On July 7, The National Music Centre (NMC) announced that it will be receiving a $500,000 investment from BMO over the next five years for the centre’s Music Therapy Initiative. The funding will be used to support programs across the country and make music therapy more accessible.
Music has always been known to be beneficial to the body and mind, used by many to reduce pain and lower anxiety. Music therapists are individuals who thoroughly understand the healing capabilities of music, employing evidence-based techniques to help patients accomplish emotional, social or physical goals.
“We work in different settings within the community, so hospital settings, continuing care, group homes and working with children in school or in their own homes,” said Shannon Robinson, a certified Music Therapist who spoke to the Gauntlet about the Music Therapy Initiative.
Robinson works for JB Music Therapy, which has provided music therapy services to Calgarians for over three decades. The partnership between the NMC and JB Music Therapy first began in 2018 to bring music therapy sessions to acute care patients in hospitals throughout the city.
“In a hospital setting, we might be working with those who have acquired brain injury and are regaining mobility or speech, or just want to work through the emotional impact of that type of injury,” said Robinson.
The program has since expanded into the Music Therapy Initiative, with the NMC collaborating with healthcare entities in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia. The initiative's overall goal is to bring music therapy programs to each province and territory.
Robinson describes a common misconception about being a music therapist as the idea that the job is simply performing or playing music for patients. In reality, what a therapy session looks like depends on the health and recovery needs of each patient or client. Activities are specifically chosen based on what will help their clients meet these objectives.
“[Music therapists use] music with intention, picking or playing music in a very specific way so that the client can be engaged in the process and that the clients themselves are also very involved in the process,” Robinson explained.
The benefits of Music Therapy are supported by years of extensive research which has connected the practice to improved emotional and health outcomes. This includes the work of Dr. Stephanie Plamondon of U of C’s Department of Clinical Neuroscience, who researched the effects of music therapy on patients in acute care settings. In a recent study, Plamondon and her team surveyed ICU patients and their family members who have attended music therapy sessions and found that a majority of participants indicated elevated mood and reduced feelings of loneliness, boredom and anxiety connected to the experience.
The half-million-dollar investment in the initiative was doubled through the NMC’s partnership with the Jim Patterson Foundation, which matched the contribution of BMO. Robinson details the generosity of both for the growth of the music therapy programs throughout the country, but also to help sustain current programs that have an ongoing need for funds.
Robinson also describes how students can benefit from participating in music therapy. Many university students often find themselves struggling with their mental health due to academic, financial and social challenges. Music therapy can be a useful tool for such individuals who are grappling with anxiety.
“Being in music therapy sessions can help [students] unpack that stress and also learn how to use music in a therapeutic way,” said Robinson.
Overall, music therapy has been proven to be an effective resource for improving an individual's healing and recovery journey. With the investment by BMO and the Jim Patterson Foundation, the Music Therapy Initiative can continue to provide these valuable services to more Canadians.
More information about the Music Therapy Initiative can be found on the NMC’s website.
