Music Therapy for Psychiatric Patients

Budgets for inpatient activities and supplies are disappearing all over the country. Nurses and Therapists are limited to recycled items, things we buy ourselves, and creative solutions due to a lack of funds and equipment.
 Music therapy is a proven intervention to help ease anxiety, fear, stress, and depression. It could help our patients express themselves in ways we cannot provide currently. Music opens the mind, the heart, and the spirit to ourselves and each other.
 For just $400 worth of instruments through Musician's Friend, we can  provide a wide range of percussive instruments for our patients, which will allow us to provide music therapy through a Percussion Group activity. $400 will purchase instruments for everyone in a 32-bed facility, which would make a wonderfully therapeutic band. The instruments we hope to purchase can be found at these links:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/classroom-kids/rhythm-band-latin-american-8-piece-junior-set?pfm=sp

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/classroom-kids/trophy-deluxe-15-player-rhythm-band-set

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/classroom-kids/rhythm-band-elementary-latin-rhythm-set?pfm=sp

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/classroom-kids/panyard-jumbie-jam-deluxe-steel-drum-kit

Psychiatric patients benefit from music therapy in ways that talking, medications, and support simply cannot provide. Numerous peer-reviewed publications support the science behind music therapy and the lasting impact it can have on patients with PTSD, stress, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar, and dementia. Making music together brings us closer to our patients and encourages therapeutic relationships. Please donate what you can to help us reach this goal of provided music therapy to our vastly underserved patient population.