Music Therapy
Coping Skills
Mental Health
A curated playlist across genres, built to help you feel less alone in whatever you're going through.
A piece of advice that perhaps doesn't sound like advice at all is to listen and engage with music. It may sound simple, or perhaps rudimentary, because, well, don't many of us listen to music all the time? However, to engage with music is to listen to it with intention and implement its benefits. Engagement may mean dancing with your friends, singing in the shower, or simply finding a particular song's lyrics relatable. In my lowest moments, my sad playlist and a walk in the park cured all.
Can a song cure everything? No, probably not. But can a song make you feel heard, comforted, and calm? We like to think so.
A 2016 cross-sectional study found that those who engaged with music, via dancing, singing, or collaboratively listening in social groups, had higher levels of subjective wellbeing (Weinberg & Joseph, 2016).
Other researchers suggest music engagement may activate certain neurobiological pathways, including reward circuitry, that can benefit one's mental health (Gustavson et al., 2021). The authors analyzed journals that indicated music engagement's correlation with reduction in anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorder (SUD) symptoms. For these reasons, you may find your therapist recommending the simple practice of engaging with music.
Therapists may recommend a particular song because it encourages similar skills taught in therapy. Some of the skills promoted by music engagement are self-expression, emotional regulation, and healthy coping mechanisms (Gustavson et al., 2021). At Navesink Psychological Services, our clinicians curated their favorite, most comforting songs. You can find the full collection on our Spotify profile, Navesink Psychological Services. Here's a preview of the playlist by genre.
Pop
Baby Steps
Olivia Dean
A gentle reminder that small, incremental progress still counts as progress.
Unwritten
Natasha Bedingfield
An anthem about the openness of the future and the freedom in not having it all figured out.
Keep Your Head Up
Andy Grammer
An upbeat encouragement to stay resilient while also letting yourself feel things fully.
Born This Way
Lady Gaga
A celebration of self-acceptance exactly as you are.
Masterpiece
Jessie J
A reframe on imperfection as part of an ongoing, worthwhile process.
Girl I've Always Been
Olivia Rodrigo
A grounding reflection on identity and self-acceptance beyond perfection.
Normal Girl
SZA
An honest look at wanting to fit in, paired with hope for what's ahead.
Mean
Taylor Swift
A defiant look toward a bigger future beyond a difficult present.
Messy
Lola Young
A raw claim to authenticity, imperfections included.
I Can Do It With a Broken Heart
Taylor Swift
A candid look at pushing forward productively even while grieving.
What Was I Made For?
Billie Eilish
A vulnerable meditation on purpose and rediscovering joy.
Expectations
Olivia Rodrigo
A reflective take on growth, past mistakes, and evolving self-expectations.
Alternative + Rock
Don't Panic
Coldplay
A reassurance that connection and support are always closer than they feel.
Don't Think Twice, It's Alright
Bob Dylan
A classic meditation on letting go without bitterness.
Not Strong Enough
boygenius
An honest exploration of self-doubt and simply continuing to breathe through it.
The Way Things Go
beabadoobee
A wry acceptance of disappointment paired with genuine present-moment contentment.
Vienna
Billy Joel
A timeless reminder to slow down and release the pressure of doing everything at once.
Eyes of the World
Grateful Dead
An expansive, awakening perspective on presence and perception.
Boomboxes and Dictionaries
The Gaslight Anthem
A comforting reminder to take fear of the future one hour at a time.
Don't Stop Believin'
Journey
An enduring anthem of persistence and hope.
Sunburns
West 22nd
A metaphor for pushing through pain that lingers while still choosing to keep going.
Rap + R&B
After the Storm
Kali Uchis ft. Tyler, the Creator and Bootsy Collins
A message that hardship passes and persistence pays off.
i
Kendrick Lamar
A self-love anthem grounded in taking things one day at a time.
Keep Ya Head Up
2Pac
An enduring message of resilience through hardship.
Be Happy
Mary J. Blige
A candid look at the internal work required to find genuine happiness.
Love Yourz
J. Cole
A grounding perspective on gratitude for your own life and relationships.
Know That You're Loved
Cleo Sol
A gentle reminder of being loved, even in moments of self-doubt.
We Find Love
Daniel Caesar
A meditation on the up-and-down cycle of resilience and connection.
Reggae
Three Little Birds
Bob Marley
A timeless, simple reassurance that things will be alright.
One Love
Bob Marley
A call toward unity and collective peace.
True to Myself
Ziggy Marley
A declaration of freedom found in authenticity.
Peace and Love
Black Uhuru
A song about release and finding peace after emotional pain.
I Am That I Am
Peter Tosh
A bold assertion of self-worth on one's own terms.
Mellow Mood
Bunny Wailer
A laid-back invitation to let music soothe you.
Folk + Country
The Climb
Miley Cyrus
A reminder that the struggle itself, not just the destination, has meaning.
Loving Life Again
Ella Langley
A song about slowly rediscovering peace and joy.
Growing Sideways
Noah Kahan
A raw, honest look at growth that doesn't always feel linear.
Grief Is Only Love
Stephen Wilson Jr.
A powerful reframe of grief as love without anywhere left to go.
Bless the Broken Road
Rascal Flatts
A reflection on how even painful paths can lead somewhere meaningful.
Live Well
Palace
A hopeful, easy-going outlook on the future.
Easy Does It
Goldford
A gentle nudge to slow down rather than rush through hard moments.
Silver Lining
Mt. Joy
An invitation to let music carry you through pain toward hope.
Some of these songs may contain explicit lyrics.
Covering genres and situations for everyone, this playlist can help you through some of your toughest moments. Whether you need a reminder to slow down and enjoy the little things, or you're going through a difficult breakup and need something to remind you that you are enough, there's a song in here for it. My personal favorites motivate me to keep going while reminding me that everyone feels hopeless at times. Ultimately, these songs can help you feel less alone. So whatever you're going through, whether it's a breakup, job struggles, or just general life stress, there's a song out there to help you through it.
Frequently asked questions
How does music actually help mental health?
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Research suggests music engagement can activate reward pathways in the brain and is associated with reductions in anxiety, depression, PTSD, and substance use disorder symptoms. Beyond the neurobiological piece, music can also promote self-expression, emotional regulation, and healthy coping, all skills that overlap directly with what happens in therapy.
What does it mean to "engage" with music versus just listening to it?
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Engagement means listening with intention rather than as background noise. That might look like dancing, singing along, listening closely to lyrics that feel relatable, or sharing music socially with others. The active, intentional piece is what seems to be linked to the wellbeing benefits in the research.
Where can I find the full playlist?
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The complete playlist, curated by NPS clinicians, is available on our Spotify profile under Navesink Psychological Services. It spans pop, alternative and rock, rap and R&B, reggae, and folk and country.
Can music replace therapy?
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No. Music can be a genuinely helpful tool for emotional regulation and comfort, but it isn't a substitute for professional support when you're struggling. If you find yourself relying on music alone to manage significant distress, it may be worth talking to a
therapist about additional support.
References
Gustavson, D. E., Coleman, P. L., Iversen, J. R., Maes, H. H., Gordon, R. L., & Lense, M. D. (2021). Mental health and music engagement: Review, framework, and guidelines for future studies. Translational Psychiatry, 11(370). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01483-8
Weinberg, M. K., & Joseph, D. (2016). If you're happy and you know it: Music engagement and subjective wellbeing. Sage Journals, 45(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735616659552
Whatever you're navigating right now, our team at Navesink Psychological Services is here to help you find support that fits, whether that's music, therapy, or both.
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