A day in the life of two music therapists

12 p.m.

Obi returns to her office to revisit patient charts, eat lunch, and check the status of the interns. To date, the program has trained 32 practicum students and 37 interns from Nazareth College’s music therapy program, from which Obi received her master’s in creative arts therapy, with a specialization in music therapy, and Kong obtained her bachelor’s in music therapy. She then went on to get her master’s in music therapy from Florida State University before returning to Rochester to work.

1 p.m.

Kong is now in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with Derek*, who was born at 27 weeks gestation and is now five weeks old. He started music therapy four weeks ago and is now ready for a new intervention to help him learn how to tolerate different types of stimulation. Kong guides his mother through the intervention and teaches her the technique, which includes humming or singing while massaging and rocking Derek. “He was opening his eyes and smiling throughout the session, while also bonding with his mother,” Kong says. “His mother was happy he received therapy that was so developmentally appropriate for him.”

1:30 p.m.

As part of Golisano’s adolescent medicine team for eating disorders, Obi visits Eliza*, a 16-year-old with anorexia nervosa who was admitted for medical stabilization. Obi tells her about music therapy. To help with Eliza’s anxiety, Obi leads her through an art activity based on music listening. She also guides her through some progressive muscle relaxation and breathing techniques combined with music. Obi often uses mindfulness and music with older youth who are in a lot of mental or emotional pain.

Obi also suggests that Eliza create a soundtrack for her life. She asks Eliza, “if your life were a movie, which songs would you include?” Obi notes that it’s a starting point for them to make a connection and for Eliza to find a new way to express herself and what’s meaningful to her.

2:15 p.m.

Kong is called to be present while one of her patients receives an echocardiogram. The test is almost done, but the toddler starts to panic. Luckily, Kong arrived before the care team was about to medicate her. “I came in and started singing one of her favorite songs,” she says. “It calmed her down and she didn’t need that extra medication after all—a successful musical intervention.” She returns to her office afterward to write chart notes and document each patient’s progress. Kong reflects at the end of the day, “I love my job–I get to do what I love and bring the power of music to very young people who are in very difficult situations.”

3:30 p.m.

Obi sees a medically complex patient, as she, Kong, and the interns often do. These are young people with multiple diagnoses. In this case, Marcos*, an 8-year old child with cerebral palsy and pneumonia, has just been admitted. Obi spends time with him to see how he responds to music. She brings along her guitar and instrument tote to see what he likes. She helps him play the cabasa, a small beaded instrument that provides him some tactile stimulation while she sings familiar and improvised songs. She will continue to work with the child life specialist, along with his occupational and physical therapist, to develop a plan to improve his fine motor skills and meet his developmental needs.

4:45 p.m.

Obi sees her final patient of the day. Maya is a 12-year-old with end stage renal disease who is admitted for a painful urinary tract infection. Obi has known Maya since her first admission for kidney disease 10 years ago. Today, Maya shares her disappointment that she is missing out on a school event. Her parents leave the room and give their daughter some privacy.

Maya then writes a song about how she is feeling. Obi provides suggestions, validates her thoughts and feelings, and helps Maya decide how the song should sound. She also works with her to develop a guitar accompaniment. Maya listens to her finished song with pride and sings along quietly. When her parents return to the room 45 minutes later, Maya shares the recording with them. Within the lyrics, Maya expresses frustration followed by thoughts of hope, strength, and resilience, which her parents recognize and remind her of often. The family has tears in their eyes as they discuss sharing the song for others to hear.

5:30 p.m.

Obi returns to her office to write chart notes and review intern notes. It’s not unusual for her to stay past 6 p.m. to make sure she sees as many patients as possible. “No day is the same,” she says. “It’s always interesting and I am always learning. And, most importantly, it’s such a gift to bring music into our patients’ and their families’ lives and do it in a therapeutic way.”

What is music therapy?

Music therapy uses music to promote healing and enhance quality of life. It complements medical treatments and helps patients cope mentally and physically with their diagnosis. Music therapy may involve listening to music, making music, singing, and discussing music, along with guided imagery with music. It helps ease stress, fear, and anxiety; improves mood; lowers heart rate; alleviates depression; aids with sleep; and provides relaxation. It gives young patients so much of what they need to deal with their circumstances.

Jorie Pucillo with Rosie Obi and a nurse

Thank you, music therapy

Patients and families like the Pucillos are grateful for music therapy. In the spring of 2020, Jorie Pucillo, a three-year-old with Down Syndrome, was diagnosed with leukemia. Unfortunately, Jorie was no stranger to the hospital. When she was six months old, she endured open heart surgery. For her cancer diagnosis, she went through six rounds of chemotherapy and was in the hospital for six months. During each round of chemo, she had music therapy.

“Rosie Obi was awesome—she came in, sang, played guitar, and even showed Jorie how to play the ukulele,” says Jorie’s father, Jerry, a musician who also participated in the music therapy sessions. “Every time Rosie came into the room, Jorie’s mood changed. She was able to play and have a sense of normalcy even when she was in the hospital for so long.”

Rachel Wilson (center, holding check), Elaine Kong (in green), Rosie Obi (behind Kong), Morgan Kowalski (in orange), Sandy Strong, and other supporters at the Battle of the Beaks.

Going full circle for music therapy

Rachel Wilson was born with a diaphragmatic hernia, a rare condition that put her the NICU for four months after birth. Today, although she only has 60 percent lung capacity, she is thriving. Wilson just graduated from Nazareth College where she was a nursing student and a lacrosse player. Soon, she will start a nursing job in the NICU at Golisano.

While at Nazareth, Wilson was actively involved in the school’s annual “Battle of the Beaks” fundraiser. Every year (except during the pandemic), when Nazareth’s basketball team plays the St. John Fisher’s Cardinals, ticket sales, concessions, and raffles all benefit Golisano’s music therapy program. To date, the annual fundraiser has raised about nearly $150,000 for music therapy. It’s a community effort that involves Nazareth’s athletes, music therapy students, and others like Wilson who have a personal connection to the NICU.

The annual event also involves faculty and staff. Becky Fahy, a psychology professor at Nazareth, helps organize the event. Her now 16-year-old daughter was a Golisano NICU baby.

“Being involved is a way for my family and me to give back and support Golisano and this great program,” says Fahy, noting that her husband, Mike, a former Nazareth staff member who now works at the University of Rochester, and their daughter help out, too. “The hospital has been important to our family for a long time, and we love getting others involved in supporting it.”

She adds, “The impact of having our students get so involved is exponential. They get to see the difference they can have through service and our collective efforts also benefit the music therapy program.”

Morgan Kowalski also knows the difference music therapy can make. Her son, Tommy, was born at 25 weeks, weighing just 1lb, 11oz. He graduated from the NICU after 115 days on October 3, 2018. Kowalski met with Kong weekly once her son reached 32 weeks gestation, and their time with her quickly became the highlight of their time in the hospital.

“During our first session with Elaine, I cried,” Kowalski says. “Here I was, holding my baby like a normal mom, while this woman with the voice of a Disney princess guided me through massage and song. It was such a beautiful moment that I couldn’t hold back my tears of joy, and I am choked up as I think of it now.” Watch this video to learn more.