We are delighted to announce the addition of Dr Shane Cassidy, Senior Neurologic Music Therapist to the NRH Creative Arts Therapy Team.  The Creative Arts Therapy at the NRH incorporates both Art and Music Therapy, to support patients in achieving their rehabilitation goals.

Thanks to a very generous philanthropic donation facilitated by ex-patient and NRH volunteer Tim Rice, Dr Cassidy will be working alongside the existing NRH Music Therapists, Rebecca O’Connor and Dee Gray, to develop an Interdisciplinary Neurologic Music Therapy Programme for patients at the NRH.  This philanthropic donation of €50,000 was made in November 2020 to the NRH Creative Arts Therapy, Music Therapy Service.  The donor requested that the funds be used specifically to further enhance the Music Therapy Service in the NRH, enabling more patients to access and benefit from specialist music therapy to support their rehabilitation journey. 

Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) is an evidenced based practice which utilises specific music- based methods, integrated within the interdisciplinary team, to support patients in achieving their rehabilitation goals.  

This new NMT Programme will:

• Use specific NMT techniques to support patients within the NRH Brain Injury and Paediatric programmes in addressing their physical and communication goals in group and individual sessions
• Use NMT techniques to improve patient’s physical and communication outcomes and emotional wellbeing in liaison with Physiotherapy, Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy in the NRH
• Provide an additional intensive evidence-based music therapy intervention that was previously not available in the NRH Creative Art’s Therapy Service due to limited resources

The NRH Interdisciplinary Neurologic Music Therapy Rehabilitation Programme will be the first of its kind in Ireland and will benefit many patients thanks to this very generous donation.