Music has a way of connecting us to our emotions. A certain song will trigger a memory from twenty years ago and we are back in the emotion of that time. It is truly incredible. At times when we feel stuck or we find ourselves pushing away certain emotions, music is a wonderful tool to help us reconnect and to dig deeper.

Here are 4 Simple Tools to Use Music for Emotional Processing

1. CREATE A SONG MAP: Whether it is a move, a loss of an irreplaceable loved one, to deal with depression, or a new job; life is full of transitions. One way to work through the different aspects of each transition is through music. Is there a song that comes to mind when you think of the feelings you first felt when you found out about this transition? Is there a song that comes that represents what you are leaving behind with this new life? What about a song that speaks to where you are in this exact moment? Take some time and listen to these songs, create a playlist, and be willing to feel. Your playlists can help to map out the territory that is this new part of you and your life.

2. HIT REPEAT: Remember when you were 13 years old and you sat and listened to that song on repeat after your latest heartbreak? We often don’t spend the time with music that we did in our adolescence but really should. Are the tears stuck inside? Is the anger just lying beneath the surface? Take some time with a song that you know will bring these emotions to the surface. Plus, who really cares how many times you listen to that same song.

3. DIG DEEP: Take a song that really speaks to you and print out the lyrics. Apple Music is perfect for this because you can view the lyrics of the song while it’s playing on the app. Take some time to listen to the music while looking at the lyrics. Underline a passage that perfectly speaks to you. Use this as a prompt for journaling, art or meditation. Even listening to and breaking down a song during meditation is a form of digging deep. It will allow you to hear every aspect of the song from the cords, drums, vocals, and energy it offers.

4. CREATE: Take a song you love and play around with changing the lyrics to tell your own story. You can change just one word in a line or change a whole line. Who knows? You may love this so much that you’ll decide to create your own song. Or you can do what I do! Just sign the song while it’s playing pretending you know the lyrics while making up your own words.