Music in Mind: The Stories Behind the Stats
Rhythmix recently published a report into our Music In Mind programme following a three year external evaluation by Dr Alison Daubney and Greg Daubney. Here we explore one young person whose experience of residential mental health care was transformed by music.
It’s difficult to think of a way in which a hospital can be pleasant, especially for a young person with mental health issues. Our Music in Mind report is showing professionals across the country that support for young people with mental health problems by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) can benefit greatly by integrating music making services into their offering. Whilst the report shows clear evidence that music making in CAMHS is beneficial, it’s important to think about how each individual goes on their own individual journey of recovery.
Chalkhill is a mental health unit in a hospital for children and young people with mental health problems. It provides an educational unit, so those prevented from attending school by their mental health can be supported in continuing their education, and a residential unit for young people that need it most.
Like many young people, Charlotte* loved music. She took piano lessons and was a keen singer. As her mental health deteriorated, she stopped her lessons. She was 13 when she was admitted to Chalkhill.
Rhythmix offer weekly sessions at Chalkhill, run by our experienced and talented tutor Jack Kingslake. Occupational Therapist Stephanie says Jack’s “Rhythmix music sessions are by far the most popular thing we offer here”.
Charlotte was initially quite reluctant to join the sessions. With a door wide open to anyone who wanted to attend or see what was going on, Jack gave Charlotte the time and space to sit in sessions and observe, and come and go as she needed. This freedom to explore music in an environment without unnecessary pressures by a specialist who understood the problems Charlotte and the other young people faced made her more comfortable, and she began attending and taking part in sessions.
Over the weeks and months, Charlotte began attending the Rhythmix session regularly. As her confidence grew, she turned from a reluctant attendee to a committed part of a small group of young people who attended every week. She took up singing and joining in, practicing her own pieces and supporting musicians who needed vocals on tracks they were making.
At a small concert for staff, carers and parents, by Jack and the young people, there was a real breakthrough for Charlotte. She requested to sing a solo in front of the audience, moving past her anxieties that stopped her from even participating in sessions months before. The encouragement and positive feedback from her performance led to a noticeable and significant increase in her confidence.
After the performance, that new-found, hard-won confidence led her to becoming the lead singer of the band of young musicians that formed in Rhythmix sessions. This helped her not just as a musician, but as a young person connecting and forming close friendships with other young people in a similar position to herself.
Three months after the concert, Charlotte left Chalkhill overcoming personal barriers that she considered insurmountable when she entered. She went back into school with good memories of her time in hospital and an arsenal of tools to help her continue her recovery.