Collaborative music therapy via remote video technology to reduce a veteran's symptoms of severe, chronic PTSD

Abstract

Background: Using videoconference technology to provide health care is established in many fields. The authors are not aware of any published reports of music therapy (MT) conducted remotely. This case review describes the process and outcomes of remotely delivered MT to address symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a military veteran. Method: MT was co-facilitated by a music therapist and a clinical psychologist. Sessions were delivered as videoconferences (over 1400 km) utilizing the OntarioTelehealth Network. A retrospective case study with input from the client was conducted. Results: The client reported improvement, in many of his symptoms. At the end of the treatment period, he attributed much of his progress to MT. Using videoconference technology did not seem to hinder the treatment efficacy. The novel nature of providing MT remotely necessitated an effective collaboration between the music therapist and the client's clinical psychologist. Conclusions: Based on the experience described in this case study, the authors concluded that, (a) remotely-delivered MT can be effective in the treatment of complex PTSD, (b) inter-professional collaboration made a positive impact on the treatment process, (c) geographic distance need not be an obstacle to effective treatment and (d) a remote treatment modality was not detrimental to treatment efficacy.

Implementing music therapy through telehealth: considerations for military populations

“…This paper contributes to the evolving evidence base on this subject by describing three telehealth programmes that have positively impacted patient care and community need. This demonstrates that these practices can be replicated across populations including civilian and military [29,30].…”

“…conducted a 10-month intervention, which provided an in-person intake session followed by 24 music therapy telehealth sessions to a veteran diagnosed with PTSD [29]. Due to prior positive experiences in music therapy and the lack of a local music therapist, the veteran appealed to the Canadian VA to provide music therapy services via telehealth at the VA facility nearest to him.…”

Virtual Music Therapy: Developing New Approaches to Service Delivery

“…Prior to COVID-19, telehealth delivery of music therapy has been focused on synchronous videoconferencing. While published research has been limited in comparison to traditional in-person models, telehealth-based music therapy approaches have been utilized to reduce barriers of access to services within military veteran populations ( Bronson et al, 2018 ; Levy et al, 2018 ; Lightstone et al, 2015 ; Spooner et al, 2019 ), parents of hospitalized infants in neonatal intensive care units ( Gooding & Trainor, 2018 ), and teens with Asperger’s Syndrome 1 who lack access to in-person services due to residing in remote or rural communities ( Baker & Krout, 2009 , 2014 ). While focused on the topic of approaches to distance music therapy educational and clinical supervision, MacDonald et al (2019) describe similarities and differences between in-person and distance supervision.…”

Trauma and Mental Health: The Development, Treatment, and Future of

“…This creates a barrier to relationships, difficulties with employment and feelings of self-doubt and low self-worth. Often times the individual never seeks treatment for the disorder for reasons such as; self-blame, fear of exposing themselves, and doubt that there are effective treatment options (Lightstone, Bailey, & Voros, 2015 Scheiderer et al, 2016;Gazarini, et al, 2015). Some of the treatment options include music therapy (Lightstone, Bailey, & Voros, 2015), physical therapy (Kim & Yu, 2015), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) (Scheiderer et al, 2016), and pharmacological interventions (Gazarini, et al, 2015).…”

“…As PTSD creates a mental situation of reliving the original traumatic event, staying in the present alleviates a significant amount of the discomfort from the disorder. Repeated sessions, in a safe environment, has demonstrated successful outcomes for some individuals suffering from PTSD (Miller, & Teramoto, 2016;Lightstone, Bailey, & Voros, 2015) Physical therapy has been widely used in the treatment of PTSD. By introducing physical stimuli, the body remains actively sending signals to the sensory motor cortex.…”