Music is My Therapy
Intended Audience
All members including people living with cancer, family members and significant caregivers.
Program Description
For almost three decades, Music Therapist Jennifer Buchanan has worked with diverse groups using music as a pathway to boost mental health and feelings of well-being. Her program, Music is My Therapy, demonstrates that when we experience the right music in the right way, renewal follows – one note at a time. In this workshop, you will explore the connection between music and mental health and why music’s power may hold more potential than you realize. Participants do not need to be musicians just people who love music and want to explore its therapeutic effects.
Benefits and Impact
Music has been shown to play an important role in the lives of people living with cancer. Recent studies find that art- and music-based therapies can have a broad range of beneficial outcomes for cancer survivors, including pain relief, reduced anxiety, decreased fatigue, and improved quality of life (Bosman et al., 2021; Bradt et al., 2016; Köhler et al., 2020; Wood et al., 2011). One study from 2017 found that even simply listening to music may reduce the incidence of pain, anxiety, and drowsiness (Bilgiç & Acaroğlu, 2017). Jennifer Buchanan, a certified and published music therapist (Buchanan, 2000; Buchanan, 2012), developed this program and leads it with Wellspring.
What to Expect at a Session
During the course of this program, participants will:
- explore new research that amplifies the work happening at the intersection of music, health, and neuroscience;
- hear real stories that demonstrate how music, when used with intention, can reduce stress and anxiety while igniting creativity required for new ideas and problem-solving; and
- identify how music is a communication bridge that can help individuals express and process their most significant life challenges, including difficult transitions, and unexpected health issues.
