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Healing in Harmony
09/23/2009
INDIANAPOLIS – Riley Hospital for Children is among a growing number of health care facilities offering a very special form of treatment therapy - a form of therapy proven effective in helping to fight a wide range of ailments ranging from broken bones to terminal illness. This uniquely effective form of therapy is known as music therapy.
Music therapy is an interpersonal process in which the therapist uses music and all of its facets – physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic and spiritual – to help clients improve and maintain their health. In some instances, the patient's needs are addressed directly through music. In others, they are addressed through the relationships that develop between the patient and therapist.
The Cheer Guild Music Therapy program is utilized by patients of all ages with a variety of conditions such as psychiatric disorders, medical problems, physical handicaps, sensory impairments, developmental disabilities, communication disorders and interpersonal problems.
Board-certified Music Therapists, Ann Hannan and Katie Munch, offer approximately 60 hours of music therapy a week to an average of 30 patients. Each week, two hours of music therapy are provided in a group setting while the remainder of treatment is provided on a one-on-one basis to patients who have been prescribed the therapy by members of the patient's treatment team. Ann and Katie assess the strengths and needs of each patient and then provide the appropriate treatment in the form of many different types of music interventions including creating, singing, moving to and/or listening to music. Even newborns are commonly given and known to developmentally benefit from this form of treatment.
Research supports the effectiveness of music therapy in improving communication, enhancing memory, facilitating movement and overall physical rehabilitation, coping with treatment, reducing stress and the intensity of pain, building self-esteem, providing an outlet for the expression of feelings, and giving emotional support for clients and their families. Ann fondly remembers a patient who was non-verbal and became easily agitated when she was not able to express her needs. This patient had an intensely positive response to music, and despite physical challenges, she strived to play a variety of instruments. She indicated musical preference with her facial expressions, and Ann was able to create a repertoire of popular music to use during each session. Shortly after beginning these sessions, this patient began to sing complete lyrics to each of the songs used during the sessions, and would memorize and sing lyrics to newly introduced songs as well. The patient's singing eventually translated into speech abilities, and by the time she went home, this patient was able to speak simple sentences and clearly indicate her needs.
Because music is processed in areas throughout the entire brain, patients who suffer damage to their language centers can retrain neural pathways through singing to enhance their speech abilities.
To enter this growing field, music therapists must complete approved college-level music therapy curricula and a 1,040-hour internship, pass a national examination and meet accepted educational and clinical training standards.
Riley Hospital's music therapy program began in 2000 and has gradually become recognized by medical staff as a highly effective form of treatment.
Funding for Riley's Cheer Guild Music Therapy Program is provided by the Cheer Guild. September 21-25 is recognized as Indiana Music Therapy Week. For more information or to donate, please visit www.cheerguild.org.
CONTACT:
Margie Smith-Simmons
317.962.4085
msmithsi@clarian.org
About Riley Hospital for Children As one of the nation’s leading pediatric hospitals and Indiana’s first and only comprehensive hospital dedicated exclusively to the care of children, Riley Hospital for Children, a part of Clarian Health, has provided compassionate care, support and comfort to children and their families for 85 years. Each year, Riley Hospital and Riley Hospital at Clarian North serve over 215,000 inpatients and outpatients from across Indiana, the nation and the world. Riley Hospital’s partnership with Clarian Health, and its strong affiliation with the Indiana University School of Medicine, makes it the only comprehensive clinical resource for Indiana’s children and the premiere source for health-related information for their parents. From simple care associated with the health and wellness of children and less complex specialty care to the most critically-ill and medically complex cases, Riley Hospital for Children is a national leader. Clarian Health operates the Methodist Hospital, Indiana University Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children campuses as a single hospital under Indiana law. Visit Riley Hospital for Children for more information.
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