Say whaaaaattt?
Why in the world would Dr. Alice Cash need to go
back to college for yet another degree? You
really want to know? Well, after getting a
Bachelor's degree in piano performance and a
Master's degree in piano performance, I got a Ph.D.
in musicology. In those days (1990) there was
not a music therapy degree in my state of Kentucky,
so I decided to get another Master's degree in
clinical social work and combine it with my other
music degrees to create my own special brand of
Music Medicine. People tell me that I've done
an amazing job! However, there are thousands
of music therapists in the world that believe that I
should have a degree in music therapy. Last
November (2012) I was told that the University of
Kentucky now has an equivalency degree in music
therapy and that it would not take a long, long time
for me to acquire that degree. In a little
over 18 months, I should be ready to take the board
certification exam and be a fully credentialed,
board-certified music therapist!
I'm taking my
first course this semester and it's about a 2 hour
drive to Lexington, a 2 1/2 hour class and two hours
back home. I've done this four times now and I
am really enjoying it and learning some very
interesting material about using music with people
who have serious disabilities, among other things.
I'm also meeting some really nice people and have a
great professor with a PhD. in music therapy.
Of course I'm
hoping that once I have a chance to talk about my
Surgical Serenity Solution, that they will help me
to get the word out to all music therapists around
the world and that I will gain lots and lots of
support from people who work in hospitals every day.
Would love to hear your thoughts, suggestions and
ideas.
Healing Music Blog
Glaucoma and Macular
Degeneration: Can Music Help?
January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, so I thought I would relate a
great story from a woman who came to me with glaucoma and some
serious anxiety. This dear lady has a family history of both
glaucoma and macular degeneration. She sought me out because she had
already had three ophthalmic procedures to treat these conditions
and they had been extremely uncomfortable for her. She reported to
me that she had not only serious discomfort during the procedures,
but had migraines the next day and had to miss quite a bit of work
in her own busy office.
Our new packaging has arrived. The
headphones will ship in a new heavy-duty cardboard box instead of the
plastic clam shell. The new packaging has a small magnetic lock
that will keep the box closed when not in use. It will allow you
to manage inventory in less space. Shipping will improve as the plastic
containers takes up more space and we shipped a lot of "air."
You will now have a quality box that we will be able to
brand with your information. Your customers and clients will
be impressed with the image.
A new Internet website is being developed.
www.SurgicalSerenitySolutions.com is "live" and will be developed as
the main Internet home for the headphones. The website will have
links for our individual clients and friends. It will also point our
professionals, hospitals, and medical organizations to the latest
research and information that is available. The new site will allow us
to concentrate our efforts on a single product family while at the same
time we are developing two distinct customers.
We are positioned to provide a large hospital with the
expertise and personalize product quantities that they need. At
the same time we address the individual needs of a single customer.
Surgery and Music Blog
Music
with Surgery Just Makes Sense
Have you ever had surgery in a hospital? Are you expecting to have
surgery in the future? Then you must know that surgeons and
anesthesiologists have been using music in the Operating Room for
over 50 years now! At yet, it is still not expected and it is not
really the “norm.” Why not? Because it takes a little extra time and
effort to make it happen and hospital staffs are so overworked and many fall into the
trap of thinking that it’s “just a nicety that doesn’t really affect
the quality of the procedure or doesn’t really affect the patient’s
recovery.” Of course we know that nothing could be farther from the
truth! The benefits of music before, during and after surgery are
many, but here are the top ones:
Music Used to Assist Veterans with Post-War Stress
It’s hard to imagine anything that is more
stressful than the day-to-day life of an active
duty soldier. Those that survive the wars often
return with all kinds of stress-related
disorders, including, but not limited to PTSD.
Now a program devoted to helping these Vets use
music to cope with their traumatic experiences
and memories is being conducted in Montclair,
NJ. Enjoy this news story, that came my way
earlier today!
“During stressful times as a
combat medic in Afghanistan, Mason Sullivan
found solace in Vivaldi. New Jersey native
Nairobi Cruz was comforted by country music, a
genre she had never heard before joining the
Army. For Jose Mercedes, it was an eclectic iPod
mix that helped him cope with losing an arm
during a tour of duty in Iraq.
These
three young veterans all say music played a
crucial role in alleviating the stresses of
active duty. Now, all three are enrolled in a
program that hopes to use music to ease their
reintegration into civilian life.
“It’s a therapy session without the ‘sit down,
lay down, and write notes,’” Mercedes, 26, of
Union City, said of the music program. “It’s
different — it’s an alternative that’s way
better.”
The pilot program, called Voices of Valor, has
veterans work as a group to synthesize their
experiences into musical lyrics. Guided by
musicians and a psychology mentor, they write
and record a song, and then hold a CD release
party. The program is currently under way at
Montclair State University, where students
participate through the school’s veteran affairs
program.
For nearly two decades, I've been helping people use the music that
they already love to heal their lives and increase their wellness
quotient!
I
am one of the world's only clinical musicologists and hold
a Masters degree in piano performance, a Ph.D. in
musicology and a Master of Social Work in clinical social work. I
am also a licensed clinical social worker. I work with people and
diagnoses of all kinds, enabling them to find healing, acceptance and
hope.
I love
performing, researching, and teaching and have put them all together
in a career called "Music Medicine."
Dr. Alice H. Cash is often asked to share her
Grand Rounds Presentation with hospitals' doctors and staff. Learn
what is currently happening around the world and the results they are
having.
"It was the
easiest of all hand surgeries! I was listening to music, then a slight
lull of nothing and then back to the music. Wonderfully comfortable. The
best surgical experience yet. I am honored to know, worked with and
utilized Dr. Cash's magnificent creation. I do hope the medical field
understands the import of her invention!"
I
am one of the world's only clinical musicologists and hold
a Masters degree in piano performance, a Ph.D. in
musicology and a Master of Social Work in clinical social work. I
am also a licensed clinical social worker. I work with people and
diagnoses of all kinds, enabling them to find healing, acceptance and
hope.
