Date of Award

8-24-2024

Document Type

Doctoral Research Paper

Degree Name

Psy.D.

Organizational Unit

Graduate School of Professional Psychology

First Advisor

Kathryn Barrs

Second Advisor

John Holmberg

Third Advisor

Rohini Gupta

Fourth Advisor

Lori Gooding

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Keywords

Compassion fatigue, Burnout, Vicarious trauma, Music wellness, Community focused interventions

Abstract

Due to the nature of clinical training, culture of academia, and socioecological stressors, clinical psychology graduate trainees are at risk of burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma. In addition, systemic oppression further complicates many students’ abilities to maintain individual wellness, subsequently limiting their ability to care for others. Ecological systems and radical healing frameworks support the implementation of community-based strategies to mitigate these effects, and the arts have historically been utilized across cultures to cultivate healing and resilience. This paper examines feasibility of music wellness interventions as an experiential self-care practice to improve wellbeing in clinical psychology graduate students at the University of Denver, Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP). Music wellness interventions such as music assisted relaxation and group rhythm and drumming have demonstrated efficacy in improving health and wellbeing of healthcare professionals, and there is precedent for including these interventions within systemic efforts to reduce negative impact of burnout. Music therapists facilitated three separate group music wellness events including both music assisted relaxation and group rhythm and drumming for GSPP students, and surveys were collected post event to gather insights into the feasibility and acceptability of the interventions (n=17). Program evaluation was conducted through participant surveys and included descriptive statistics and qualitative thematic analyses to summarize survey responses. Results indicate that the intervention supported participants perceived stress reduction, increased connection to peers, sense of enjoyment, and positive changes in physiological and emotional states.

Copyright Date

7-2-2024

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Hannah Bronson

Provenance

Received from author

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

65 pgs

File Size

781 KB

Available for download on Monday, July 26, 2027



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