Song/Music Suggestions for Psychiatric Patients?

[dchen]

We're about to handle psychiatric patients with different diagnosis. I was kinda like tasked to bring the music for these patients. Apparently, the activities planned out by our instructors were these.

Acquiantance Party

Sportsfest

Art Therapy

Music and Dance Therapy

Anyone have any suggestions of songs for psychiatric patients? @_@

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

I would avoid just about anything with lyrics, anything religious, and anything by Enya. I don't know why her music is considered relaxing.

Classical is good, but not everyone likes classical. There are lots of great pop instrumentals out there, even some you can dance to, like "Bang Bang" (which sounds Latin and mentions food), "The Soulful Strut" ("Am I The Same Girl" without lyrics) and "Green Onions". I stumbled on a radio show during a road trip 2 months ago, and they focused on 1970s instrumentals. Some were very interesting, including one called "Popcorn".

[Sportsax]

We have several folks that get frustrated with singing following the songbook. So I play music in style that I think would fit their personality and they write their own lyrics. Just this last week, I had one dude with schizophrenia write his and just growl them with the music in a heavy metal style. He loved it and everybody had a good time.

[Sportsax]

To Bagladyrn,

That ASL theatrics seems really nice. We have a drama therapy department with some great staff running it. They have did some wonderful work using the playback theater style and I played some background music to go with it.

They get patients up to tell a story from the past and then the actors play it out on stage so they can see it. It seems very therapeutic to me. The actors include several including staff from the psychology, drama, and rehab department.

[Sportsax]

I ran a relaxation group for over three years that met at 3:30 each afternoon. I hooked up a DVD player to a projectioner and played the nature scenes on the big wall then turned down lights with dimmers. The lights had gels on them on various colors and I used indirect lighting at a low level I laid out mats and made sure each one had a pillow and blanket. The music was either classical, Enya, or I just played acoustic guitar in a classical style.

Most of them went to sleep since the session lasted 45 minutes but I gave them full credit for that. Sometimes, just getting out of the noisy day-room area for some quiet time is good for folks. I tend to design my activities by putting myself in their shoes and wonder what I would like.

[Sportsax]

Folks, realize that my suggestions are from working in a maximum security psychiatric hospital. These ideas I present are from only that perspective. Some might work with other patient populations though. Use your own discretion, I adapt my music related ideas depending on who is in the group. One thing I learned though....you can't say.."I'm going to to do this today" and expect that to happen. It changes everyday and although you might have a framework on how you want it to go, you must "go with the flow" and be willing to improvise as each situation arises.

[Sportsax]

I've noticed lately that one of the favorite songs that I sing and play for the folks is the song by Leonard Cohen called "Hallelujah".

[Sportsax]

After hours...I play the Tom Waits song called "The Piano Has Been Drinking". That's for staff that that deals with psychiatric patients. Peace

[bagladyrn, RN]

I've noticed lately that one of the favorite songs that I sing and play for the folks is the song by Leonard Cohen called "Hallelujah".

Love Leonard Cohen - and especially that song! His music is one that I use for those times I want to really relax.

For really good instrumental, and a little different, check out the flute music of Carlos Nakai.