The American Harp Journal - Extras - Summer 2018

The Therapeutic Use of Harp: Modalities, Programs and Training
by Bethany Wheeler, MA, MT-BC
Editor’s Note: The author categorizes performance in
healthcare settings by musicians without specific therapeutic
music training as “volunteering.” Although not
specifically mentioned, the commentary regarding this
category could also apply to those harpists who may be
hired to perform or “entertain” in healthcare facilities.
This is the first article in what we hope will be an ongoing
series about this important topic.
Introduction
ANN 1 had been playing the harp for several years
and thought it would be nice to share some of
her music as a volunteer at a local hospital.
Thinking that harp music could be very soothing, she
inquired about volunteer opportunities on the hospital’s
hospice floor. Her desire was to provide some enjoyment
and comfort to anyone who stopped to listen. The nurses
on the hospice floor were very excited for Ann to come
and readily agreed. However, when she arrived, instead
of being shown to the lobby, Ann was taken to one of the
private rooms where she was asked to play for a dying
patient and her grieving family. She played for the patient
and her family for twenty minutes and then excused herself.
Ann was shaken by this experience, feeling that the
emotional weight of the room had been too much for her
to bear. After this experience, Ann told the nurses that
she preferred to volunteer in common areas rather than
private rooms. She spent the next several weeks playing
in the hospice floor’s family lounges, which turned out to
be a positive experience for both Ann and the patients’
families.
Although it may not reflect a typical experience,
this real-life vignette sheds light on an important
ethical issue related to the use of the harp in health-
1 A harpist whose name has been changed for privacy.
care settings—namely, that any individual seeking
to enter into a healthcare setting to use the harp in
a therapeutic manner should have adequate therapeutic
training. A talented and proficient harpist
who lacks suitable therapeutic training may be unequipped
to understand, respond to, or cope with the
nuanced medical, social and psychological situations
encountered in healthcare settings. Additionally,
there exists a great diversity of physical and emotional
needs, cultural values, and musical preferences
within healthcare populations 2 ; this necessitates that
the musician not only cultivate an exceptionally
broad repertoire, but also be able to implement it
in a flexible manner, responding to the moment-bymoment
needs of each individual. How, then, can
harpists ensure that they are adequately prepared to
interact with patients and their families effectively?
What steps can a harpist take towards ensuring that
the patients, their families, and the harpist all emerge
from the musical experience with a positive rather
than a negative outcome?
In recent decades, several different therapeutic
modalities 3 and training programs have emerged
seeking to equip musicians to use their instruments
in a therapeutic manner within healthcare settings.
However, within the harp and healthcare communities,
there remains some confusion surrounding these
various therapeutic modalities, particularly regarding
the training and settings associated with each.
In an attempt to clarify these issues, this article
includes the following: 1) a description of four modalities
available to harpists who wish to use the harp
2 Many diverse populations may be found in healthcare settings,
including: the geriatric population, hospice population,
pediatric population, non-English speaking population, etc.
3 Throughout this article, modality refers to a therapeutic
method, approach or application.
7 THE AMERICAN HARP JOURNAL – EXTRAS