Music's Healing Touch: A Music Therapist's Journey at the Women's and Children's Hospital

Maybelle Swaney, a registered music therapist at the Women's and Children's Hospital (WCH) in Australia, firmly believes in the power of music. She sees it as a force capable of healing, soothing, forging connections, providing an outlet for emotions, and alleviating feelings of loneliness.

Swaney's presence in the hospital wards and corridors is a beacon of comfort for babies, children, and their families, as she guides them through their hospital journey with the gentle sounds of her guitar and voice.

Her passion for music began at a young age. "I grew up playing classical piano from the age of six," she says, "and went on to study music and arts at university, specialising in composition." Her interest in creative music making led her to a part-time role as a healthcare assistant at a brain injury centre. "While I was there, I started facilitating music-based sessions for the clients I was supporting," she explains. "It was during this time that someone introduced me to the profession of music therapy. That's when I knew I had found my calling."

Swaney travelled to the UK to complete a two-year master's programme to become a qualified music therapist. She is part of a growing field in Australia, with around 650 registered music therapists currently working across the country. "Registered Music Therapists (RMTs) often work as part of an allied health team," she explains, "and they can work in a variety of settings including aged care, mental health, disability, education, private practice, and of course, hospitals."

Music therapy, Swaney believes, is a powerful tool that can be tailored to individual needs. "It can be difficult to define, but I like to compare it to verbal therapy," she says. "Just as a counsellor or psychologist uses words in their therapeutic relationship with a client, a music therapist uses music as their primary modality to promote positive changes in a person's health and wellbeing."

Swaney's personal experience as a new mother underscored the profound benefits of music therapy. "My first daughter spent two weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit," she recalls. "As a new mum, I witnessed firsthand the calming effect my singing voice had on her. Her breathing rate slowed, she calmed down, and her behaviour regulated simply by listening to my voice. It was incredibly powerful."

This experience ignited Swaney's passion to empower parents with the knowledge and confidence to use their voices as a therapeutic tool. "Parents should feel empowered to use their voice as a tool that nothing else in the hospital can replace," she emphasises. "It can promote bonding, provide a sense of safety, and aid in brain development during a crucial period in a baby's life."

However, Swaney acknowledges that it can be challenging for new parents to feel comfortable singing in a hospital environment. "One of the core aspects of my role is to normalise those vulnerable feelings," she explains. "Singing creates a sense of intimacy, so it's natural to feel nervous, shy, or even embarrassed about using your voice. But we can work through those feelings by starting with simple exercises like humming or reading aloud, gradually building up to singing."

Swaney's work extends beyond newborns and their parents. She also works with older children, using music to help them navigate the complex emotions that come with illness. "It's not always about putting smiles on people's faces or creating happy experiences," she explains. "Often, it's about using music to meet children where they are emotionally. This could involve acknowledging deep sorrow, loneliness, distress, anxiety, grief, loss, or adjusting to a new identity after a diagnosis, such as cancer. Music has the power to meet us in all these emotional states, allowing us to be present with someone in the midst of their experience without trying to change or shift anything. More often than not, just being present with someone through music can help them feel better and less alone within the hospital environment."

The Music Therapy Service at the WCH is funded by the Women's & Children's Hospital Foundation through its Arts in Health Program. Swaney is part of a dedicated team that includes Chelsea Laratro and Renae Attenborough, all committed to using the power of music to heal, comfort, and support the hospital's young patients and their families.