Songwriting for Essential Workers
The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical need to focus on its impact on the mental health of Healthcare Workers involved in the response to this emergency. It has been consistently shown that a high proportion of Healthcare Workers is at greater risk for developing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS).
Inspired by the Songwriting with Soldiers (SW:S) program as a model, we are actively working with our partners at New England Conservatory and Massachusetts General Hospital to launch a songwriting pilot later this spring. The goal of this program will be to offer healthcare workers at MGH a safe and inspiring environment to share their experiences and write songs with professional songwriters from the Conservatory.
The results from studies on the impact of the SW:S program, researchers found the SW:S Collaborative Songwriting Intervention sessions to reduce PTSD (-33%) and Depressive symptoms (-25%), potentially sparking further positive change and movement forward.
Engaging in creative activities can help to find positive meaning, promote happiness, develop self-awareness and decrease stress. Music has been shown to have specific healing properties ranging from decreasing stress hormones, blood pressure and heart rate as well as enhancing brain development and resiliency. Art has been used as a complement to medical treatment and can help to process feelings, increase self-esteem, and reduce stress and anxiety.
We hope that our program can help to create similar impact for any and all healthcare workers involved.
