More and more, music therapy (and all the creative arts therapies) is being recognized and utilized by medical teams as a means of helping their patients, particularly in dealing with anxiety and stress, as well as pain perception, and coping with hospitalization.
“Music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.” (American Music Therapy Association).
One of the main benefits of music therapy is that it can help reduce the number of high-powered medications that can have multiple side effects, including prompting delirium, as a means of working with patients’ extraneous issues such as stress and anxiety, which can hinder the overall healing process. Music therapists generally use ‘live’ music, as the music can then be modified and manipulated, in the moment, to respond to the immediate needs of the patient.
On the inside, music (art, aesthetics) made a difference.
On the inside, music therapy made a difference.
Music is the one entity that can truly help change a surrounding, especially in a high-stress environment such as a critical care hospital setting. Music is an element that is simultaneously beneficial for patients, families, caregivers, and staff. Music is truly healing in a hospital setting. It makes a difference. And it belongs.
The healing power of music.
