Music for HealingMusic for HealingDaryne Rockett, LCSW, CMPDaryne Rockett, LCSW, CMP

The Significance of MusicThe Significance of Music

• Communicates both with lyrics and Communicates both with lyrics and beyond wordsbeyond words

• Tells our storiesTells our stories

• Moves us to laughter, to tears, to Moves us to laughter, to tears, to dancedance

• Accompanies important ceremoniesAccompanies important ceremonies

• Provides a gateway to memoriesProvides a gateway to memories

Consider this piece of Consider this piece of music. Listen with your music. Listen with your

eyes closed and allow it to eyes closed and allow it to tell you a story…tell you a story…

• What emotions did the piece evoke?What emotions did the piece evoke?

• What images come to mind?What images come to mind?

• What story does it awaken in you?What story does it awaken in you?

What memories does this What memories does this piece evoke for you?piece evoke for you?

Now focus on the Now focus on the physiological response in physiological response in your body to this piece of your body to this piece of

music…music…• What did you notice your body doing?What did you notice your body doing?

• What did the music remind you of?What did the music remind you of?

Healing Benefits of MusicHealing Benefits of Music

• Reduces painReduces pain

• Increases oxygen levels in the bloodIncreases oxygen levels in the blood

• Steadies respiration and heart Steadies respiration and heart rhythmrhythm

• Reduces anxiety and fearReduces anxiety and fear

• Reduces nauseaReduces nausea

• Provides a focus different from Provides a focus different from hospital machineshospital machines

• Boosts immune responseBoosts immune response

Pain Reliever with No Pain Reliever with No Damaging Side Effects Damaging Side Effects

At St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, At St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, patients in critical care units listen to patients in critical care units listen to classical music.classical music.

“ “Half an hour of music produced the Half an hour of music produced the same effect as ten milligrams of same effect as ten milligrams of valium.” valium.”

-Dr. Raymond Bahr-Dr. Raymond BahrDirector Coronary Care UnitDirector Coronary Care Unit

How does music heal?How does music heal?

• DistractionDistraction

• EntrainmentEntrainment

DistractionDistraction

A loud repetitive sound sends a A loud repetitive sound sends a constant signal to the cortex, constant signal to the cortex, masking input from other senses like masking input from other senses like vision, touch, and smell.vision, touch, and smell.

Entrainment: To Seek and Entrainment: To Seek and MatchMatch

• Heart Rate Heart Rate 60-80 Beats per Minute60-80 Beats per Minute

• Breath Breath 12-20 Breaths/Minute Waking 12-20 Breaths/Minute Waking 6-8 Breaths/Minute Sleeping6-8 Breaths/Minute Sleeping

• BrainBrain Beta – Waking 15-40 Beta – Waking 15-40 Cycles/SecondCycles/Second Alpha – Alpha – Daydreaming 9-14 Daydreaming 9-14 Theta Theta – Trance 5-8 – Trance 5-8 Delta – Delta – Deep Sleep 1.5-4 Deep Sleep 1.5-4

Frequency of VibrationsFrequency of Vibrations

• High pitched sounds increase High pitched sounds increase stimulationstimulation

• Low frequency sounds are groundingLow frequency sounds are grounding

Principles of the Music Principles of the Music PractitionerPractitioner

• Patient is the center of focusPatient is the center of focus

• Intent to provide an environment for Intent to provide an environment for healinghealing

• Whole person concept of mind, body, Whole person concept of mind, body, spirit, and emotionspirit, and emotion

Holistic HealthHolistic Health

““Outside of sleep, breathing, nutrition Outside of sleep, breathing, nutrition and to some extent exercise. . . and to some extent exercise. . . probably no behavior comes close to probably no behavior comes close to the power and diversity of music in the power and diversity of music in eliciting homeodynamic shifts." eliciting homeodynamic shifts."

-Mark Ryder-Mark Ryder The Rhythmic Language of The Rhythmic Language of

Health and DiseaseHealth and Disease

Why live music?Why live music?

• Responsive to the changing state Responsive to the changing state of the patientof the patient

• Vibration of live instrumentVibration of live instrument

• Human connectionHuman connection

Four Categories of ClientsFour Categories of Clients

• Acutely illAcutely ill Rhythmic Rhythmic musicmusic

• Chronically illChronically ill All StylesAll Styles

• Children and EldersChildren and Elders Familiar MusicFamiliar Music

• Actively DyingActively Dying Arrhythmic Arrhythmic musicmusic

Music ThanatologyMusic Thanatology

““The delivery of music has everything The delivery of music has everything to do with leading a patient from a to do with leading a patient from a feeling of safety to openness and feeling of safety to openness and release.release.

““Letting go is some of the hardest work Letting go is some of the hardest work we can do, either as a patient or as a we can do, either as a patient or as a musician.”musician.”

-Therese Schroeder-Sheker-Therese Schroeder-ShekerChalice of Repose ProjectChalice of Repose Project

Vibrations and CancerVibrations and Cancer

The pictures above were taken while a xylophone was used over a period of fourteen minutes playing the Ionian Scale (C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C,D)

"The human voice carries something in its "The human voice carries something in its vibration that makes it more powerful than vibration that makes it more powerful than any musical instrument: consciousness…. any musical instrument: consciousness….

… …It appeared that the cancer cells were not It appeared that the cancer cells were not able to support a progressive accumulation able to support a progressive accumulation of vibratory frequencies and were of vibratory frequencies and were destroyed." destroyed."

-Fabien Maman-Fabien Maman

Case StudiesCase Studies

• Grieving ParentGrieving Parent

• Alzheimer’s UnitAlzheimer’s Unit

• Dialysis PatientDialysis Patient

• WWII NurseWWII Nurse

Great ReadingGreat Reading

• A Soprano on Her Head A Soprano on Her Head by Eloise Ristadby Eloise Ristad

• The Art of Being a Healing Presence The Art of Being a Healing Presence by by James Miller with Susan CutshallJames Miller with Susan Cutshall

• The Power of Sound The Power of Sound by Joshua Leedsby Joshua Leeds

• The Mozart Effect The Mozart Effect by Don Campbellby Don Campbell

• Molecules of Emotion Molecules of Emotion by Candace Pertby Candace Pert

• Music is Healing Music is Healing by Dr. Frances le Rouxby Dr. Frances le Roux

Music for Healing and Music for Healing and Transition ProgramTransition Program

www.mhtp.org

I AM MUSIC; Most ancient of the arts. I am I AM MUSIC; Most ancient of the arts. I am more than ancient; I am eternal. Even more than ancient; I am eternal. Even before life began upon this earth, I was before life began upon this earth, I was here in the winds and the waves. When here in the winds and the waves. When the first trees and flowers and grasses the first trees and flowers and grasses appeared, I was among them. And when appeared, I was among them. And when people came, I at once became the most people came, I at once became the most delicate, most subtle and most powerful delicate, most subtle and most powerful medium for the expression of emotions…medium for the expression of emotions…

……When people were little better than beasts, When people were little better than beasts, I influenced them for their good. In all I influenced them for their good. In all ages, I have inspired people with hope, ages, I have inspired people with hope, kindled their love, given a voice to their kindled their love, given a voice to their joys, cheered them on to valorous deeds, joys, cheered them on to valorous deeds, and soothed them in times of despair. I and soothed them in times of despair. I have played a great part in the drama of have played a great part in the drama of life, whose end and purpose are the life, whose end and purpose are the complete perfection of human nature…complete perfection of human nature…

……Through my influence, humankind has Through my influence, humankind has been uplifted, sweetened and refined. been uplifted, sweetened and refined. With the aid of mankind, I have become With the aid of mankind, I have become a Fine Art; I have a myriad of voices and a Fine Art; I have a myriad of voices and instruments. I am in the hearts of all instruments. I am in the hearts of all people and on their tongues in all lands, people and on their tongues in all lands, among all peoples; the ignorant and among all peoples; the ignorant and unlettered know me, not less than the unlettered know me, not less than the rich and the learned…rich and the learned…

..For I speak to all people in a language ..For I speak to all people in a language that all understand. Even the deaf hear that all understand. Even the deaf hear me, if they but listen to the voices of their me, if they but listen to the voices of their own souls. I am the food of love. I have own souls. I am the food of love. I have taught gentleness and peace; and I have taught gentleness and peace; and I have led people to heroic deeds. I comfort the led people to heroic deeds. I comfort the lonely, and I harmonize the discord of lonely, and I harmonize the discord of crowds. I am a necessary luxury to all. crowds. I am a necessary luxury to all.

I AM MUSIC.I AM MUSIC.

Daryne Rockett, LCSW, CMPDaryne Rockett, LCSW, CMPdaryne.rockett@va.govdaryne.rockett@va.gov(207) 947-3391(207) 947-3391(207) 659-HARP(207) 659-HARP