What is music therapy?
In music therapy, credentialed professionals use music to help improve your overall health and well-being. The music therapist works with you to learn your strengths and needs. Together, you and therapist create a music-based treatment plan. The treatments might include singing, moving to, listening to—perhaps even creating—music. A single session could have a range of experiences.
- Playing instruments
- Singing
- Relaxing with music
- Writing
- Listening to music
Calling it a treatment plan may sound a little scary, but here is what one participant has to say:
“The music therapist taught me how to express my feelings and put them into song for myself. This has been such a positive, life-affirming experience for me, and I am so very thankful. My only wish is that we could have many more sessions."
Never been a singer? Haven’t touched an instrument in years? It’s not a problem. The music therapist and you work together to find what works for you.
“The music therapy was sensational. It really brightened my spirits. You made my day very happy.”
Ways music therapy can help with your cancer symptoms
- Anxiety is a normal response to learning you have cancer. Almost half of cancer patients report feeling a lot of anxiety. According to one study, music therapy helps with easing treatment-related anxiety better than verbal relaxation techniques.
- Music therapy can also lower your body’s ability to sense pain. Besides helping you feel more comfortable, the therapy can also decrease your need for narcotics.
- Patients taking chemotherapy often have problems with nausea and vomiting. Your care team gives you medicines to keep that under control. Music therapy offers another form of treatment to lower the severity and duration of nausea and vomiting.
- Music therapy can help improve breathing problems, as well as lowering your blood pressure and heart rate.
Besides all the medical benefits, music therapy gives patients an even bigger return. Another participant says:
“This was easily the most uplifting and soul-filling offering we had the privilege to receive during our two-week stay….Music undoubtedly fills the soul like nothing else can….Beth and Kaitlyn are exceptional, as musicians and wellness practitioners.”
Please visit our website or call 801-587-4585 to learn more about music therapy and schedule an appointment.Did you know that HCI’s Linda B. and Robert B. Wiggins Wellness and Integrative Health Center offers music therapy for our patients and their caregivers, both in and out of the hospital? We have three credentialed music therapists who work in groups or private sessions.
Aug 07, 2019 12:00 PM - https://healthcare.utah.edu/huntsmancancerinstitute/news/2019/07/music-therapy-at-huntsman-cancer-institute.php