A hospital stay can be a lot for a child to carry. At Phoenix Children’s, free music therapy sessions are being used to ease some of that fear and anxiety while helping patients work toward their care goals.

Phoenix Children’s says board-certified music therapists work directly with each child’s care team. They use music to help patients manage pain, process emotions, reduce stress and improve communication.

“I feel really special being able to be the one to facilitate the music experience and see how music is so beneficial in promoting the health and healing of our patients and families,” Jules, a board-certified music therapist, said to ABC15 Pheonix.

The hospital says music therapy can also help children sharpen or regain neurological and motor skills and build social connections during their time in the hospital.

“The coolest thing about music is that it’s the only thing in the entire world that activates your entire brain at once,” Jules said.

Phoenix Children’s says the therapy offers a constant, comforting presence for children facing difficult medical situations.

“Music reaches us in a really special way that other things just can’t do,” Jules said.

“These kiddos are under such difficult circumstances all the time, and so being able to bring music, something that’s constant, [redacted], they’re in the hospital or out of the hospital, music is the same wherever they go,” Jules said.

“Be able to bring that to them here and help them to meet their goals using that is so special,” Jules said.

For 14 years, ABC15 has helped raise money for Phoenix Children’s Hospital through its annual Telethon. ABC15 said it hopes people will consider making a donation to the ABC15 Telethon Benefiting Phoenix Children’s on Wednesday, April 15.

📸 Credit: ABC15 Pheonix