C (RIP) – Case Study
C was a young adult who attended St Francis Hospice in Romford. He had a diagnosis of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy which is a genetic condition which causes progressive muscle weakness and deterioration and it affects the heart and respiratory system. He also had a mild learning disability.
C accessed weekly individual music therapy at St Francis, he was referred in order to develop his self-confidence and also develop communication as he often struggled to articulate himself.
It took a while for the initial therapeutic relationship to be established. He struggled to make decisions so I had to give him two options to help with this. I discovered he had a real love of pop music, especially love songs. Musical preferences often given us an idea of people’s ways of relating to others and it is a great way of developing a relationship with someone.
C and I spent a lot of time listening to music together in the early sessions. He would choose a song, I would then perform it for him, encouraging him to join in and this led to discussions about the song and how it made him feel. After a few weeks this really gave me an insight into how he was feeling and he shared with me his feelings about a neighbour who he was in love with.
I introduced the idea of writing a song for her in order to help him articulate how he was feeling. So we spent the new few weeks writing a song. C wrote the lyrics and I added gentle musical accompaniments on the piano, allowing him to be in full control of the accompaniment by offering him choices of styles and chords. We recorded the song with C singing and I produced a CD of the track for him.
“Music therapy can make the difference between withdrawal and awareness, between isolation and interaction, between chronic pain and comfort — between demoralization and dignity.”
In addition to songwriting, music therapy also offered C an opportunity to be in control and develop some independence. When I first met him, he told me that he could not play musical instruments by himself. However I was able to show him that he could, it was all about the positioning of the instrument. I noticed his whole demeanour changed, he started to smile and we developed a good relationship. He was able to explore his emotions and independence through musical improvisations and sessions offered a way of empowering him in what he could do rather than focusing on what he couldn’t.
Changes in C were also noticed by the wider team at St Francis and by C’s family and carers. They commented on his increased self confidence and one nurse said she had never seen him speak before but he said hello to her when he saw her in the hospice.
C sadly passed away, however this work was truly transformational for him. His song has even been played out on BBC Radio Essex! This is a great example of the power that music therapy has to transform lives.
If you or someone you know would benefit from music therapy then get in touch! Make a referral using the button below and feel free to contact us with any questions – we are happy to help.