Kristen Stewart PhD Cand, LCAT, MT-BC
A Nexus of Care: Music Therapy, Pain and Trauma in Fragile Hospital Environments
Abstract:
Hospitalization is often acutely necessary to preserve and promote survival and recovery. However, hospitalization, in addition to the acute needs that necessitate it and occur during it, also holds risks for all stakeholders involved. Acute pain experienced during hospitalization has been identified as a predictor of maladaptive responses and can increase the potential development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) post- injury by 20-25%. Experiences of both trauma and pain are linked in ways that can exacerbate either, often resulting in increased lengths-of-stay and impaired at-home recovery, making patients more susceptible to further traumatic response. In this presentation, we will review common risks and supports that impact response to hospitalization and long-term medical treatment in many of the most fragile care environments. Presenters will also share expertise gleaned through a combined 43 years of experience working in acute medical environments and offer insights and examples of music therapy interventions that address the complex needs of those coping with co-occurring pain and trauma.
Biography:
Kristen Stewart, PhD cand, LCAT, MT-BC, is Assistant Director and Clinical Director in the Louis Armstrong Department of Music Therapy here at Mount Sinai, and is pursuing her PhD at Temple University. She holds two post-graduate certifications in trauma treatment and has advanced training in NICU and Neurologic Music Therapy training. Her music therapy practice has evolved through medical, educational, mental health and residential treatment contexts. Publications and presentation history focus primarily on trauma, including her work as editor of the text Music Therapy & Trauma: Bringing Therapy and Clinical Practice. Before returning to Mount Sinai Beth Israel, she worked in the NICU at Vassar Brothers Medical Center and in the VA – Hudson Valley Healthcare System, serving veterans in the Community Living Centers, Acute Psychiatry, and Residential Treatment Programs, including substance abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder, and housing and work rehabilitation.