Songwriting in palliative care – creating and leaving a legacy.

Songwriting in palliative care – creating and leaving a legacy.

2012-10-01 00:00:00 12m

Music therapy is a creative psychotherapeutic intervention which offers alternative forms of communication, enabling clients to explore new ways of being. Songwriting is a popular and effective technique in the field of music therapy, particularly in Palliative Care, as it provides patients and their relatives with the possibility of finding and having a voice, enabling them to communicate their experiences and be heard. Creating original songs with patients and their families is well represented in the music therapy palliative care literature. However, there is little discussion about 1) how the songwriting process forges and maintains connections within families, and 2) the impact of the legacy of the song. This case study will explore the multifaceted benefits of songwriting for one patient and their family in an acute palliative care unit. It will describe how the process enabled the patient to explore issues around the trauma of dying; provide a voice for loved ones; and create an enduring legacy. The case study will also illustrate the role of this legacy within the family and their wider community. This paper identifies that the far ranging benefits of the songwriting experience may not always be evident in the moment and why it is important to consider what may take place beyond the therapy session.

Areas of Interest / Categories: Palliative Care, WCP 2011
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