Finding the Rhythm: How Music Therapy Supports Emotional Regulation in Alternative Education

March is National Music Therapy Awareness Month, a time to recognize the powerful role music can play in supporting student well-being. To mark the occasion, James Burrell, music therapist for the ESC of Central Ohio’s Ventures Programs, shares insights on how music therapy fosters emotional regulation within alternative education settings. The ESC’s Ventures Academy and Ventures II programs provide a safe, structured learning environment for elementary, middle, and high school students who benefit from additional social, emotional, and behavioral support. 

Music classes at Ventures Academy are intentionally not labeled as “music therapy.” This distinction helps create a sense of normalcy, which is essential to our students’ overall well-being. For many young people, especially those at Ventures and Ventures II, being placed in another “therapy” setting or working with someone whose role is to “fix” or “help” them can feel overwhelming or stigmatizing. Regardless of age or grade level, students often enter the classroom simply curious about what to expect from music class. At its core, music at Ventures is designed to meet students where they are, embracing a flexible, student-centered approach. While instruction is aligned with Ohio’s learning standards, the classroom also provides expanded opportunities for creativity, allowing students to express themselves in ways that feel authentic and accessible. 

Music as a Mental Break 

So, what does Mr. Burrell’s class actually do to teach music or even regulate behavior? Yes, they listen to students' favorite songs and artists at times. But there are so many other musical education and therapeutic activities provided.  

Music as Skill Building 

Learning how to improvise on a guitar or a piano is highly encouraged. Mr. Burrell starts by reviewing music basics and teaching students how to use instruments and music tools to think and create in a musical way. Then he allows students to "free style” or improvise on the piano or on a modern MIDI keyboard connected to the iPad or computer. After he records their creation, the class listens to it, explores what it means, and discusses how it represents them.  

They play guitar together in standard tuning, learning all the typical chords necessary to play songs from a variety of music genres. The app Launchpad is a great learning tool because it allows them to create music quickly and offers so many music genres and themes. Once recorded, the students can play along with a guitar or keyboard. This is a great warm up activity that gets students’ creative juices flowing! 

Music class at Ventures or Ventures II means providing students with a fun and functional way to help increase positive behaviors. The focus is that music classes reinforce that students are responsible, respectful, safe, and kind. This is a pathway to increase executive functioning among our students.  

Music as Emotional Regulation 

The positivity of music class promotes emotional growth. Song writing provides a unique way for students to work on very personal issues. Some students choose to write their own songs, starting simply with a piece of paper and a pen to capture their thoughts and ideas. From there, Mr. Burrell helps guide them in shaping a melody that reflects their vision. We then bring their work to life by recording the song, incorporating their lyrics, and honoring their input on the structure and overall musical feel.   

Beat making in Ableton Live, a professional software DAW or digital audio workstation, offers all students a way to learn to create professional sounding beats and rhythms while teaching them the basics of music theory. Counting rhythms and beats are clearly represented in this way, and the professional sound is motivating and satisfying. Using acoustic drums without electronics can help a student regulate some anxiety as they learn to control sound. Sound control and how sounds acoustically affect the brain is an important aspect of music class at Ventures.   

Emotional development also is considered in music class. Just like music can make people sad, it also has the power to make people happy. As students are taught how to create music, they all learn that, through music theory, they can create sad music or happy music or a combination of both. 

As they develop their skills, they can build a portfolio of recordings that document their growth and creativity, choosing to share their work with others or keep it for personal reflection. This process allows students to take pride in creating something work that can be revisited in the future as a reminder of both their artistic journey and the emotions captured through their music. 

Music as Personal Growth 

Music has the unique ability to meet students where they are, offering both structure and freedom in a way that few other supports can. In Ventures classrooms, it becomes a meaningful tool for self-expression, emotional regulation, and personal growth. By creating an environment that feels safe, engaging, and free of labels, students are empowered to explore who they are and how they feel through sound, rhythm, and creativity.  

As we recognize National Music Therapy Awareness Month, it is important to acknowledge the impact these experiences can have on students who benefit from alternative approaches to learning and support. At Ventures Academy and Ventures II, music is not just something students listen to. It is something they create, reflect on, and carry with them beyond the classroom. In doing so, they build confidence, strengthen resilience, and develop a deeper sense of self. 

James E. “Jimm” Burrell is an American multi-instrumentalist, music specialist, and educator from central Ohio who produces therapeutic music for diverse learners and audiences. He began his music therapy education in 1979, working for Dr. Vance Cotter at the Nisonger Center at The Ohio State University Hospital, and continued his professional training by studying with Dr. Michael Kellogg in the Ohio University Music Therapy Department from 1980 to 1982. He completed a student internship in music therapy at Parsons State Hospital in Parsons, Kansas, further deepening his clinical experience with individuals with developmental and behavioral needs. After a successful career with the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities, he joined the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio in 2016, where he continues to serve in alternative education settings. His classical-ambient sound-as-therapy creations draw on influences from jazz, rock, folk, electronic, trance, and vocal music with an international influence, and his recordings are available on major streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. He encourages his students to be creative and intentional in their music studies so that they may one day share their own original music online.