Eliana R. McGuire has been part of the Classical Conversations community for almost eight years, during which she honed her skills in literature, debate, and research. Through the practice provided by the program, she has developed the ability not only to debate and defend her beliefs, but also to think critically and consider all sides of a matter. Outside of Classical Conversations, Eliana carries a deep passion for the arts: music, painting, writing, drawing, and photography, and enjoys crafting and creating in her spare time. She also enjoys driving, flying, traveling, and studying her own interests, such as meteorology and psychology. Beginning around 2020, she joined the Civil Air Patrol (US Air Force Auxiliary), where she developed a strong sense of discipline and order. Taking part in activities such as intense drill tests and inspections, honoring veterans, aiding local work, boot camp, and eventually, basic flight training. From that basic flight training, she spent roughly 4 years studying before passing her FAA written exam, gaining access to time in the air, which is ongoing. Following graduation, Eliana plans to further pursue her aviation career. With her Christian upbringing and relationship with God, she hopes to share her knowledge and plant seeds in others' lives, bringing her faith wherever she may go, land or sky. Eliana is deeply grateful for the unending love, support, and encouragement from her parents, brother, and friends. She takes every memory to her heart and hopes to carry those moments from childhood forever.
Abstract
A Great Journey Elsewhere: Music’s Healing Hand on the Mind Eliana McGuire Senior Thesis 2026
“You know what truly aches? Having so much inside you and not having the slightest clue of how to pour it out.” –Karen Quan Modern life traps us in what seem like iron cages of stress—school pressures, work chaos, health fears, and financial worries. When emotions overwhelm, and the health of our psychology goes untended, minds crumble. The root cause? No release. No freedom. No uplift. No connection. Music changes that. Music positively affects human psychology by improving mood, reducing stress and anxiety, strengthening emotional well-being, and stimulating creativity and cognitive function. From ancient Greece to even the modern scans of the brain, this truth endures. Pythagoras saw musical ratios and patterns as soul-tuning, connecting. Helmholtz and Stumpf mapped sound’s path from ear to emotion, and today, neuroscientists measure dopamine surges, oxytocin rises, and cortisol drops. Music isn’t simply entertainment—it’s medicine. After hard days at work or school, we know music works. One song gets us asking, “What stress?” Science agrees with that very thing—listening lowers heart rate, blood pressure, and calms nerves. Singing cuts cortisol, sends up bonding hormones, and triggers dopamine reward. This ranges from the daily stress of life to even the hardest of moments. Music therapy has been proven to reduce and aid in the treatment of PTSD symptoms better than some medications alone. Teachers use it for test anxiety, helping the students calm their nerves before important exams. From the combat of trauma to the panic of a deadline, music creates breathing room where the mind may find itself suffocating. Music processes bottled grief, rage, and fear—cracking dams that normal words cannot breach. It’s a healthy form of coping that, when used properly , can boost mood, drop stress, spark creativity, and help in the gain of focus. We all have that one song that surges our self-esteem—that perfect song before an interview, test, or long day that makes you feel unstoppable. Social bonds form through shared chorus, group rhythm, and creating music together, creating a general feeling of closeness and trust. It opens the pathways in the mind for cooperation, trust, and even connection across cultures. Music trains pattern-spotting, problem-solving, and multitasking. Pianists, as a fine example, juggle rhythm, melody, music reading, and coordination, in short, a mental gym. Not only that, but music exercises the minds of other artists, not just musicians. Artists like authors and painters often find that music fuels epic stories and paints its own landscapes. The most miraculous of the benefits that music brings is its effects on memory. One chord pulls you back to childhood, your first love, or a great achievement. Music-Evoked Autobiographical Memory, or MEAMS, triggers vivid and colorful recollections of life, whether that be simply a fun memory or something as important as helping restore the lost memories of patients with dementia. Alzheimer's patients can sing melodies they once knew and reclaim lost identities when disease steals them. Everyone agrees that music enhances and evokes emotions; however, some day that music distracts some and overstimulates others. The wrong song, the wrong task, the wrong emotion—results vary. This proves nuance, not a fault in the proof that music positively affects human psychology. Like any tool, music proves its usefulness when chosen intentionally. The evidence put forth shows that, for most, it moves, connects, heals, and strengthens. Music positively affects human psychology, whether that be via mood, stress, emotion, creativity, memory, or bonds. From Pythagoras to people like you and me, music carries what words often stumble upon. It boosts one’s mood and self-esteem till scaling even Mt. Everest seems a mere walk in the park. Not only that, but individuals who find themselves forgetting who they are now can find their identity, even in small scenes here and there, through the simple reminder that music provides. “Music is the closest means we have to time travel…one piece of melody can get you reminiscing your past or dreaming up your future.” –Unknown