotions and behaviour, plays a significant role in their overall health and well-being.It also influences their relationships with others and their ability to handle stressful situations and make healthy choices.In recent years, more children and young people (CYP) in China have been diagnosed with mental health conditions, including depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts.Counsellors working with children may utilise music therapy approaches to assist CYP experiencing mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression.This paper discusses music therapy approaches, which include listening to music, writing songs, improvising, and analysing lyrics.This paper discusses its distinctive features when applied to CYP with mental health difficulties.First, music therapy is conceptualised through a discussion of the relevant theory and practical implementation for CYP with different mental health conditions.Second, it articulates mental illnesses among CYP in China and the social and political dynamics of working with them while utilizing music therapy techniques.It also showcases my experience as a support worker working with children with mental illnesses, as well as relevant issues that a counselor is likely to encounter, such as diversity and power dynamics.