Caption: CMP Sheila Gioia provides live therapeutic harp music at the bedside of a patient in Parker Adventist Hospital, Denver, Colorado
"The music eased me into good sleep. Before the music, I couldn’t sleep."
Patient at Parker Adventist Hospital, Denver Colorado
The Birth of an Idea
The year was 1994. Mary Radspinner, owner of the newly opened Melody’s Traditional Music store in Houston, Texas, invited harper Laurie Riley to give a workshop titled “Music for Healing” on March 27th. Martha Lewis and Maryann Schulz, both harpists, attended the workshop. The following day, the four women met again in a back room of the store to discuss how there needed to be an educational program to train and certify musicians in how to use their musical skills to help patients in their healing. On that day, March 28, 1994, they articulated their vision of, what they named, the Music for Healing and Transition Program™ (MHTP).
“Imagine…your music and your compassionate heart, changing the world, one patient at a time.”
Carol Spears, Chief Executive Officer of MHTP
Hyperbole? Actually, no. A multitude of research shows that live therapeutic music may decrease pain, lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, stabilize heart rate, ease a patient through the dying process, and more. The world of each patient, their loved ones, and the staff who care for them is comforted, supported, and can become whole again.
The outcome of the birth of MHTP is Certified Music Practitioners (CMPs)®, the professional title of the close to 1,100 musicians who have graduated from MHTP over these three decades. They are taught to apply the intrinsic healing elements of music in specific ways to address the condition of the patient in the moment. This is not performance music, but rather live therapeutic music. Every day, on five continents, CMPs bring to life the vision of the founders of MHTP; to use their musical skills, therapeutic music training, and the teachings of being a healing presence, in service to others. Through a short YouTube video, hear/see some of the remarkable stories of CMPs, patients and healthcare staff who have benefited from live therapeutic music.
“We followed our dream, even though we didn’t have all the pieces of the puzzle.”
Martha Lewis, co-founder, first Executive Director and current Board Director of MHTP
Caption: CMPs Martha Lewis (L) and Laurie Riley (R) receive Special Achievement Awards at the 2014 20th Anniversary MHTP Conference, in Navasota, Texas.
The Formative Years
Once the idea was formulated in 1994, the hard work began to make MHTP a reality. Monthly meetings were held in person in Houston with Martha, Mary and Maryann and communicated to Laurie, who lived over a thousand miles away, by phone and mail. The curriculum was created along with additional requirements for graduation. One of the early decisions of MHTP was to include certification of musicians playing all kinds of melodic, acoustic instruments.
Martha served as the first (volunteer) Executive Director, from 1994 - 1997. Laurie served as the second (volunteer) Executive Director 1997- 2000. From Martha’s corporate background and contacts, in 1994 she pulled together an Advisory Board which included an attorney, marketing, advertising and development experts, accountants, educators, musicians, and others. In the days before the wide use of email, home computers, file sharing, texting, and even cell phones, they worked together quickly that year to write the mission statement, bylaws, strategic plan, and paperwork to structure the organization as a nonprofit, governed by a Board of Directors. Between 1994 and 1996, there were over 40 people involved in the development of MHTP.
We train and certify musicians to provide personalized live therapeutic music at the bedside to create a healing environment.
MHTP Mission Statement
Teacher and Board meetings happened in Vashon Island, Washington (Laurie’s home area), and in Houston, Texas (Martha’s home area). Annual fundraising concerts began. The first MHTP classes started in the fall of 1994 in Vashon Island, with Laurie providing instruction on the musical aspects and a hospice nurse the medical education. In January of 1995, the first Houston classes were led by Martha Lewis. The first MHTP graduation was in 1995 in Washington followed by a Texas graduation in 1996.
Fast Forward 30 Years
Caption: CMP Max Eve provides live therapeutic harp music at the bedside of a patient in Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Braselton, GA
Currently all of MHTP’s science-based modules are taught live, virtually, through interactive Zoom videoconference. Students don’t encounter the expense of travel and board to attend the modules. MHTP maintains a strong community of both students and CMPs through many activities and events, including biennial conferences, special virtual events and Enrichment Days. This 30th anniversary year is also a conference year. Typically, attendees join in across 14 different time zones for the multi-day conference, which will be held in October of this year, as we celebrate the past and envision the future.
As we step into the 4th decade of MHTP, there is deep gratitude to the founders and the multitude of others who have nurtured what they started. MHTP has grown and matured through traveling down a couple of pathway twists and turns and lessons learned. Throughout that time, the mission statement of MHTP has been a true guide. But what has kept the program relevant are the students of MHTP, the graduate Certified Music Practitioners, the Board Directors, Executive leadership, Teachers, Advisors, Area Coordinators, Clinical Practicum Coordinators, other staff, benefactors, supporters, and healthcare employers of CMPs. They are all living the vision that was lovingly inspired 30 years ago by Martha, Laurie, Mary, and Maryann. Here’s to the next part of the journey of their innovative idea!
Information in this article came from interviews of Martha Lewis, Laurie Riley, Mary Radspinner, and Maryann Schulz in 2014