Music Therapy Songwriting Showcase
Music Therapy Songwriting Showcase
The West Park Recreation Therapy team is thrilled to present a special community fundraising event: The Music Therapy Showcase.
This Showcase is a patient-led project featuring songs written by patients who work with West Park’s music therapist. It arose out of a patient’s desire to share her story through song with others, and other patients’ songs, to raise funds for West Park Foundation.
In making donation of $20 you will gain access to the songs while supporting the important work of West Park’s Recreation Therapy Program. You will receive a tax receipt for your donation.
About Music Therapy
Music therapy is the clinical use of music to support individuals in achieving non-musical goals within a therapeutic relationship with a certified music therapist (MTA). Music Therapy at West Park provides patients the opportunity to achieve such goals as:
- creative and emotional self-expression
- increasing a sense of autonomy through choice making
- rehabilitation goals related to speech and movement
- decreasing anxiety and increasing relaxation
Interventions include:
- music listening
- improvisation with voice or instruments
- singing songs and vocal exercises
- movement to music
- songwriting
- guided meditation with music
The Therapeutic Songwriting Process
How the therapeutic songwriting process featured in this project worked:
- Patients brainstormed lyrics and a song theme by sharing their thoughts, feelings and ideas with the music therapist
- Patients chose the style, tempo, and instrumentation for the song
- The music therapist provided melody options that fit the lyrics
- The song was recorded on an iPad using GarageBand
Patients deeply value music therapy:
“Music therapy is pretty important for the healing process. Writing this particular song was very cathartic.” –Karen
“It’s important to have music therapy because it helps with you self-esteem and it makes me happy. Songwriting is fun and cheers you up.” –Nic
Connect with the West Park music therapist, Daiva Zemaitis, MTA, NMT to learn more: music.therapy@westpark.org.
Support the Showcase Now
