MUSIC and art THERAPY FOR EPILEPSY

Helping You Relax Your Mind and Body Through Music and Art

Music and art therapy can help people with epilepsy:

Enhance wellness and quality of life
Increase self-expression, socialization, and coping skills
Improve mood and relaxation
Decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression

Sessions are offered in-person in Lexington, KY or through Telehealth online. If you do not see any times that work for you, contact admin@wellness-creative.com and we will work around your schedule!

Schedule Your Free Sessions now!

Purpose

We have partnered with Epilepsy Wellness Advocates to provide six weeks of individual music or art therapy sessions to individuals of all ages with epilepsy. Because of the promising research on music therapy’s ability to reduce seizure frequency, the Charles L. Shor Foundation has chosen to fund these sessions, making them completely free to the participants for a period of six weeks. After that time, participants are not required to remain in our program. If participants are interested in continuing sessions past the 6 week program, we have options for individual or group sessions to work with a variety of different budgets.

At Wellness Creative, we are committed to:

Providing high quality therapy services to help people in our community improve, grow, and heal
Hiring exceptional, board-certified clinicians with experience in both medical and mental health settings
Serving people with epilepsy as well as their caregivers and the epilepsy community at large
Providing free, individual music therapy sessions to clients of all ages with epilepsy through a grant funded by the Charles L. Shor Foundation, in partnership with Epilepsy Wellness Advocates.

Music therapy is:

An evidence-based use of music used in a holistic, creative approach to treatment
An individualized service tailored to specific needs, treatment goals, and music preferences
Administered by a credentialed professional (American Music Therapy Association, 2005)

Potential clinical outcomes of music therapy might include

Enhanced wellness and quality of life
Increased self-expression, socialization, and coping skills
Improved mood and relaxation
Decreased symptoms of anxiety and depression

Current music therapy and epilepsy research states…

Research has found higher levels of brain activity in participants listening to music. In those with epilepsy, music can synchronize brain wave activity more so than in people without epilepsy (APA, 2015). There are now several studies that confirm music therapy can be effective at reducing seizures and epileftiform discharges. While current methods of treatment for epilepsy include medication and surgical treatment, music therapy can serve as a complementary treatment that might be beneficial (Liao et al., 2015).

Current music therapy and mental health research states…

Neurological diseases, such as epilepsy, can be associated with increased symptoms of anxiety and depression. Research demonstrates that music therapy can help promote recovery from these conditions, while improving socialization, motivation, and mood (Raglio et al., 2015).

What would a typical music therapy session look like?

Meeting with a board-certified music therapist who builds trust and safety while getting to know you and your music preferences
Using music in different ways to work towards specific goals, like experiencing relaxation, strengthening coping skills, or expressing emotions
Participating in music-based activities at your comfort level. These could include but are not limited to: listening to live or recorded music, discussing song lyrics, singing, playing instruments, music-focused relaxation, or writing songs
Answering a few questions about whether or not music therapy is helping you feel better

Art therapy is:

A mental health profession that engages individuals and families through creative processes and active art-making within a therapeutic relationship
An individualized service tailored to support individual needs and treatment goals
Administered by a professional art therapist (American Art Therapy Association, 2022)

Potential clinical outcomes of art therapy might include:

Enhanced wellness and quality of life
Increased self-esteem and self-awareness
Enhance social skills
Cultivate emotional resilience
Improved mood and relaxation
Decreased symptoms of anxiety and depression

What would a typical art therapy session look like?

Meeting with a credentialed art therapist who builds trust and safety while getting to know you
Using multiple modalities of art to work towards specific goals, like experiencing relaxation, strengthening coping skills, or expressing emotions
Participating and exploring the creation of art at your comfort level. This could include doodling, abstract designs, contour drawing, the use of traditional and non-traditional art materials

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these group sessions and do I need to pay for them?

Music therapy sessions funded through the grant are

Individual sessions (1:1 with a board-certified music therapist)
Completely free (funded by the Charles L. Shor Foundation in partnership with Epilepsy Wellness Advocates) for six weeks of sessions

How long is the session?

Each session is about 45 minutes long.

Where do sessions take place?

Sessions can occur in our office (501 Darby Creek Road Unit 7) or we can visit most schools or facilities.

Can I bring my teenager/young adult and observe the session?

Caregivers are welcome to be active participants or wait in our waiting room.

What about the sibling of my child with epilepsy?

Siblings cannot observe the session. If you have a special circumstance, please discuss this directly with your therapist. We want to make sure we are able to provide services without interruptions for the most effective care.

What if I like music therapy and want to continue after the six weeks is up?

We would love to have you join us long term at Wellness Creative. Upon completion of the six week program your therapist will check in with you all about your experience and the potential benefits of staying on through music therapy or music lessons. We plan to offer discounted prices to groups following the EWA program so that we can continue to connect those with Epilepsy in our community through music.

What about the potential of seizures during music?

We as clinicians are trained to be observant in behavior and responses to music as this is the modality we use to achieve goals. During these sessions we want to prioritize overall health and wellbeing while being aware of physical responses to music. If this is an anxiety, you can discuss this with your therapist and feel free to sit in on the session!

How do I sign up?

Click the scheduling button (or go to https://wellnesscreative.janeapp.com/#/epilepsy-music-therapy), select EWA Music Therapy, and choose up to 6 sessions!

You will be prompted to make an account and fill out an intake form. Please complete this form prior to your first session.

What if I can't find a time that works for me?

If there is no time on our booking site that works with your schedule, please reach out to admin@wellness-creative.com or text/call 859-287-4111. We will do our best to work with you and find something that works with both of our schedules, even if it is not listed on our booking site!

References:

American Music Therapy Association. (2005). What is music therapy? American Music Therapy Association. https://www.musictherapy.org/about/musictherapy/

American Psychological Association. (2015, August 9). Can music help people with epilepsy? https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2015/08/music-epilepsy

Liao H., Jiang G., Wang X. (2015). Music therapy as a non-pharmacological treatment for epilepsy. doi: 10.1586/14737175.2015.1071191. PMID: 26196169.

Raglio A., Attardo L., Gontero G., Rollino S., Groppo E., Granieri E. (2015). Effects of music and music therapy on mood in neurological patients. World J Psychiatry. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v5.i1.68. PMID: 25815256