The Sound of Caring
According to the Association québécoise de musicothérapie, music therapists are professionals who have graduated from a University program recognized by the Canadian Association for Music Therapy. They have knowledge and skills in the areas of music and its impact, clinical improvisation, specific music therapy approaches, psychosocial and neurobiological development, and the characteristics and needs related to various pathologies.
Dany Bouchard is one of six music therapists at the MUHC, where he has worked since 2006. Asked to explain his job, he says, “I use music within a therapeutic process. With music, it is possible to express things that words cannot. Music therapy makes it possible to establish contact with a person and assess his or her strengths and needs.”
Three days a week, Dany lends support and aid to patients in the Department of Psychiatry. “We get together in groups of four to ten people and enjoy ourselves by playing different instruments. The goal of these meetings is to create a feeling of fun and cohesiveness. People feel at ease and gradually regain self-confidence and self-esteem. They realize that they can accomplish something,” adds Dany. Music greatly helps reduce the anxiety and isolation that often accompany mental health problems. Dany also works with the MusiArt choir, which plays an important social role for its participating members. The choir just launched its first CD entitled “Confidences... in confidence,” which is available at the Montreal General Hospital Site’s Hospitality Corner.
In addition to an extensive knowledge of music, Dany has a Bachelor’s degree in music therapy from the Université du Québec à Montréal. “My B.A. gave me enough tools in psychology and music to prepare me for this profession,” he says. What advice does Dany have for those interested in a music therapy career? “Along with having a passion for music and psychology, you have to be an independent learner,” he says.
This article was written by Alex Fretier for e-en bref, the MUHC employee newsletter.
