Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois is pleased to further fulfill our mission by offering a comprehensive Integrative Therapy Program for all of our patients and families.
ART THERAPY
What is art therapy?
If you’ve ever lost yourself in the process of creating something, you will appreciate the benefits of art therapy. Based on the belief that the act of creating art can be healing, an art therapist guides one to explore inner conflicts and emotions through artwork and in turn, gain insight that leads to growth, understanding and healing.
You don’t have to have artistic talent or training to benefit from art therapy. The focus is mostly on the process, not the end product. In art therapy, the goal is not to create a “perfect” work of art – all artwork is acceptable and valued for what it means to the client.
How can art therapy help?
Art therapy can help people explore their feelings, relieve stress, enhance coping skills and gain a better understanding of their lives.
Art therapy can also be especially beneficial in working with children, as most young children naturally express themselves through drawing and making art. For them, art is an important form of communicating and making sense of the world. It can also be a safe way of expressing emotions that may be difficult for them to verbalize. Art therapy has been used to help children cope with traumatic events, such as 9/11 and the 2004 Tsunami disaster.
What can you expect during an art therapy session?
After an initial assessment visit, the art therapist designs sessions based on the client’s needs and interests. An average session lasts about an hour and includes time to make art and talk about it with the therapist. The art therapist supplies all materials.
“Art is the meeting ground of the world inside and the world outside.”
-Elinor Ullman
MASSAGE THERAPY
What is massage therapy?
Massage is the healing art of touch. It is one of the oldest and most natural forms of maintaining and promoting the life and health of the human body.
How can massage therapy help?
Massage therapy can bring comfort through caring touch, help improve physical function and ease some of the pain and anxiety associated with illness and/or stress. Massage increases the body’s relaxation response and decreases muscle tension. It improves circulation, reduces stress, helps alleviate problems with insomnia and digestion, and can significantly reduce patients’ perceived levels of pain and anxiety.
What can you expect during a massage therapy session?
After interviewing the patient or caregiver, the massage therapist will provide a session designed to address their specific needs and wants. This can be done with a variety of techniques. The massage can focus on specific areas such as hands, feet, scalp, back, neck, or shoulders, or can extend to the entire body as in a traditional therapeutic massage or relaxation session.
“Massage is a holistic therapy: it has an effect on both body and mind.”
-Dana Conlon, Certified Massage Therapist
MUSIC THERAPY
What is music therapy?
Music therapy is an allied health profession in which a board-certified music therapist implements music interventions specifically designed to address the social, communicative, emotional, cognitive, or physical goals of each individual client.
How can music therapy help?
Music therapy manages pain and discomfort, relieves stress and promotes relaxation, elevates mood and motivation level, provides a medium for life review and reminiscence, and enhances quality of life. Research has shown that music therapy can result in physiological changes for the patient, including improved respiration, lowered blood pressure, improved cardiac output, reduced heart rate, and relaxed muscle tension.
Music therapy interventions can provide opportunities for the patient to spend meaningful time with loved ones in a positive and creative way. Music therapy can also be recommended specifically for family members and caregivers, giving them the opportunity to explore and express their feelings through music activity.
What can you expect during a music therapy session?
Music stimulates the senses, and is inherently therapeutic because it is familiar, predictable, and promotes feelings of security. The music therapist explores these reactions with the client, and helps the client generalize them to everyday life. Some examples of music therapy interventions include singing, instrument play, improvisation, music listening, composition and songwriting, lyric analysis, imagery through music, and music-facilitated relaxation. The music therapist chooses interventions based on each client’s strengths and needs. The therapist supplies all music materials.
“Music is the one art we all have inside,”—Fred Rogers
REIKI
What is Reiki?
Reiki is a form of healing touch which balances energy in the body. Reiki (pronounced “ray-key”) is a Japanese word that means universal life-force energy. Many medical facilities in the United States are beginning to offer Reiki to patients as a complementary therapy to treatment.
How can Reiki help?
Reiki is a non-intrusive technique that addresses the body, mind and spirit and creates balance in all body systems. Reiki can relieve pain, reduce side effects, increase relaxation and balance the emotions.
What can you expect during a Reiki session?
Reiki is received while sitting or lying down, fully clothed. The Reiki practitioner will place her hands on or above the head, shoulders, back, chest, stomach and limbs, corresponding with energy centers and pathways in the body. Energy flows through the practitioner’s hands to the receiver. Most people experience feelings of deep relaxation, peace and well being during a session, and many feel refreshed afterward.
“The far-reaching benefits of Reiki are often amazing, and the energy always works for the benefit of the patient.”
—Marlene Bullock, RN, BSN, American Journal of Palliative Care, January/February, 1997
THERAPY DOGS
What are therapy dogs?
Therapy dogs are “emotional service” dogs that make visits to patients to increase emotional well being and enhance quality of life. The dogs and their handlers are specially trained and certified by Therapy Dogs International. All dogs have veterinary certificates of good health and have had required inoculations.
How can therapy dogs help?
Therapy dogs can provide socialization to patients through interaction with the dog and handler. Therapy dogs can encourage communication with others and promote enhanced self-confidence and self esteem through the patient’s ability to direct the dog and obtain desired results. Therapy dogs can also promote relaxation, reminiscence and a feeling of comfort and companionship through physical contact with the animal. It is clinically proven that petting and talking with animals can lower blood pressure, relieve stress and ease depression.
Therapy dog visits are arranged through the Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois Volunteer Department.
“A dog is man’s best friend because he wags his tail and not his tongue.”
- Dr. Samuel Corson