A new study suggests that the strongest emotional and physiological connection between a music therapist and patient typically develops about 25 minutes into a therapy session. Researchers monitored heart-rate synchrony in patients undergoing neurorehabilitation and found that alignment between therapist and patient gradually increased, peaking between 20 and 25 minutes. Higher synchrony is associated with greater empathy and more productive therapy sessions. Interestingly, patients’ heart rates often led these moments of connection, highlighting their active role in the therapeutic process. The findings suggest that shorter therapy sessions may not allow enough time for meaningful therapeutic synchrony to develop, although larger studies are still needed.
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