FAQ - Catie Wells, Certified Clinical Musician

What is the Difference Between a Music Therapist and a Therapeutic Musician? Music therapy is prescriptive, interactive, and requires a 4-year college degree. The music therapist uses musical instruments and music making as therapeutic tools primarily to rehabilitate the normal functions of living and improve quality of life through studying and promoting measurable changes in behavior. The therapist creates an ongoing relationship with the patient to reach specific objectives.

Therapeutic music is non-prescriptive, passive, and requires a certification. A certified therapeutic musician uses the artistic application of the intrinsic elements of live music and sound to provide an environment conducive to the healing process. Instead of rehabilitation, music is the therapy that integrates mind, body and spirit so that healing can occur. There often is no long-term relationship between the musician and patient.

How is a Recipient’s Environment Enhanced? A therapeutic musician enhances the environment by applying therapeutic music.

The purpose is not to entertain or to give a performance.
The intention is to promote healing – as opposed to curing – by bringing the body, mind and spirit into balance. Healing is a holistic view of human health pertaining to all aspects of the human being – mental, physical, emotional and spiritual wholeness – not just the physical aspect. Curing is done by doctors and mainstream, or allopathic, medicine.
The music affects the whole-person because the effects are four-fold:
- Physical
- Emotional
- Mental
- Spiritual
Music is often provided one-on-one in practice.

Who Benefits from Therapeutic Music?
Those who commonly greatly benefit are persons experiencing life’s transitions, such as birthing and dying, and those experiencing terminal illness, injury, chronic illness and/or disease. This may include babies in the neo-natal intensive care unit, patients in Hospice care, people recovering from strokes and other traumatic brain injuries, and children coping with life threatening or emotional crises. Facility staff and family members accompanying the patient also benefit from the music.

What are the Benefits of Therapeutic Music? Benefits can include, but are not limited to:

Distraction
Disassociation from the present situation
Refocus of attention
Altering the sense of time
Reprieve from the present situation
Relieving anxiety of the critically ill
Reducing stress and blood pressure of the chronically ill
Augmenting pain management
Bridge for communication between loved ones

Continuing Situational Benefits of Therapeutic Music

Relieving body and mental tension of the pre-surgery patient
Accelerating physical healing of post-surgery and injured patients
Easing the birth delivery process
Aiding mental focus in Alzheimer’s patients by lifting and clearing the consciousness
Assisting the dying by facilitating ease in the transition process

What is a Typical Therapeutic Music Session Like? The therapeutic musician is trained to assess the patient’s behavior, condition and communication ability in order to meet the patient’s immediate needs with appropriate therapeutic music

Music may be familiar or unfamiliar, structured (such as written tunes) or improvised, using rhythmic or arrhythmic tempos, depending on the situation and the patient’s needs.
In working with the mood of a patient, the therapeutic musician may play music which falls into three types: merry, sad and soothing.
Playing in different modes (Ionian, Mixolydian, Dorian and Aeolian) is also helpful in meeting the patient’s needs.

Why is Live Music Preferred? There are many benefits from a live person interacting with the patient and live music is preferred for several reasons:

There is no substitute for personal attention.
Music can be immediately altered to best meet the patient’s needs.
Because acoustic (live) music is not compressed and digitized like recorded music is, it contains a much richer spectrum of vibrations and harmonics.

What are Some Misconceptions about Therapeutic Music? One common misconception is that there is only one type or style of music that is beneficial for all patients. This is not true. Each patient has unique needs and the patient’s circumstances determine the type of music used. Other misconceptions are that therapeutic musicians are merely entertainers, or have not received sufficient training. These are also false. Therapeutic musicians are certified through extensive training programs which provide high-quality training, require internships and hold high standards for each graduate.

Is There Research to Support Therapeutic Music? The documented effects of music on mood and physiology date back to the ancient Greeks, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Today the effectiveness of music as a healing modality has been well-documented in music therapy, music-medicine, nursing, psychology and other scientific landscapes.

Recently several controlled studies have been published which demonstrate the efficacy of live, therapeutic music in decreasing pain and anxiety, and in regulating heart rhythms. Additional information about research results can be found on these Web sites:

What is the Future of Therapeutic Music? Since the inception of the therapeutic music field in the early 1990’s, hundreds of well-trained and certified therapeutic musicians have served humanity and made a difference in the comfort care of patients. Many healthcare facility administrators recognize the significant benefits that live therapeutic music brings to their patients, families, staff, the organization’s reputation, and enhanced patient satisfaction. Facilities also recognize the need for musicians to be trained and certified in order to understand and follow proper protocols for the protection of the patients, staff, and musician.

The practice of therapeutic music is expanding beyond the clinical setting. Therapeutic music can be utilized in offices, veterinary clinics and shelters, yoga and meditation centers, and many other locations where relaxation and stress relief will increase performance, satisfaction, and overall health. On-line platforms are also making it possible for certified therapeutic musicians to bring therapeutic music to people who are home-bound or in remote locations. The possibilities are endless.