Award-Winning New York Music Therapy Program Expands at NWH
Northern Westchester Hospital recently announced the expansion of its growing Music Therapy Program.
The program is offered by the Integrative Medicine Program, which received a 2011 Spirit of Planetree Award for supporting the hospital’s mission of improving the health and wellness of its community members through the power of song.
People who want to reduce anxiety and stress with the help of the same music therapy techniques applied in hospital settings can take part in free workshops through Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco.
The program, Relaxation and Stress Management Through Music, was developed with help from community neurologists, a team of psychiatric physicians and a strong partnership with CenterLight Health System’s Institute for Music and Neurologic Function. The classes are held from 10:15 to 11 a.m. on Tuesdays in the hospital’s Health and Wellness Room at the Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center.
Participants in the program may take part in a drumming circle or play various percussion instruments, improvise music, and talk about rhythm and style.
“People learn how to use music as a coping mechanism and see how it helps us,” said Ariel Weissberger, a music therapist who runs the program. “Connecting with yourself and others helps you connect with your emotions and brings about a sense of empathy and belonging.”
Patients at Northern Westchester work with a dedicated music therapist in various settings to address physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs. The music therapists visit patients on both the medical surgical and the behavioral health units.
“Some are able to sing, play along or request a song, while others benefit from music by listening or reacting with a smile, a tear or a comment depending on the circumstances. Some are cheered up by the end of the session, while others relax and fall asleep,” Weissberger said. “In some cases we get to see a patient’s bright side that we may not see otherwise.”
The response from patients who participate in the program has been extremely positive. Attendance, which is not mandatory, ranges from 85 to 100 percent participation. Data analyses from patients who choose to participate show an increase in engagement, with a decline in depression and overall anxiety.
To register for the workshop, call 914-242-8168.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.
