Individual music therapy improves outcomes in depression when combined with standard therapy, a randomised controlled trial from Finland has found. A total of 79 participants (62 women), aged 18 to 50, with an ICD-10 diagnosis of depression were recruited from psychiatric health centres and polyclinics. Thirty three were allocated to the intervention group and 46 received standard care only. The intervention consisted of 20 twice-weekly sessions, each session lasting for one hour. Both the therapist and patient were provided with a keyboard, percussion instrument and acoustic drum. A therapeutic musical relationship was developed by improvising music together.