WHAT IS MUSIC THERAPY?
Evidence-Based. Clinically Grounded. Deeply Human.
Music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individual goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.
Music therapy interventions can address a variety of healthcare goals, including promoting wellness, managing stress, alleviating pain, expressing feelings, enhancing memory, improving communication, and supporting physical rehabilitation.
(American Music Therapy Association, 2005)
Board-Certified Music Therapist
Music therapy at Cardinal Hospice Care is provided by a board-certified music therapist as part of the interdisciplinary care team. It is a clinical therapeutic service grounded in specialized training, individualized assessment, and evidence-based practice.
In hospice, music therapy supports patients and families by helping manage pain and anxiety, encouraging relaxation, fostering connection, and creating moments of comfort and meaning.
Each session is individualized, shaped by the patient’s needs, preferences, cultural background, and stage of illness.
Music Therapy in Hospice May Include:
- Guided music listening to promote relaxation and calm
- Breathing and relaxation techniques using rhythm
- Legacy moments that families can share together
- Familiar songs to support memory, connection, and emotional expression
- Reminiscence and life review
THE QUIET POWER OF MUSIC
A familiar melody can steady breathing.
A song from long ago can awaken memory.
A gentle rhythm can offer grounding when everything else feels uncertain
These moments are not dramatic. They are quiet, personal, and often deeply meaningful.
Benefits of Music Therapy
Care teams and families often observe subtle but important changes:
- A patient who appeared withdrawn becomes more engaged
- Restlessness softens into calm
- A loved one who had not responded begins to sing or hum
Patients frequently share that pain feels more manageable after a session and that their mood feels lighter. These observations, gathered over time, reflect the gentle, therapeutic power of music when guided by a trained professional.
OUR COMMITMENT
Where Clinical Excellence Meets Human Connection
Because this work matters, Cardinal has invested in providing music therapy through nationally credentialed expertise, ensuring it is held to the same clinical standard as every service we offer.
Music therapy works alongside the care plan to support emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being, always led by what matters most to the individual. Every session begins with listening. Every relationship begins with honoring the person beyond the diagnosis.