Music Therapy

What is music therapy?

Our board-certified music therapist uses evidence-based music interventions to address the physical, emotional, social and cognitive needs of our patients and families. While it may look like entertainment at times, these techniques utilize a patient’s favorite song to help reach medical goals like decreasing pain, getting out of bed after a surgery, or improving compliance with medications and treatments.

Did you know: Music therapists are qualified professionals who have completed a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in music therapy, clinical training internship, and the national board certification exam.

Music therapists develop sessions based on medical diagnosis, assessment, and report from interdisciplinary team.

What are the goals of music therapy?

• Supporting pain management
• Promoting autonomy and control
• Promoting the growth and development of cognitive, language, and motor skills
• Increasing coping with hospitalization.
• Emotional support

Music therapists at Golisano Children's Hospital are funded through philanthropy.

Equipped with a guitar, tambourine, and other instruments, they can visit children on any of our inpatient units including: NICU, PICU, hematology/oncology, and the general medical/surgical units -- anywhere a child needs help.

Through songwriting, music video creation, or playing and singing a patient’s favorite songs, our music therapy program provides our patients and families with a unique and creative outlet to help them process and cope with their hospitalization.

_{Here is a music therapist at Golisano Children's Hospital with a previous patient.}