Music Therapy

Music Therapy is the planned and creative use of music to aid the:

physical
emotional
social, and
spiritual integration

of an individual during the treatment of an illness or disability to maintain and/or improve their state of health or well being. At Calvary Health Care Bethlehem the music therapists may “vary and adapt the music’s elements to connect with the physical, emotional or spiritual needs of the patient that are most in need of relief” (Hogan, 1999).

What is a Registered Music Therapist?

Registered Music Therapists are specially trained professionally accredited and registered with the Australian Music Therapy Association They have completed a university-based degree specialising in all facets of music, behavioral sciences, current educational and medical treatment, and accepted therapeutic approaches.

Aims and goals of music therapy

Music Therapy is directed at enhancing the quality of life of patients and their care givers. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, Music Therapists use music to address the perceived needs of the patients in order to:

Encouraging emotional expression
Stimulate creativity
Encouraging spiritual expression
Reducing patients’ perceptions of pain and other distressing symptoms, such as nausea, insomnia, anxiety etc.
Reducing agitated and restless behaviours including wandering
Improving cooperation and attentiveness
Improving self-esteem
Reducing isolation and withdrawal
Address cognitive, sensory, communicative and physical deficits

Techniques used in music therapy

These can include:

live performance of music
musically assisted counselling
musically facilitated life review
song writing and/or word substitution
music and imagery
facilitating patients playing instruments
improvisation
listening to music
music sensory activities

Music Therapy Programs at Calvary Health Care Bethlehem

All music therapy programs include assessment, ongoing review and evaluation of patients’/residents’ progress. These are documented in medical files according to Australian Health Care Standards, Resident Classification Scale and facility requirements.

Staff, volunteers, families and/or patients may make music therapy referrals.

Bethlehem supplies all music therapy equipment, including musical instruments and audio equipment, etc.

Music Therapy Palliative Care and Neurology Services

Inpatient Music Therapy Programs are provided on the Palliative and Neurological wards of Bethlehem. These programs include individual and small group sessions to patients, their families and friends. Outpatient Music Therapy Programs provide music therapy services to patients, their family and friends in their homes for both the Community Palliative Care Service and the Community Nursing Service (Neurology).

Music Therapy for Children and Adolescents

This program provides music therapy sessions to grieving children and adolescents who recently lost a parent, grandparent or sibling through a life threatening illness. These sessions are provided in their home.

see also our Creative Connections Program

Music Therapy Outreach Program

This program provides music therapy services to nursing homes and hostels, community based nursing services and acute hospitals.

Music Therapy Student Placement Program

The music therapy department accepts final year music therapy students from accredited universities offering courses accredited with the Australian Music Therapy Association.

These include:

University of Melbourne
University of Queensland
University of Technology, Sydney
The Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Centre

Download the protocol and guidelines for this program here:

Music Therapy Student Placement Program (*PDF file 160kB)

Contact the Chief Music Therapist on 03 9596 2853 or email music@bethlehem.org.au