The healing and spiritual properties of music therapy at a cancer care center

Abstract

Background: This article explores the theme of spirituality, health, and well-being, in relation to an emerging body of research on the impact of music therapy in cancer care. The focus of this article is a music therapy service established as part of a residential 5-day retreat program at a cancer care center.

Aims: The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of patients with cancer with one-off group music therapy at a cancer care center. Central emphasis is given to exploring a range of themes relating to the healing and spiritual properties of music therapy group work.

Methods: This is a qualitative study, following a modified grounded-theory approach. Twenty-three (23) in-depth tape-recorded telephone interviews were conducted with people who had taken part in the music therapy sessions.

Results: The results focus on those findings relevant to notions of spirituality and healing, drawing on four overarching spirituality themes of transcendence, connectedness, search for meaning, and faith and hope.

Conclusions: The authors consider the applicability of broader schemas that attempt to define and explore the role and significance of spirituality.