San Antonio, Texas — This National Hospital Week, Methodist Children’s Hospital is spotlighting one of the hospital’s more unexpected forms of care, music therapy, where young patients can record songs, express emotions and regain a sense of control during hospitalization.
The hospital’s dedicated music studio offers patients the chance to engage in music therapy activities, including recording, sound mixing and music production, creating space for creative expression during care.
Music therapy is a clinical and evidence-based practice that uses music to support healing and well-being. At Methodist Children’s Hospital, board-certified music therapists tailor sessions to each patient’s needs, using rhythm, melody, tempo and song selection to support goals such as pain management, emotional expression, developmental stimulation and family support.
“There are numerous benefits to music therapy, and here in the hospital setting it helps give patients a sense of their control back,” Emily Metcalf, music therapist at Methodist Children’s Hospital, said. “When they are here, so many things are going on inside and outside of their body they cannot control at all, and when they are with us in music therapy sessions, they get complete control.”
The new studio expands what music therapists can offer patients and families. In addition to therapeutic sessions, the space supports recording and producing personalized music projects that can hold deep meaning for families.
One part of the program is the Legacy Building and Memory Making project. Through this work, music therapists can record a patient’s heartbeat and incorporate it into a song that is meaningful to the family. The studio’s recording capabilities also allow therapists to include personal details such as nicknames, stories and favorite songs, creating keepsakes families can cherish.
In the hospital setting, music therapy can help children cope with stress, express emotions and experience moments of creativity during treatment. For many patients, the studio offers something simple but powerful: a chance to feel like a kid.
This Hospital Week, the music therapy program reflects the many specialized hospital departments that support patients beyond traditional bedside care — helping meet emotional, developmental and family needs during some of life’s most difficult moments.
Learn more about Methodist Children’s Hospital.