Music Therapy and Spiritual Care

Music therapy refers to the use of music-based methods in a professional relationship to improve biopsychosocial and spiritual wellbeing. In music therapy, patients and families tend to choose or play music that elicits feelings, thoughts, images, memories, spiritual states, and people with which/whom they want to be connected. When caring for people affected by life-threatening conditions, music therapists' aims are similar to those of pastoral care workers/ chaplains. This chapter presents research findings and case studies to illustrate how music therapists offer generalist spiritual care to support patients and their families. Case studies will focus on the care of those affected by life-threatening conditions. Five spiritual need areas, described in the Standards for Hospice & Palliative Care Chaplaincy (AHPC 2006) provide the framework for illustrating how music therapy methods are offered, including live familiar music, song writing, improvisation, and music-supported counseling. The case studies also illustrate how music therapy can potentially improve the spiritual wellbeing of patients, and those significant to them, by connecting them with what and who matters in their lives, and enabling validation of self-worth, relief, and/ or pleasure.