Therapeutic Harp Music

Swift described an eight year old bundle of energy, “Sean,” who was both ADHD and highly anxious. His parents complained that he never rested and never slept. Unusually receptive to music, they asked if harp therapy might be helpful.

“After speaking with the parents, I met Sean and did an in-depth clinical interview. He confided in me, ‘My parents are trying to figure out how to take care of me!’ Sean had a lot of guilt and poor image around being seen as a trouble-maker and problem both at school and at home. His parents were exhausted and his teacher exasperated. We started to discuss special images like lying on the beach at his grandmother’s house in Florida, and petting Oscar, the Labrador retriever. I was able to tuck in some mildly hypnotic suggestions along with soothing images, accompanied by specifically designed harp melody and rhythm, and was able to induce complete relaxation and restfulness. Sean actually fell asleep the first time we did this. He came back for several sessions, and then I designed a special CD for him alone. He used the images and music before sleep and rehearsed them in his mind when he began to feel anxious and restless at school. His parents reported a dramatic change not only in his ability to sleep, but in his focus and ability to hold still and attend, both at home and at school. This is a child who was not responsive to medications and had a poor outcome with traditional psychotherapy. His parents became more positive and continued working with me on parenting issues, and the tension and despair in the home dramatically lessened.”

Another client was a woman in her twenties with anxiety and eating disorders. A ballerina, she was driven to perfection by parents who were loving but anxious and demanding themselves. Both were highly successful in their own careers and held great expectations for their only child. But as the pressures of school and ballet studies mounted and decisions about college vs. ballet companies loomed ahead, Julia’s perfectionism and stress mounted.

She came to Swift after being told by her fourth psychiatrist that she might require hospitalization. Swift worked with Julia around issues of self-image and expectations, and intervened with the parents, too. But her sessions were also coupled with intense relaxation and harp therapy, with music designed to bring deep comfort and healing to the negative voices within Julia. Julia and her parents were surprised at how quickly the crisis calmed. She went on to college and lives a life free of her destructive demons. Julia herself mentioned that “My other therapists gave me homework, and used cognitive behavioral interventions. I felt resistant to that--it made me feel even more pressure. Marcie taught me how to relax and be myself at the same time. I have a better sense of my own self and my own boundaries now. I still can hear the harp music and guided imagery in my head when I feel stressed out.”

Swift related another story of a man in his thirties who decided to attend dental school. He had been a successful student in high school and undergraduate work, but the increased demands for performance and long hours of schooling and homework at the graduate level left him frantic. He found himself freezing before taking exams, his mind going blank. By the time he called Swift, he had repeated two years of dental school and was close to being dismissed from the program.

“This wonderfully tenacious fellow had persevered more than most students around him, yet was caught in cycle of panic about his performance. We began by desensitizing him to test-taking with a wide range of creative visualizations, meditations, and relaxation therapy, interspersed with soothing, flowing harp therapy. Chris was highly responsive after the very first session. ‘I took control back of my studies with this help—just when I was giving up hope. I needed to find a way to calm my fears and capitalize on my strengths, and this did it for me. I stopped obsessing and was able to focus and concentrate.’"

Another recent client, Sharon, was a sixty-two year old woman whose husband was seriously ill with cancer and requiring considerable care at home. She had stopped doing the normal activities that usually calmed and nourished her, such as working out at the gym and having lunch with friends. She had lost weight and was having trouble sleeping. Her daughter bought her a session of harp therapy for Christmas, so that she might find a private space to relax and refuel. At the end of the session Sharon commented, “Oh, I didn’t think I could relax like that ever again, I feel so blissful and soothed and comforted…I just didn’t want you to ever stop playing for me! I am coming back next week. This is too important.”