RESOUNDING JOY
CLINICAL MUSIC THERAPY
While music therapists are skilled musicians, their primary expertise lies in creating a therapeutic experience, selecting appropriate and effective interventions, and helping the client achieve their non-musical goals.
Music therapy can contribute to improvements in range of motion, strength endurance, breath support, articulation, coping mechanisms, task-attention, self-organization, self-image, and appropriate self-expression. It can reduce pain perception, including chronic pain, and can build a sense of connectedness and group mission.
“This program is wonderful. I have taken part in many different types of therapies and this is the most unique and fulfilling. I look forward to my sessions every week.”
ANONYMOUS PARTICIPANT
Resounding Joy works in partnership with Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to address the clinical goals of service members and veterans in:
- Inpatient settings (pre-COVID)
- Residential settings (substance use rehabilitation, physical injury rehabilitation, older adult, or temporary housing)
- Veterans Affairs (both physical injury and mental health units)
- Health and wellness departments (DoD)
In addition to working onsite, Resounding Joy also provides a clinic-to-community pathway for integration and peer support through encouraging clients to participate in Semper Sound: Community.
Research demonstrates that music helps with stress reduction, resiliency, emotional expression, self-help strategies, family bonding, tools for navigating civilian life, and symptom management for those with compounding challenges.
American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) published a white paper, “Music Therapy and Military Populations.” Resounding Joy’s Semper Sound program was highlighted as a model. Since then, Resounding Joy’s program has been highlighted in multiple academic papers and journals.
Music-making helps service members and veterans self-validate their voices, articulate their own perspectives, and build healthy narratives of their experiences. This helps build resilience, bring families closer, and provide relaxation strategies while maintaining a safe environment. The program can be accommodated for service members or veterans that have disabilities.
Preliminary evaluations of the Semper Sound program thus far have produced the following survey results. Respondents report that music therapy helped them:
- Manage their anxiety/stress (100%)
- Manage physical pain (40%)
- Manage their depression (85%)
- Manage their anger (85%)
- Emotionally express themselves (100%)
- Develop/improve coping skills (100%)
- Bond more with others (75%)
- Increase their quality of life (95%)
“After sustaining in what some doctors are regarding as the highest level of severity of a Traumatic Brain Injury, I began working with Cory to achieve an aspiration in life and in recovery: to play piano. I have not only learned how to play the piano, not with only one hand but with both, while using the power of music to help regain all the muscles on my left side. As of earlier this year, I was found fit for continued Naval service. Resounding Joy’s services are led by music experts who want to share the joy and power of music with everyone. They also cater lessons to a client’s specific goals. They have changed my life in many positive aspects. I cannot thank you enough for the experiences and impact that you have played in my own recovery.”
JORDAN LO, USN