For my second case study I chose to read about a young burn victim named Beni (Meadows, 2011).

When Beni entered the hospital he was only eight years old and had burns that covered 30% of his body. Due to his severe injuries, the time that Beni would have to stay at the hospital was extensive. He would have to undergo several intensive treatments to support his skin restoration. According to Meadows, upon Benis arrival he demonstrated little interest or engagement when medical and nursing staff approached and would not join in any play activities initiated by the therapy staff (Meadows, 2011, p. 156). He only communicated with his parents in his native tongue and was very introverted and expressionless when it came to interacting with the Hospital staff despite his ability to speak some English. Because of Benis inability to adjust to his hospitalization and medical support group, a nurse from Benis unit suggested that he might be a good candidate for music therapy. The therapist assigned to Benis case was named Jeanette. As discussed by Meadows (2011), Jeanettes assessment of Beni determined that Beni was most comfortable and responsive when his family was around. His father was both a guitarist and composer. The songs that he wrote included songs about their way of life, religion, principles, and faith. it became clear that Benis music therapy sessions would now begin by including his family in the recollection of familiar song material so as to provide a safe, known, and supportive environment for music therapy to take place (Meadows, 2011, p. 157) Jeanette decided after Benis assessment that the goals of his treatment would be aimed towards furthering his acceptance and ability to cope with his burn injuries, hospitalization, and healing. In order to achieve these outcomes, Jeanette designed

her music therapy sessions around offering opportunities for self-expression, support during treatment procedures, and increased interaction between family members (Meadows, 2011, p. 157). Beni would have a total of 14 music therapy sessions that were split into three stages. Because Beni was about to start a serious and painful phase in his medical treatments, Jeanette wanted to establish a connection between his home and the hospital. As discussed by Meadows (2011), she knew this would help lessen anxiety and stress for Beni and his family as he began to undergo his extensive treatments. Seeking the help the help of Benis father, Jeanette learned one of Benis favorite songs. With a little encouragement from Jeanette, Benis father quietly played the guitar as she sang a familiar song in Benis native language. As Benis mother started to participate in the music, he studied his parents engagement with Jeanette. By the end of the session Beni was smiling and even [began] to play the tambour with his mothers assistance (Meadows, 2011, p. 158). Other hospital staff -members heard the music coming from Benis room and soon the songs became well known to them as well. According to Meadows (2011), when Jeanette was not around staff members tried to make Beni and his family feel more calm and secure by asking them to sing and talk about their home and community. Because of Jeanettes decision to utilize familiar song material and have it presented by Benis father she was able to provide a safe and comfortable environment for Beni. As a result, his fears and anxieties diminished. Her choice of material also promoted communication between the hospital staff, Beni, and his family.

As stated by the author, the next nine sessions took place in a variety of situations. This was considered Benissecond stage of music therapy. His music therapy treatments were now used to assist [his] pain management, using music as relaxation, and [as a] distraction during debridement procedures. (Meadows, 2011, p. 159) During these sessions Beni was able to discuss a variety of emotions and thoughts concerning his hospitalization. Beni found comfort in two soft and calming songs Jeanette had composed for him that were harmonically similar to songs he liked. He would often request them during painful procedures. Soon the hospital staff began to notice and remark on an improvement in Benis overall behavior. They noticed that he was much more cooperative, relaxed, and unguarded. Besides giving Beni the power of deciding what songs to sing, during the second stage Jeanette would provide Beni with an assortment of instruments that would be used in musical play. In the beginning Beni would non-verbally indicate which instrument he wanted to use. However, during his fifth session, Beni spoke to Jeanette and asked if he could use a drum. From that point on the lines of verbal communication remained open. Beni often enjoyed talking about his home environment and past events. (Meadows, 2011, p. 160) It was clear to Jeanette that Beni had become much more involved with not just her, but his family and members of the hospital. The last two sessions Beni had with Jeanette focused on his release from the hospital. Beni was excited to leave and wrote songs with Jeanette about the things he would do upon his arrival home. His lyrics included visions about him riding his bike and seeing his friends. Beni would grab Jeanettes hand and show her what

chords he wanted her to play on the guitar. As Meadows (2011) suggested, this was a distinct representation of the bond Jeanette and Beni shared. When it was time for their last session, Beni played music outside of his hospital room in a public space where other patients, visitors, and hospital staff could listen and enjoy. Beni sang loudly and confidently and smiled from ear to ear as he shared his music with others around him. As the song ended, everyone applauded (Meadows, 2011, p. 161). You cannot stop your heart from breaking anytime you read about a child who has gone through a tremendous suffering. A child who experiences something so traumatic loses a certain type innocence that is often times difficult to restore. It forces a child to grow up quickly and allows them to see the world at face value. As soon as I started to read Benis story I wanted to take the pain away from him. By the end of the story I realized that is exactly what Jeanette did. It is clearly evident that music therapy carried this young boy through a painful life changing experience. After reflecting on Benis story and getting to know him, I felt that he most likely was shy before he had his accident, and the psychological stress from his trauma and culture shock inflated his introverted personality. Through her careful and well thought out planning, Jeanette was able to move Beni forward not only from his injuries but she also helped shaped his personality. Beni was not only able to adjust and cope with his situation, but as I read I felt like I was watching him heal and mature into an outgoing, confident, and happy boy who found comfort in his new skin.