guitartherapy

I am pleased to announce that from July 2020 new students will be able to apply for subsidised GuitarTherapy sessions. This is thanks to lottery funded support from Arts Council England. Sessions are subject to availability and priority will be given to those students deemed most likely to benefit, particularly in the wake of the global coronavirus pandemic. To register an interest or to ask any questions please use the contact form or write directly to: ian@guitartherapy.co.uk

Music is good for you! It has been used as a therapy for thousands of years and is currently part of standard NHS practice. What makes the guitar stand out is that, not only does it provide all the emotional and attention benefits associated with music in general, it also brings specific motor-skill benefit and, most importantly, the guitar is a social icon! Playing it can build self-confidence and provide a root to extended social interaction.

Guitar therapy is not the same as music therapy. It is an application of guitar practise and performance that has been pioneered by award-winning guitar teacher Ian Dyball. His PhD research into the 'performance mind' along with almost thirty years of fully professional guitar-teaching experience led him to the realisation that the benefits of learning to play the guitar were far more wide-reaching than would seem immediately obvious.

Learn to play! That's it; there doesn't have to be any specific motive other than pure enjoyment. Learning to play the guitar will benefit you. And specialist guitar therapy tuition can enhance this natural benefit in specific areas. For most people this simply means learning to play spontaneously; picking up the guitar and improvising …saying something that happens to sound good!

Advanced players can even be taught a meditational guitar playing technique pioneered by Ian Dyball and involving the explicit separation of thought from action. The results are frequently described as 'awe inspiring' and invariably have a profound effect on players at the top level.

'Ten Scientific Reasons Why You Should Play Guitar'

A typical 'lad's mag' summary but all the references are based on actual sound research!

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Guitar as 'recreational therapy' for war veterans.
A report in the St. Louie Post describes how veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are using learning the guitar as a therapy for post-traumatic stress.

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Interesting psychotherapeutic report suggestive of how existing guitar skill can be used as an interactive therapy.

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Guitar used as treatment for homeless man who survived horrific cannibalistic attack.