Music Therapy at Texas Children’s started in 2013 with a single music therapist in the NICU and inpatient rehabilitation unit – marking the beginnings of a nationally-accredited program that celebrates a decade of changing lives through music in 2023.
Fast-forward 10 years and you’ll find a Music Therapy program at its largest and most impressive, serving more patients and families than ever before with compassionate, evidence-based practice. Texas Children’s now has three board-certified music therapists on staff at the Medical Center campus covering inpatient Acute Care, Critical Care, and Neonatal ICU, and one board-certified music therapist serving the Intensive Outpatient Program.
Harnessing the healing power of music
There are countless forms of music therapy that can facilitate therapeutic outcomes and motivate children to heal their bodies, brains, and hearts. For example, interventions like contingent singing can decrease overstimulation and positively affect weight gain and growth in critically-ill infants. This is how our Music Therapy team is leading research in the field, having recently submitted for publication the first-ever study exploring co-treatment of music therapy and occupational therapy in the NICU.
There’s no doubt that a hospital stay can be taxing both physically and mentally. Given the extended length of an average ICU admission, many patients become desensitized to normal sounds and lights due to dysregulated sleep patterns. “With structured multi-sensory stimulation, I’m able to re-introduce appropriate auditory stimulation to my patients in a calming way so that they can develop regulation,” said music therapist Hillary Gómez. “It’s also a great intervention to use with patients who are sedated or on paralytics.”
Celebrating legacy
In 2018, our music therapists joined forces with art therapy and media services to create the Child Life Department’s Creative & Therapeutic Arts Program – setting out to enrich the lives of our children and families through innovative therapies and projects like Be Like Molly Mae, an annual hospital-wide creative arts camp inspired by a former patient.
“Some of my favorite memories are from Be Like Molly Mae camp, which is filled with music, art, and media activities for all our patients to participate in,” said music therapist Maribeth Brinkley. “This past year we had a secret agent theme, culminating in a special musical performance centered around hope and the holiday season.”
The music doesn’t stop there! Our beloved staff Ukulele Choir was born out of the Music Therapy program and practices weekly to prepare for performances and annual “care-o-ling“ around the hospital, lifting the spirits of patients and visitors.
Program milestones
According to music therapist Marial Biard, the Music Therapy team is working toward being adequately staffed with the American Music Therapy Association’s (AMTA) recommended minimum ratio of one music therapist to every 100 patient beds.
When asked where she sees the program in 10 more years, Biard said “we will also be pillars of care in our West Campus and Woodlands hospitals, leading significant research efforts that recognize the efficacy of music therapy co-treatment, pain mitigation, and patient experience.”
Join us in celebrating A Decade of Song all year long with program highlights, patient stories, and blog posts from our music therapists – as well as reflections on milestones from the past 10 years that include:
- 2013 – Music Therapy program formed for NICU and inpatient rehab patients
- 2014 – Music Therapy receives NICU research grant from AMTA
- 2015 – Clinical internship created, expanding services
- 2015 – Staff Ukulele Choir formed
- 2016 – Heartbeat recordings garner significant media coverage
- 2018 – Creative & Therapeutic Arts Program formed
- 2018 – $75,000 donation from Robinson Foundation to increase access to music programming
- 2021 – Elise’s Legacy Library published, becoming award-winning pediatric tool for mindfulness and mental wellness
- 2021 – First “Be Like Molly Mae” camp
- 2022 – Behavioral Health music therapist hired
To learn more about the Ukulele Choir or Good Grief Group, our music therapy support group for staff who experience grief in their roles, please email musictherapy@texaschildrens.org.
