Music Therapy

Music Therapy is an allied health service that uses music intervention to achieve functional outcomes. As part of CHAMPs (Child Life, Art and Music Therapy Programmes), Music Therapy at KKH helps patients of ages 0-99 years to cope with their medical treatment, manage their pain, express their feelings and achieve rehabilitation goals.

How does Music Therapy work?

Trained music therapists use music as a tool to cater to your needs. Music is a powerful, non-invasive and non-verbal mode of therapy that can support you in your journey at KKH. Music works on many levels – mentally, physically, emotionally and socially, allowing for unique outcomes that you need in the moment. Within the music therapy process, a therapeutic relationship is formed between the patient and music therapist, who is constantly assessing and supporting you to meet your needs.

Music therapy is an evidence-based practice and has been proven to support in the following ways:

• Pain management
• Creative self-expression
• Emotional support
• Increasing positive coping strategy
• Early intervention
• Rehabilitation
• Increased comfort and relaxation
• Family support

Inpatient Music Therapy

Music therapy is provided to both paediatric and women’s patients on a referral basis from medical staff such as doctors and nurses. Music has been shown to be supportive for those who are experiencing pain, feeling anxious, lacking motivation to complete rehabilitation, having low mood, challenged with communication, having difficulty coping with illness or being in hospital, or those with a change of brain or physical states due to accident, trauma or disease.

What can I expect in a session?

Each session is unique to what the patient needs in the moment. Sessions may include song sharing, lyrics discussion, music-making, singing, songwriting, instrument playing, music-guided breathing and movement with music. Music therapists not only support the patients’ medical goals while in the hospital but also enhance their quality of life during their stay.

“I don’t have any music knowledge. Can I still be referred for music therapy?”

Yes! Knowing how to play instruments is NOT necessary to engage in music therapy. The purpose of music therapy is to engage patients in motivating musical experiences to meet their health goal.

“I heard classical music is good for my child, is that right?”

Research has shown that preferred music is more effective in creating a positive change in a patient’s life. Music therapists consider individual preferences of music and the patients’ needs to design an appropriate session to support your journey in the hospital.

“How is music as entertainment different from music therapy?”

Music therapists are constantly attuning to the patient in the session to work on their health goals. The therapeutic relationship is key in this process, allowing music therapists to adjust the elements of music - tempo, rhythm, dynamic, intonation and lyrics to match the patients’ needs and guide them to a more positive state.

Who are Music Therapists?

Music Therapists in local hospitals have at least a Degree in Music Therapy, have successfully completed supervised clinical training and maintain professional credentials. They are trained to assess, implement, evaluate and document treatment objectives towards measurable non-musical outcomes. Medical music therapists also complete advanced specialized post-graduate training, e.g. Neonatal (NICU), Neurologic Music Therapy or Hospice and Palliative Music Therapy.

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