Through the Therapeutic Arts program at Phoenix Children’s, we help kids relax and adjust to new medical routines, procedures and experiences, so they can focus on getting better.
When your child is in the hospital, it’s normal to see signs of anxiety and distress – especially in an unfamiliar environment away from known routines. Music and art therapies can help children express feelings and process concerns in a safe environment that’s conducive to healing.
Supporting Your Child With Music and Art
Our Therapeutic Arts program includes music therapy and art therapy. Both therapies are free, consult-based services available to patients of all ages who are admitted to the Phoenix Children's Hospital - Thomas Campus.
Music and art therapists are part of your child’s care team, providing encouragement and support throughout the healing process. We can help your child:
- Adjust to a new diagnosis or treatment
- Bond with caregivers and peers while in the hospital
- Cope with long hospitalizations
- Express and deal with feelings of grief or loss
- Manage pain, including emotional discomfort
- Regain a sense of confidence and control at any stage of care
- Support other therapies that help with targeted speech or language development, cognitive improvement and motor skills
Music Therapy
Music therapy involves a music therapist using interactive, passive, soothing or uplifting instruments and forms of music to reach targeted therapeutic goals. Our board-certified music therapists work with your child’s care team to provide individual music therapy sessions.
Music Therapy Benefits and Goals
Music as a tool can help:
- Comfort children with severe illnesses
- Improve communication
- Manage emotions
- Progress toward physical and rehabilitation goals
- Reduce stress
- Sharpen or regain neurological skills
- Socialize and build social skills
About Our Music Therapists
The music therapists at Phoenix Children’s are multitalented music professionals with specialized education and training in pediatric care. They love sharing their talents and skills to help children and families.
Our music therapists understand the nuances of a child’s changing developmental stages and needs. They’re particularly sensitive to the emotions of children who don’t feel well and who often struggle with adult-sized concerns.
Art Therapy
Art therapy integrates creative expression and fundamentals of behavior and development with various kinds of art media – from chalk, crafts and paint to puppets, toys and games. Art therapists use customized activities to help patients reach a variety of treatment goals.
Learn about the importance of art therapy at Phoenix Children’s:
Art Therapy Benefits and Goals
As part of your child’s care team at Phoenix Children’s, an art therapist can provide many art therapy benefits to patients, including:
- Emotional, behavioral and psychological benefits
- Build coping skills
- Enhance focus and concentration
- Express and share thoughts
- Reduce anxiety and depression
- Reduce feelings of isolation
- Regulate emotions
- Socialize and bond with family, physicians, care teams and peers
- Medical, physical and health benefits
- Manage obstacles of physical illness or disability
- Improve hand dexterity
- Improve speech and language skills
About Our Art Therapists
A full-time, board-certified art therapist currently works with care teams to provide individual art therapy sessions at our main hospital campus.
Practitioners work together to develop individualized areas of focus and goals that are unique to each child’s needs. Specialists will review and update goals as your child’s care needs change.