1 The Beauty of Harp Therapy Sanzeda Khanom Gwynedd Mercy University MUS-107-EA Carol Evans October 11, 2023 2 Have you ever wondered how the harp could bring therapeutic energy to those who suffer from terminal illnesses or are in the hospital for extended periods? Well, Edie Elkan is the founder of Bedside Harp, which is an organization that provides harp therapy in hospitals. After watching the videos on Bedside Harp, it is really intriguing how the harp can provide relaxation among chronically ill patients. Nevertheless the work Edie Elkan has done over the year seems to have provided numerous patients with different backgrounds relief and relaxation. Furthermore, it is important to understand how Bedside Harp was founded to really appreciate the work Edie Elkan has done over the years. Edie Elkan explained that the harp was a figment of her imagination. Edie Elkan stated that she felt “privileged” to play for the vulnerable. That is the kind of woman Edie Elkan is. The idea of Bedside Harp therapy was brought to Pennsylvania and New Jersey shortly after Edie Elkan finished schooling in California. At that time no one believed in harp therapy or what Edie Elkan was trying to accomplish. Edie Elkan was trying to teach others how to play for their own enjoyment and to certify to play in healthcare. Nevertheless, it was not until the incident of 9/11, that people started to take an incline towards harp therapy. This incident brought a lot of trauma to Americans and what better to treat trauma than with harp therapy? Robert Wood Johnson Hospital was the first hospital to understand Elkan’s value of harp therapy and shadowed her around patients. They realized that the harp was embraced by the patients and brought positive feedback. One of the things that resonated to me was that the harp is the only instrument mentioned in the Bible for healing. I actually used to play a medieval video game, where the harp was used to heal a character after they were badly injured. It is fascinating to hear that there is a religious significance of the harp. 3 Related to this, it is important to differentiate between music therapy and harp therapy. Even though both forms of therapy can provide relaxation for patients, each has their own criteria and requirements to become practitioners. For instance, in order to become a music therapist, a person must attend a 5 year university to become accredited. Whereas, one can become a harp therapist in a 2 year course with an intensive internship. Another important thing to note is that harp therapists do not have access to medical records unlike music therapists. Music therapists are able to know the medical condition of the patient they are engaging with. Edie Elkan prefers not knowing the medical conditions of the patients and would much rather perform blindly. Additionally, Edie Elkan explains how when she plays a song, she remembers something or it catches her heart she takes that with her everywhere she goes to perform. She explains how a few cases of patients stuck with her to this day. The case of Edie Elkan playing the harp for two elderly in a hospital in California was really powerful for me. It is amazing how Edie Elkan was able to play a Yeddish song and wake a woman from a coma. Similarly, she was able to play the harp and allow another elderly woman to pass away. Elkan had no idea that that woman was struggling to pass away. It is very magical how harp therapy can be used to treat a variety of patients. Moreover, learning about harp therapy has allowed me to understand how music can be powerful. This reminds me of a time in my life when I had a sick relative who enjoyed music as a way to relieve themself. My grandfather had a really bad case of dementia but whenever a specific song would play, he would instantly call out for my grandmother. This was truly astonishing because he suffered from very bad amnesia and would not regularly remember my 4 grandmother. Ultimately, it goes to show that harp therapy is one of the many ways those who are vulnerable are able to heal from the inside out.
