Harp Therapy

During the past few years I have been drawn to the Harp as a healing tool. I learnt about this therapy by accident, as I watched a TV documentary concerning the work of Dr. Price and his experiences with delinquent children. Long term social effects were seen when these children were taught to play the harp. The majority of these children continued to play, and as adults were contributing well in society. By volunteering to play at a nursing home I gained first hand experience to the effects of the harp.

Records show that from ancient times that the harp was used as a healing tool. The one we are most familiar with is the story of David in the court of King Saul recorded in the Bible, where David is brought in to play for King Saul and soothe his troubled nerves. It was widely used in the court of Queen Elizabeth I for the same purpose. So it is not new, yet it's an uphill battle to be allowed into institutions to use this incredible tool.

Slowly physicians are beginning to recognize the great value as learnt when I was privileged to attend the first International Harp/Medicine conference. The accomplishments to date are worth noting. A study recently was done with college students. In a four part study a group of students were exposed to four different types of sound and blood samples taken after each. The first was an hour of regular loud rock music on the radio with noisy with commercials. Blood tests revealed a substantial drop in their immune systems. The second was an hour of easy listening type of music again with commercials. The drop in the blood test was less than the first test. The third test was an hour of silence, the test showed no increase or decrease of the immune levels. Lastly they listened to an hour of harp music no commercials. The result was dramatic, all the students tested for a substantial rise in their immune cells. Other tests show students who routinely listen to gentle classical music as the study do better in examinations.

So harp/music therapy if good for all ages. I have been told by parents who use my CD's for their children find it calms them especially at bedtime. I was privileged to work with children from Mexico who were severely handicapped, once a month their was a free clinic held near the border. When I suggested to the people in charge of the program that I would like to volunteer to go and play for the clinic, they scoffed at me. "It won't do any good, it's so noisy, crying children just like a zoo" they said. "That's exactly the people who need me." I told them. Reluctantly they agreed, and my husband and I drove down to the Mexican border. It was as they had said, noisy, crowded, lots of crying and generally distressed people. I set up my harp in the area where children were being given physical therapy, often a frightening and painful experience. As I played a sense of calm began to spread among the children the parents and the therapists. Crying decreased and many children came to see the harp and to touch it and run their fingers over the strings. As would be expected the doctors who ran the clinic were believers, to the extent that for a fund raiser for that clinic, which was all volunteer personal, they brought up from Mexico some needy children, and I demonstrated to the group gathered what harp therapy was all about. With one sad little girl in a wheel chair totally spastic and drooling I held a very small harp on her knees, and took one stiff spastic hand, gently drawing it up and down the strings. After a few minutes that drooling stiff child relaxed and laughed. There was not a dry eye in the group.

For a year I had a regular job in a nursing home and went each week and was given a list of the most needy residents. Even though I love this work it can be depressing. Some days I would think oh I really don't want to go. But never left feeling anything but exhilarated, thanking God for the privilege to share my harp. Many of the patients I visited were depressed and in one case I recall the lady did not want me to play when I asked permission as I always do, as I was leaving she asked in a very sharp voice, "What you got?" I kept gently running my fingers on the strings and answered "I have my baby harp" as I kept playing softly she began to relax and finally said "I don't know why I said no - it was lovely." The lady had completely changed, she sat up and smiled as I continued to play for her.

One day as I arrived they were waiting for me and told me I was urgently needed for a lady who the nurses had been unable to calm down all night. The lady was extremely agitated, I sat beside her bed and started to play slowly and softly, gradually she relaxed and then slipped into a calm sleep. The nurse and the doctor stood around in amazement. I just felt a sense of awe.

Not all my patients were elderly by any means, many young people are confined a nursing homes and all desperately needed the healing touch of the harp. As I walked from room to room I learnt to see and hear needs. I am asked how do I know what kind of music to play, there are some basic rules I use, if the patient is very depressed, I start by playing slowly, softly and perhaps in a minor mode. I often use Jewish songs and Celtic music, then will begin to change the speed and type of music and watch the patients reaction and gauge when to change and stop. For those patients who are extremely agitated I play again very softly with a slow steady rhythm until they calm down. So it's watching a patients breathing rates, body movements, understanding the mood of the patient. Learning when to modulate and bring a transition to help the patient.

It is exciting to hear that the harp is being used in operating rooms with amazing results. Reports show that even when the patient is under anesthesia, harp music will have a medically beneficial effect. Lowered blood pressure and a quicker recovery time.

After the school shooting in Oregon seven harpists gave forty-five hours of playing for families and patients at the Eugene/Springfield Hospitals. One ICU nurse said she felt the awful stress just drain away out of her body. One lady who has Parkinson's was given a very small harp as a gift and reported she found relief, even though temporarily, from her tremors and other symptoms. I have heard reports concerning the benefits for Autistic children. I have been associated with Hospice for several years and never once ever felt my services had been wasted.

After I recorded my first CD Mellow Strings, many parents would tell me that they played the CD for their children, distraught Moms and Dads who couldn't get their newborn infants to sleep, tell me the music is magical. An enterprising Harpist talked her way into a hospital ward with newborns whose mothers were drug addicts, these tiny babies suffered terribly with withdrawal symptoms but the harp worked a miracle for them and the nurses.

Harp therapy has no bad side effects which drugs can have, it is non-intrusive. Results show less fear, anxiety and less pain medication were needed in a comprehensive study undertaken in San Diego. Patients families also benefited. In actual fact it is cost effective if only the medical world could comprehend. With the return of interest in natural products we hope we will see harp therapy being used in the healing process.

What is in the future for Harp Therapy? A great deal I believe. In the next few years we should see, colleges and universities offering harp therapy as a major course. One or two are doing so already. But until it is generally accepted by the medical profession and a harpist is able to earn a living we have to depend on those willing to give their precious time, thankfully, not all rewards are measured with money.

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