Bedside Harp Therapy

Healthcare Setting

A therapeutic soundscape is offered to create a healing environment to ease pain, induce sleep, and to promote health and well-being. Music is based on the patient’s resonance tone, tempo, and mood. This creates the perfect “cradle of sound” for mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. This therapy works well with post and pre-op patients, critical care, rehabilitation and long term stays, cancer patients, coma, palliative care, agitation, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, neonatal, stroke and patients with psychological issues.

Locrian Mode Improv

Palliative Care and Hospice

The needs of the dying are medical and physical in nature: requiring pain management; social and emotional which involves providing emotional support; and pastoral/spiritual which encourages inner peace and tranquility.

Modern medicine has eliminated much of the physical pain associated with the dying process, but a harp therapist has many tools to address the unique kinds of emotional and spiritual distress that shows up at the end of life. Harp music can augment the spiritual healing process and comfort those with heightened stress due to fear, anxiety or pain. Family members are addressed as well. Connection with culture, resonance, and breathing patterns is a priority for support through the end-of-life stages.

Schedule A Music Session

If you are a hospice, hospital or other medical setting, that would like to provide a therapeutic harp session to yourself or a patient, please reach out!

To schedule a remote harp session via zoom for yourself or a loved one we rely on wi-fi, reception and a dedicated smart device, such as a iPad or other tablet, that can stream audio and video.

Generally sessions are 30-45 minutes but depends on the needs of the patient. Loved one and caregivers are most welcome.

Recording of Meditations

Professional recordings of soothing harp music for use in Chapels, Hospice or facilities can be customized and looped to be played continuously.

Shall we Gather at the River

You can look at the disease as a form of disharmony, and there’s no organ system in the body that’s not affected by sound, music and vibration. – Mitchell Gaynor, M.D.

Client Reviews

I had never seen the work of a harp therapist and the impact it can have on agitated clients. I witnessed, first hand, how she was able to effortlessly calm down and refocus my agitated client who suffered from Alzheimer's-just by playing her harp!

I will never forget the change in my client's behavior and her mood. I saw her smile and move her body as she listened to the music! It was beautiful! The melodic sounds from the Martha's harp literally transformed my client from severe emotional discomfort and distress to a state of relaxation and happiness. Martha's strong belief, commitment and expertise on the harp can help people improve their mood.

My patient was totally engaged and either hummed or sang along, demonstrating the therapeutic effectiveness of the harp and the practitioner. Most importantly, I witnessed this positive outcome with my client. I have recommended Martha to other clients that suffer from mental health and cognitive problems!!

Zoe Levitt, M.S.W., R.S.W.

Martha plays for our residents once a week and it’s a time that they all look forward to.

Martha is clearly a talented harpist but she has many other strengths as well- she’s very friendly and engaging and she is great at getting the residents involved.

Her creativity is shown in her well thought out programs; in one instance she can put residents at ease with her classical pieces and another instance she is getting them to move and shake to upbeat sing a longs songs. She is a joy and an asset to our facility.

Faith E. and Rachel S., Recreation assistants

Martha is an amazing harp teacher. I began harp lessons with her in early 2020 (just prior to the pandemic). As a beginner adult harpist and someone with little childhood music training, Martha's focus and skill in teaching technique and the fundamentals, as well as her encouraging style have provided me with the perfect blend of instruction to help me learn and grow as a harpist.

I love that in addition to being a musician and harp teacher, Martha is an accredited harp therapist, as it has helped me develop an appreciation of the deeper effects of harp music on health and wellness, and how it can provide comfort to others.

I consider myself extremely lucky to have such a wonderful harp teacher, and I would wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone!

Bedside Harp Therapy