Page 58 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2022 - Online Magazine

SENIOR RESOURCES

T he Healing
The Healing

POWER OF
Music

by Bari Wenglein, Hospice of Lubbock Volunteer Service Coordinator

enry Wadsworth experiences of music for health discusses their goals, needs, or
Longfellow, professor treatment. concerns. She can assess each
Hand American poet, According to the AMTA, Music patient’s current situation and
proclaimed, “Music is the universal Therapists must have a bachelor’s adapt their music therapy visits
language of mankind.” The best degree or higher in Music Therapy accordingly.
explanation for this lies in the from one of AMTA’s 72 approved As a credentialed Music Therapist,
fact that the foundation of any colleges and universities, including Cheyenne uses music as an
language is its ability to convey a 1,200 hours of clinical training. intervention to address each of
message. We can, therefore, agree They must hold the MT-BC her patient’s cognitive, spiritual,
that everyone, regardless of their credential, which is issued through physical, social, and emotional
culture or personal background, can the Certification Board for Music needs. Examples include working
appreciate and distinguish basic Therapists. This credential protects with adults to lessen the effects of
emotions in music. the public by ensuring competent dementia, working with children
World renowned singer, composer, practice and requiring continuing and adults to help reduce symptoms
and pianist, Sir Elton John, stated education. Furthermore, to obtain a of pain, and assisting people with
that “Music has healing power.” degree in Music Therapy, one must Parkinson’s disease regarding their
What exactly did he mean? What is acquire knowledge in the areas of motor function. Additional Music
it about the art of music that touches psychology, medicine, and music. Therapy interventions may include
people so deeply? Once board-certified, a Music music improvisation, receptive
Philosopher Karen Marie Higgins Therapist must adhere to the CBMT music listening, song writing,
(2012), in her book The Music Code of Professional Practice and lyric analysis, music and imagery,
Between Us speaks of “music’s recertify every five years through singing, music performance,
uncanny ability to provoke, despite either a program of continuing learning through music, and music
its myriad forms, across continents education or re-examination. combined with other arts.
and throughout centuries, the sense Cheyenne Gordon, MT-BC, is the While there are examples of
of shared human experience.” Music Therapist at Hospice of therapeutic music that are
As we explore human experiences Lubbock. She graduated from West noteworthy, it is important to note
through the science and healing Texas A&M University and has they are not considered Clinical
process of music, we find the had several years of experience Music Therapy. These examples
study of Clinical Music Therapy working as a Board-Certified Music include groups performing at
(according to the AMTA-American Therapist. While Cheyenne’s focus hospitals or nursing facilities,
Music Therapy Association) to be is serving the needs of her patients providing background music for
the only professional, research- holistically, the goals for each of her patients while dining or sleeping,
based discipline that actively patients are different. playing a piano or guitar in the
applies supportive science to the Upon meeting her patients, lobby of a hospital or nursing home,
creative, emotional, and energizing Cheyenne learns about them and etc.

58 Lubbock Senior Link