Music Therapy is an established healthcare profession that is receiving growing interest in the medical setting. Administered by board-certified therapists who are licensed mental healthcare providers, music therapy draws on a growing body of science that shows music used in a psychotherapeutic processes can help cancer patients, survivors, and their caregivers address physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual needs connected to illness and treatment burden.
Live music therapy experiences are used throughout the course of treatment to help patients manage the side effects of their treatment, and address potential secondary issues such as anxiety, fear, pain, and emotional difficulties (including trauma, depression, acute stress disorder and PTSD) as well as other psychological and spiritual concerns. It can enhance the overall quality of care and comfort.
Music therapy addresses the psychological well-being of patients with cancer by helping to promote a sense of resiliency throughout the treatment trajectory. Music therapy is also available to patients’ family members who accompany them to their treatment sessions. This can create a unique ‘nucleus of care’ that provides relief and support to both patients and their personal caregivers, and can enhance resiliency, reinforce coping mechanisms and help foster a proactive stance in addressing the challenges of cancer treatment.
Music therapy sessions are provided “in-situ” to people in fragile environments receiving systemic treatment, such as chemo and radiation therapy, and as pre- and post support and sedation for surgical procedures. Music psychotherapy is also provided individually to patients and caregivers after medical treatment to address emotional difficulties, post traumatic stress, and medically induced emotional trauma, as well as other psychological and end of life concerns.
The Benefits of Music Therapy in Oncology:
Music assisted relaxation
Mitigation of Phobic responses to treatment
Strategies for coping with treatment/illness burden
Emotional support /Depression
Pain management
Resource building
Anxiety reduction/self regulation
Procedural support
Strategies for addressing sleep disruption
Environmental Music therapy/Soundscape
Source: Andrew Rossetti MMT, MT-BC, LCAT
Coordinator – Radiation Oncology Music Therapy Program
Mount Sinai Beth Israel
Louis Armstrong Center for Music & Medicine
https://nancyslist.org/2020/01/29/andrew-rossetti-mmt-mt-bc-lcat-medical-music-psychotherapist/
Andrew’s work was just published in The New York Times with an article entitled “The Healing Power of Music.”
Music therapy is increasingly used to help patients cope with stress and promote healing.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/08/well/music-therapy-treatment-stress.html?smid=em-share
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