Music Therapy at Sydney Children’s Hospital
Music therapy has become an integral psychosocial intervention in pediatric hospitals worldwide, enabling patients and their families to build resilience via a range of creative activities and coping strategies. Case vignettes, with audio/video recordings, will demonstrate the integration of traditional music therapy techniques, digital technologies, and other creative interventions to achieve therapeutic goals and objectives. Music therapists use methods like song-writing, improvisation, movement and group sessions to help patients express themselves and cope with major illness or injury, medical tests and assessments like blood tests, MRI’s, long-term treatment and rehabilitation.
Music Therapist Matt Ralph said the aim of music therapy was to create a positive environment in the hospital for young people undergoing hospitalisation and to reduce the impact of being hospitalised through music.
The overriding objective of music therapy is to preserve the patient’s resilience to treatment, which can last for as long as 24 months
Music Therapy is the planned and creative use of music to address an individual’s physical, emotional, intellectual and/or social needs.
Matt uses a variety of musical instruments to engage the students, such as drums, guitars, ukuleles, chime bars and other instruments that he has made.
Matt thank you so much for all of your hard work…you are an inspiration to us all.
Click here to watch a wonderful video of the incredible work at the Sydney Children’s Hospital
