RAB Source Entry 3- Tania N.

Part 1 : MLA Citation: 

– YouTube. How Music Can Heal Our Brain and Heart | Kathleen M. Howland | TEDxBerkleeValencia Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.

Part 2 summary: 

In the Ted Talk “How music can heal our brain and heart” presented by Kathleen M Howard she explains how music can be used to help people heal both mentally and physically. Howland, a music therapist, shows how music affects the brain, especially areas involved in memory, emotions, and movement. She talks about how music therapy helps people with conditions like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and depression by improving their movement, calming anxiety, and even bringing back memories. She shares real life stories of patients who have used music to regain skills like speaking or moving. Music, she explains, activates many parts of the brain at once, which makes it a powerful tool for healing. Howland encourages the use of music in health care to help people feel better, connect with others, and improve their quality of life. She also mentions how “ Eegs at birth, a brain imaging technology, shows that babies can detect the beat in music and so can newborns” (2:26). She says if she asks her music students to define the beat and describe it as speechless and don’t know how to describe it this shows how powerful music can be even for babies. She also mentions how music can trigger memories and emotions in a way that words often cannot, making it valuable for people with memory loss or trauma. For example, even people with advanced Alzheimer’s can recall songs from their past, which brings them comfort and helps them reconnect with loved ones.

Part 3 : Rhetorical devices. 

The genre is Ted Talk presentation. The presenter of this video, Kathleen M. Howard is credible because she is a certified music therapist and a professor with a strong background in neuroscience and speech-language pathology, which gives her a solid understanding of how music affects the brain and body. This shows how she used ethos by establishing her credibility. Her professional experience includes working directly with patients who have neurological and emotional conditions, using music therapy to help them recover and manage symptoms. In her TED Talk, Howland shares both scientific research and her own experience working with patients, showing that she understands music therapy well. She also teaches music therapy, which adds to her expertise. Her education, certifications, and work with patients all support her credibility on this topic. This shows her using pathos by sharing her stories. She uses logos by explaining how music activates different parts of the brain, with rhythm and melody helping to trigger memory, emotions, and movement. This gives clear, logical reasons why music therapy works. Her intended audience is people interested in how music can improve health, like healthcare workers, caregivers, educators, and anyone curious about new therapies. Her purpose is to explain the benefits of music therapy and show that music can help people heal mentally, emotionally, and physically not just entertain. TED Talk is a reliable source because they invite speakers who are knowledgeable in their fields like scientists, educators, professionals,leaders and their presentations are typically well researched and peer reviewed. 

Part 4: Notable Quotes

“What shall we do with a drunken sailor and by doing that they were able to lift heavy lines that had an anchor at the end because if they hadn’t been able to accomplish this work together with the power of rhythmic music there would have been chaos, work would have come to a halt and the work was a tragedy. How would you maintain and sustain your effort across time” (Howland 3:51-4:24). 

“Research shows that we as a music therapist can use this organizing element of rhythm to help facilitate people walking better with a stroke, just by adding music they walk like you and I do for the most part” ( Howland 4:52- 5:07).

“We can also use it for people who have been diagnosed with cancer and I can say that anxiety is probably the biggest byproduct of such a diagnosis and in the 15 months of my chemotherapy experience I benefited greatly from the people my beloved friends who came and made music with me for me because of me, and in the days when nobody was available i was sustained by the music I chose to listen to” It gave me hope I believe it worked with the medicine” ( Howland 9:47-10:22).