UTHN Meeting April 23, 2019 held at Kristen’s house
Attendees: Kristen, Peggy, Laurel, Cindi Chris, Kate, Angela, Heidi, Tristan
Today was Tristan’s and Chris’s birthday which we celebrated with good food and a potluck lunch.
I: Heidi Reviewed the Generations 2019 conference Music Therapy Track held 4/16/19 at the Salt Palace Convention Center; Peggy, Tamara, Pam and Heidi attended and Peggy presented:
Conference Session I: A Continuum of Music in Healthcare: From Music Listening to Music therapy
Presenters: E. Christensen, SCMT, MT-BC; P Cann, CMP; S Cheek-O’Donnell, PhD; M. Frani, PhD; M , Hearns, PhD
Massamiliano Frani, PhD is the CEO of Genote see www.genotelab.com, recorded music to achieve various outcomes working with specific populations. He graciously offered attendees a 2 month free trial if we email him and mention his offer at this conference. He discussed his research using his product with long distance runners and the effect it had on their Ck, Hb, Cortisol, and Testosterone levels. Statistically significant results include an decrease of Ck and increase of testosterone and better motivational and coping skills. See Youtube videos for more information https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm4tiXyX_axzIq1Ty9q7eYA
I’m not sure when this discussion came up but the reference is to an article about a Therapeutic Musician who plays the harp. See the article http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/19/AR2008121903041.html?referrer=emailarticle&noredirect=on
Sydney Cheek-O’Donnell, PhD, Assoc Dean for Research at UU
Discussed Time Slips, a storytelling method to work with Dementia patients. TimeSlips opens storytelling to everyone by replacing the pressure to remember with the freedom to imagine. The open, poetic language of improvisational storytelling invites people with dementia to express themselves and connect with others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yxxbw7YIys
The UU has an Arts In Health Innovation lab, free yoga at the UMFA for the public and recently produced a play about a blind woman called Molly Sweeney
There will be an Arts in Health Symposium at the UU in the Fall of 2019, see http://artsinhealth.utah.edu/
Maureen Hearns, PhD, Chair of the Music Therapy Dept. at Utah State University, Logan
Music therapy In Dementia Care:
- Music therapy provides opportunities for:
- Memory Recall which contributes to reminiscence and satisfaction with life
- Positive Changes in Mood and emotional states
- Sense of Control Over Life through successful experiences
- Awareness of self and environment which accompanies increased attention to music
- Anxiety and stress reduction for older adults and caregivers
- Nonpharmacological management of pain and discomfort
- Stimulation which provokes interest even when no other approach is effective
- Structure which promotes rhythmic and continuous movement or vocal fluency as an adjunct to physical rehabilitation
- Emotional intimacy when spouses and families share creative music experiences
- Social interaction with caregivers and families
Peggy Cann, CMP gave a great presentation on what Therapeutic Musicians do and demonstrated by playing the harp for the group as she would for the NICU patients she plays for. She discussed the differences between Music Therapists and Therapeutic Musicians training and scope of practice.
Session II: Music therapy in Utah: Current Trends, Reimbursement and More
Presenter: Emily Polichette, MM, SCMT, MT-BC
MTs can bill for restorative care if their work is in support of other outcomes. They need an MD to sign off on this.
If insurance companies deny billing, ask to see their exclusion policies.
Utah Association of Music Therapists has a group devoted to legislative lobbying and they are always trying to get more billable services approved by Medicare/Medicaid See Utah State HB 277 which created the designation of State Certified Music therapist (SCMT). Only MT-BC people can apply for SCMT certification.
The term “Music Therapist” is not owned exclusively by BC-MTs which is one reason why they pushed for HB 277. It is important for the public to understand the difference between music therapists and Board Certified Music Therapists. One difference is in the amount of training and internship hours BC-MTs receive versus other certification programs.
Session III: Music and Mental Health in the Medical Settings
Presenter: Heather Fellows, SCMT, MT-BC
An experiential session. We all took up instruments, drums, guitars, and played together. Heather and some of the other Music Therapists present sang. Heather provided stories of her 20 years of practice as BC-MT working with all kinds of patients and how she used music, usually guitar and voice, to hold space for patients.
References:
- Group Music Listening with Adolescents for Self-Expression in Grief Recovery (McFerran, 2011)
- Active music making, songwriting and analysis, and music assisted grief rituals with hospice workers (Wiodarczk, 2010)
- Singing and vocal improvisation with adults with mental illness in complicated grief (IIliya, 2015)
- Live Music Based experiences improved pain control, physical comfort and relaxation in terminally ill hospice patients (Krout, 2001)
Heather told a story about a family member of a terminally ill patient who requested she play and sing Charley Puth’s song, See You Again.
Session IV: the Power of Your Individual Voice: Songwriting and Voice in Music therapy
Presenter: Brandtley Henderson, MM, MT-BC
Why we sing: Everybody can do it!
Muisc can create and reinforce neural pathways.
Singing is a way to create a shortcut from the prefrontal cortex (decision making) to the amygdala (emotional processing).
Singing permits the individual to acknowledge and process emotion in a way that is engaging, accessible, and non-threatening.
Another experiential session. Everybody can sing who can breath and make any sort of vibrational noise from their throat. You don’t have to be a trained singer. Brandtley played guitar and sang songs and had us all write a song in 15 minutes as a group which we then sang. It was pretty easy to do actually: pick a rhythm, create a phrase about a preselected topic, attach the phrase to a melody. Sing. Brandtley works with the Utah State Hospital patients.
II. We were all requested to watch the TED talk You Are Contagious by Vanessa Van Edwards
and listen to the podcasts:
End of Life University Dr Karen Wyatt Mortal Wisdom
Episodes:
181 Impermanence
183 How to let go of what you thought should happen
167 Kathryn De Longi and Music Thanatology (Kathryn is Kristen’s cousin and inspiration).
Using these sources as inspiration we talked about our own experiences when we were not centered and focused on our patients and the effect that had (or did not have) lending support to the concept that our intention and mindfulness is critical to the work we do.
We discussed the importance of focusing on gratitude as a way of improving not only our own emotional and physical health but that of others around us and how HeartMath measures and encourages this practice of cardiac coherence.
Cindi quoted: “Gratitude allows grace to complete it’s cycle” I cannot find the source for this citation but I did find the following via google search: https://mentalhealthgracealliance.org/christian-mental-health-and-mental-illness/what-you-get-when-you-give-thanks
Tristan shared an experience she had recently of an estranged family coming together at the bedside of their dying loved one and how the music helped them heal at this critical time before their loved one passed.
We also shared experiences of how times of brokenness can allow us to utilize other gifts we have to make a positive impact on the world in spite of our own disabilities and limitations. Laurel shared her experience from living with a chronic illness for the last 25 years and finding gratitude for all the blessings of her life.
We finished with lunch together and a healing ritual for one of our members using harp, intention and holding space for support.