The power of silence: How perception shifts in sound, music and therapy.

This article investigates the multifaceted role of silence in music and clinical music therapy, emphasizing its function as an active, dynamic element rather than mere absence of sound. Drawing on philosophical, acoustic, and therapeutic perspectives, it highlights silence’s significance in musical composition—exemplified by John Cage’s work—and its communicative and psychological dimensions in therapeutic settings. A case study from the paediatric department of Policlinico S. Orsola in Bologna, Italy, involving a non-verbal child with sensory sensitivities, illustrates how structured silence facilitates sensory exploration, non-verbal communication, sensory regulation, and session engagement in music therapy. The study concludes that silence serves as a powerful tool for emotional processing and therapeutic interaction, with implications for further research and clinical practice.