7 Ways Music Rewires Your Brain for Healing and Growth
- Brainz Magazine
- Jul 11
- 7 min read
Emma G is an award-winning singer/songwriter, 2x TEDx speaker, and empowerment coach specializing in trauma-aware voicework, mental health advocacy, and music-led healing. She is the author of "Mental Health Sounds Like This" and founder of Emma G Music LLC.
Do you ever feel stuck, emotionally blocked, or like your brain is in survival mode? You're not alone. In a world full of overstimulation and burnout, it’s easy to feel like a rat on a hamster wheel, going a million miles an hour, but without actually… getting anywhere. The good news, however, is that if you’re like me, and enjoy music? Well, what if I told you it isn't just about entertainment anymore? It's actually one of the most effective tools for rewiring the brain, boosting emotional health, and reclaiming your sense of agency. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, healing from trauma, or simply looking to feel more like yourself, I wanted to write an article that breaks down seven brain-based benefits of music to help you shift from survival to thriving.
But first: Why is music good for the brain?
Music stimulates both hemispheres of the brain, the left (language, logic) and the right (emotion, creativity). This rare full-brain activation boosts neuroplasticity, our brain’s ability to rewire and create new pathways after stress, injury, or trauma. That’s why music therapy is often used in stroke rehab, memory care, and even PTSD treatment. Music doesn't just feel good, it heals.
I experienced this firsthand after spending five and a half traumatic weeks in the hospital undergoing major neurosurgery, which left me with significant brain damage. When I returned to the Child and Youth Development Center in my hometown of Hamilton, New Zealand, the staff were amazed not just that I was singing and writing songs, but that I was also playing piano. They explained that engaging in music this way was activating the full spectrum of my brain. According to them, the joy of musical expression didn’t just lift my spirits, it was actually helping regenerate neural pathways and restore lost brain function over time.
This aligns powerfully with what neuroscientists now understand about neuroplasticity. According to the National Library of Medicine, neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and change, involves processes like neurogenesis, synaptic strengthening, and circuit rewiring. Music stimulates these mechanisms through repetition, rhythm, emotional engagement, and full-brain activation. When we sing, play, or even actively listen to music, we reinforce neural connections and build new ones, literally changing the brain’s physical and functional architecture. This is why music therapy has been so effective in recovery from injury, trauma, and developmental challenges. Music doesn't just feel good, it heals.
Does it matter what kind of genre we listen to?
Yes and no.
While the brain responds to rhythm, melody, and harmony regardless of genre, the emotional impact of music is highly personal. Some people find healing in classical or ambient music, while others feel most empowered by hip hop, punk rock, or gospel. What matters most is the emotional resonance: does the music reflect your truth, help you release what you're holding, or shift you into a healthier state of mind?
In therapeutic settings, music choice is often client-led because your brain responds best to what feels meaningful, not just what’s deemed 'calming' or 'positive.' Music stimulates both hemispheres of the brain, the left (language, logic) and the right (emotion, creativity).
Again, this rare full-brain activation boosts neuroplasticity, our brain’s ability to rewire and create new pathways after stress, injury, or trauma. That’s why music therapy is often used in stroke rehab, memory care, and even PTSD treatment. Music doesn't just feel good, it heals.
But how does this work?
7 ways music helps our brains rewire for healing and and growth
1. Music boosts memory and mental clarity
When a familiar melody brings back an old memory, that's your hippocampus [the part of your brain that is largely in charge of memory, learning, and spatial navigation] lighting up. Music helps anchor memory through rhythm, repetition, and emotional tagging. Whether you're trying to remember a math formula or heal from trauma-related memory fog, music offers a proven pathway to stronger recall and mental sharpness.
2. Music unlocks emotional expression
Music gives us access to emotions we don’t always have words for. Singing, songwriting, or even intentional listening helps release stuck emotions, calm the nervous system, and tap into truth. For teens and adults alike, music is a safe space to express vulnerability without judgment.
Jimmy Hendrix said it himself: “when words fail; music talks”, and it’s true. When words feel too heavy or too hard to find, music becomes a bridge, a way to speak the unspeakable. I've seen clients move through grief, anxiety, anger, and even shame simply by creating or connecting with a song that mirrors their inner world. Whether it's a heartbreaking ballad or a powerful anthem of resilience, music gives us permission to feel deeply without needing to explain. And in that process of feeling, healing begins.
3. Music creates connection and community
Humans are wired for connection. Music creates synchrony, not just in our bodies and brains, but in how we bond with each other. Whether it's singing in a choir, dancing at a concert, playing in a band, or simply sharing playlists with friends, music stimulates the release of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for trust and bonding. These shared musical experiences help strengthen relationships, build community, and foster a sense of belonging.
For young people especially, who are often navigating feelings of isolation or identity confusion, this sense of connection can be life-saving. Music becomes the meeting ground, a space where people feel seen, heard, and understood.
Think about it: how many times have you been to a concert and marveled at the wildly diverse group of humans united by one artist or band? Or played a song at a dinner party and suddenly watched everyone light up with recognition and joy? There's a saying that your vibe attracts your tribe and that vibe? It's often melody, rhythm, and a heavy bassline.
Music brings us together in a way few things can, creating not just harmony in sound, but in spirit.
4. Music teaches the algorithm to echo positivity
When we write and share empowering music, especially online, the digital world begins to echo that energy back to us. I’ve seen teen clients shift their feed and their mood, simply by posting original songs rooted in strength. The algorithm isn't random, it's a mirror, responding to what we engage with and amplify.
I experience this daily through my own music. The songs I release are grounded in self-love, community, connection, communication, and respect. When I post about these themes, whether through lyrics, behind-the-scenes content, or performance clips; I notice my social media feed reflect those same messages back to me. My timeline fills with inspiration, resilience, and empowerment, not by accident, but by design. The energy we put out into the digital world, especially when it's wrapped in melody, rhythm, and authenticity, shapes both the technology we interact with and the internal narratives we live by. Music, in this way, becomes both a broadcast and a feedback loop, teaching our brains and our communities to reach for hope
5. Music enhances learning and retention
Ever wonder why you still remember every word of a childhood jingle? Songs use melody and rhythm to help the brain encode and store information. That’s why affirmations set to music stick better and why I use chorus writing with my clients to anchor emotional learning.
This is also why we sing the alphabet. Why "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" helps young children learn their bodies. Why "Ten Green Bottles" teaches us to count. Why we memorize the U.S. states and even the Canadian provinces through song. Music makes repetition engaging and memorable. It transforms information from a cognitive task into a multisensory experience, turning learning into something we feel, not just something we think.
6. Music regulates the nervous system
Music influences heart rate, breathing, and cortisol levels. Whether you’re calming anxiety or pumping up for a performance, the right song can reset your physiology. Singing especially supports vagus nerve tone, helping with emotional regulation, trauma recovery, and somatic release.
I remember one moment, shortly after a traumatic event when I was a teen, the emotional toll hit me like a punch in the face. I was overwhelmed, scared, angry, and terrified of what life would look like next. But I started singing quietly at first, just humming a melody that pierced my brain, and slowly, my body began to relax. My breath steadied. My heart rate dropped. That small act of vocalizing wasn’t just soothing it was my body finding its way back to safety.
This is what singing does. It connects us to our breath, to our body, and to our nervous system in a deeply primal way. It’s why I incorporate vocal exercises and guided breathwork into my coaching sessions, because when you use your voice intentionally, you’re not just expressing yourself. You’re physically shifting your state, telling your body: "You’re safe now."
It took me 20 years, but that song I started humming turned out to be an award-winning song: “Barbed Wire,” that I officially released in 2023.
It still helps me regulate my nervous system to this day.
7. Music helps reframe your story
Songwriting lets you take a painful experience and shift your relationship to it. Instead of being stuck in "this happened to me," you can step into "this is how I overcame it." Music transforms pain into power by helping us tell a new story, one where we are the hero, not the victim.
That’s exactly what happened when I wrote my song "Living Proof." It was my realization that, despite years of brain surgeries and trauma, I was still here. I had become "Living Proof" that resilience wins. Authenticity wins. Love wins. It’s a sonic reminder that surviving isn’t enough, we’re here to live, thrive, and inspire. That’s the magic of songwriting: it doesn’t just document your story; it allows you to redefine it.
Start your journey today
Music has never been just a hobby for me; it's been my life. It’s a healing modality, a communication tool, and a way for me to safely express my truth.
If you're ready to reclaim your power, process your past, or simply get unstuck, start with your voice. Want support turning your struggles into songs? Book a free discovery call or grab your copy of my upcoming book Mental Health Sounds Like This to begin your journey today.
Don't let the world write your song. You have the pen.
Read more from Emma G
Emma G is an award-winning singer/songwriter, 2x TEDx speaker, and empowerment coach who helps teens and adults transform pain into power through trauma-informed voice work and songwriting. After surviving 10 brain surgeries due to hydrocephalus, she discovered the healing potential of music and self-expression.
Her book and album, Mental Health Sounds Like This, offer a neuroscience-backed, culturally grounded approach to emotional wellness. She’s the founder of Emma G Music LLC and has been featured by FOX, WUSA9, The Washington Post, CBS, CBC, and more. Her mission? To save the world, one song at a time.
