Cygnet Hospital Wyke, part of the Cygnet Health Care division, has recently taken part in a programme called ‘Music 2 Empower’ to provide music sessions for its’ service users.
For Jake, the initiative has been life-changing and music was pivotal pivotal to his ongoing recovery journey.
He explained: “I believe that music is the heart of recovery. It brings out something in me that I can’t really explain.
“It’s the thing that takes away all my problems, all of my feelings. I just zone out into the music.”
Cygnet Health Care launched the ‘Music 2 Empower’ initiative in 2019 and has since rolled out the programme across its hospitals, supporting music therapy-related projects throughout the organisation and allowing service users like Jake to showcase their abilities, give hope, inspire others and benefit from this well-established psychological approach.
Cygnet Hospital Wyke, on Huddersfield Road, Bradford, provides an acute service for men suffering with their mental health. Jake’s Occupational Therapist, Tahiya Begum, explains the difference she noticed in Jake through music.
She said: “When Jake first came onto the ward, he was very unwell and on enhanced observations. He was a very different person to who he is now.
“With our music groups, you get to see a completely different side to our service users. It takes them back to how life was before coming into hospital.
“Music 2 Empower has changed Jake’s life. This is his first real exposure to music. Jokes used to be his coping mechanism, but now it is music. He struggles to express himself and talk about his past, now he communicates through music.”
Jake, added: “This has given something to live for. I want to live for my music and hopefully inspire people with what I have to share.”
“I wasn’t the easiest person to deal with when I first arrived. But I feel I’ve come out of it the other end.
“The music group is just amazing. There’s not a day where there’s no music being played on the ward.”
Sebastian Forest, Cygnet Health Care Occupational Therapist, added: “When Jake first came to the music group he was distracted, but obviously very passionate. It was difficult to have a meaningful conversation with him.
“Over the weeks he kept coming back, getting more involved and taking an active role. It was lovely to see him get better and better and more passionate about music. He would go away from the classes in a great mood.”
Dr Tony Romero, CEO of Cygnet Group added that he was proud to see the impact Music 2 Empower is having across Cygnet’s services. He said: “Music can be a powerful agent for change. Being creative and expressing yourself through music is an important outlet for many of our service users. Although our connection to music can be incredibly personal, projects like Music 2 Empower allow our service users who have shared experiences to come together and experience the benefits of being around like-minded individuals.
“Music is an important tool which can bring a renewed sense of purpose, achievement and motivation to reach personal recovery goals and ultimately this can have a hugely positive impact on mental wellbeing.
“Hearing from directly from service users about the life-changing impact this initiative is having on them and their recovery is very inspiring.”