Music therapist Corinne sits at a keyboard and begins the chords to the hope-filled song “You Will be Found” from the Broadway musical, “Dear Evan Hansen.”
The room of singers softly join her in the first lines: Have you ever felt like nobody was there? Have you ever felt forgotten in the middle of nowhere? Their voices grow stronger as they reach the refrain and join in together: Lift your head and look around … You will be found …You will be found.
This time together is about more than the music.
“It’s a therapeutic space,” Corinne said. “This provides a safe space to work through frustration or other issues.”
She is one of 11 music therapists at Oregon State Hospital who works with patients one-on-one and in group sessions to help them achieve their non-musical goals through their interest in music.
“Everyone has an experience with music they like to talk about, and it becomes a vehicle to talk about emotions,” Corinne said. “It helps break down barriers and serves as our pathway to therapy.”
As a clinical and evidence-based practice, music therapy uses musical interventions – songwriting, learning a new song, playing an instrument or even just listening to music – to help patients reach their personal non-musical goals. Whether it’s developing coping skills or resilience, the benefits of music therapy are specific to the patient. Research shows this type of therapy can help relieve stress, help express and regulate emotions and improve cognitive ability and overall wellness.
For Cass, music is a way to connect with her emotions.
“It’s a way to speak from the inside out,” she said. “It’s a good way to get out of a funk and get out of hard times and have fun. I don’t think I would be as far along as I am if I didn’t have a way to express myself like this.”
Cass has participated in music therapy at OSH for about a year and a half and credits it with helping her focus on her goals – earning her GED and preparing to transition back into the community.
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