Measuring the Pulse of MCV Campus

Therapy is Music to Patients’ Minds and Bodies

The Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center has offered advanced care for more than 160 years. Since 1838, the Medical College of Virginia has provided the best treatment and technology for patient care available in hospitals nationwide. The hospital currently is known as the VCU Health Systems and Hospital.

An important part of a patient’s stay is therapy, both mental and physical. MCV uses art and music therapy to help patients feel better in both of these aspects.

"We use arts at MCV to help patients work through their anxiety," said Philip Branch, director of Cultural Programs at MCV. "It helps to cure boredom, and gives them a recreational time as well as helping with rehabilitation, motor skills and intellect. All senses are used in art, and are used to help give the patients a stimulus and help them relax."

Branch heads all cultural aspects of the hospital, which includes the art and music therapy, as well as acquiring all of the art which hangs throughout the hospital.

"Studies show that people respond to images of nature and [art] that helps patients recover by calming them," said Branch. "We use imagery through art, and help people find ways to work through their illnesses."

The music therapy program, created nearly six years ago, provides group sessions for patients where they can interact with others as well as use their creative sides through art and music. The program is free.

Melissa Owens is a board certified music therapist at MCV, and has practiced music therapy for 17 years. In her therapy, patients are involved in a variety of exercises, such as singing, dancing and playing percussive instruments.

Recently, MCV added several Mac computers for patient use. With the computers, patients can now create and write their own music. MCV also supplies patients with an extensive library of CD’s and CD players, as well as Sleep Sonic pillows, which hook up to an iPod and plays the music through the pillow.

"There is a significant amount of research on the physiological effects of music," Owens said. "Helping patients learn to use music for relaxation can reduce stress and anxiety and reduce their perception of pain."

Once music therapy has helped relax patients mentally, they may use the therapy for physical rehabilitation to relieve muscle tension and to promote relaxation. Studies have shown that music can reduce heart rate, decrease blood pressure and improve respiration.

Certain sessions are also available where patients can play different instruments provided by the hospital, such as tambourines, marimbas, xylophones, and other percussion type instruments.

"The music aspect of therapy is about creating a healing environment for the patients," Branch said.

Misti Durrette said that when her mother was a patient last fall, the therapy has helped speed up her recovery.

"She seemed a lot happier now when I came to visit her as opposed to before she was involved in the groups," Durrette said. "I could tell that there is a difference in her demeanor and she feels more inspired about her condition."

Owens says that most patients are surprised with the results of the therapy, and are eager to take part in the sessions.

"I have encountered very few patients who have not wanted to participate or haven’t benefited from participation," she said.

As for the future, Owens says that the program at MCV is rapidly expanding. With the addition of the computers and iPods, the therapy is not only keeping up with technology, but is also reaching younger patients.

The program is implementing the use of interns as well, in hopes to make music therapy a growing field in today’s world of medicine.

For more information on art and music therapy in today’s hospitals, visit www.musictherapy.org, www.centerformusictherapy.com, www.arttherapy.org, www.harptherapy.com, or www.art-therapy.us.

The following articles - written by VCU Journalism Students - examine the medical school's legacy, student life, programs, buildings and future. All students are from Professor Bonnie Newman Davis' MASC 303 Newswriting Course. Loren Pritchett assisted in editing the articles.