To celebrate 25 years of Music Therapy at the RCH we’re taking you Behind the Scenes with Children’s Cancer Centre Music Therapist, Lauren.
Through music, Lauren provides treatment support, mental health support, and neurodevelopmental support to the oncology patients here at the RCH.
Lauren’s primary instrument is the violin, however at the RCH she is known for using her voice, a guitar, keyboard and drums to engage patients in music. She’s part of a team of six music therapists who provide 147 hours of services to the RCH every week. Funding for 76 per cent of these hours comes from generous donations from the public to the RCH Foundation.
We asked Lauren some questions about her work; here’s what she told us:
What does your typical day look like?
“A typical day for me begins in the Lumbar Puncture and Bone Marrow Aspirate clinic, where I provide music therapy to the oncology patients waiting for their procedures. Engaging patients in music therapy while they’re waiting provides opportunities for a child to refocus and participate, and helps them cope with fasting for the procedure, reducing anxiety, and establishing long-term coping mechanisms for future procedures and any hospital stays,” Lauren said.
“Following the morning clinic I head onto the ward, including the Bone Marrow Transplant unit, where I work with patients and their families. Every day and every patient is different and unique, so day-to-day the work can be quite varied. I work with children of all ages, so I have days where I will be using lullabies to settle an infant or nursery rhymes to actively engage children; assisting with treatment support; development, coping, and normalising the hospital environment. I can also use a young person’s song choice, which so far has included a wide array of repertoire ranging from Dolly Parton to Eminem, to provide support during treatment.”
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
“I really enjoy getting to know my patients and their families through their use and connection with music. I feel that through the use of music I truly get a sense of the patients and their ‘healthy selves’.”
What made you pursue music therapy?
“I knew that I wanted to work with music, but I wasn’t interested in performing or teaching. I’d heard about music therapy, and upon learning more, I’ve never consider pursuing anything else. The way in which the human brain responds to music, and the therapeutic applications that that response can elicit continues to inspire and inform my clinical practice.”
Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
“I am a massive fan of The Muppets. Fozzie Bear is my favourite. I recently saw that The Muppet band ‘Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem’ are doing some upcoming live shows at festivals in the USA; it’d be a dream to see them perform live!”
3 comments for “Behind the Scenes: Music Therapy”
Kris Lyon
Hello to Lauren and the team of wonderful, talented and caring people!! Lauren, it was fantastic to read about your beautiful work!! We are so very proud of all your achievements We wish patients, families and all the staff comfort, strength and well being, love the Lyon family
Tony Ciavarella
Seeing this article on music therapy reminded me of a few paragraphs I wrote when my son was in the Bone Marrow Transplant suite at RCH last year, as an 18 month old. We were so lucky to have Lauren visit us, and it was not only our son, but his mum and I that were rallied by her visits.
“During his third session on the photophoresis unit, we got a visit from Lauren, the music therapist, who played on her guitar and sang to him, and we all did our bit to join in and try to distract him from the longevity of the procedure. Music therapy is great, and Lauren brightens our day. She has worked out that Charlie is an up tempo chap, and gets him bopping along. (It was fantastic to see though, how Lauren, when she visited yesterday, and Charlie was overtired – he often resists an arvo nap that would serve him well – that she could so easily calm him, singing many of the same songs in a softer, mellow, slower manner. His eyes grew heavy and he calmed and yet it was dinner time, and so she kept him ticking away, just enough bounce in the music to keep off sleep. That is when you see that she is not just a singer, but a therapist, and I was blown away by her skill and understanding. Charlie was too, and at the end of the session, rather than just the usual verbal ‘bye’ that he gives, he stretched out, moving his head to offer her a kiss (something reserved mostly for Mum, Dad and grandparents). It was lovely to see, albeit the kiss could not be landed, since music therapy must be administered through a facemask. That is an even harder gig, and it is lucky Lauren has smiling eyes! A prerequisite, I guess.)
walshh
Dear Tony, Thank you for your lovely message; it’s so lovely to see that you have such lovely memories of the music therapy program. We’ve shared your message with the team, including Lauren, and they greatly appreciated it. We all hope Charlie is doing well; please tell him Lauren and everyone here says hello and wishes him well!