FUMS 092 - Music Therapy For MS with Dr. Cindybet Pérez

FUMS: Giving Multiple Sclerosis The Finger

If you're anything like me, music is a big part of your life. It can lift me up, it can wipe me out, but it's always there. And you'll likely also have seen incredible videos which show people with Dementia or Alzheimer's responding to music when they otherwise are non-responsive.

But did you ever think that music could make a difference to the health of people with MS?

Dr. Cindybet Pérez is a board-certified clinical and neurological music therapist practicing in Puerto Rico. A faculty member at the Pontifical Catholic University, she also participated in a national-level project specially designed to promote health and wellness through evidence-based interventions for MS patients called MS in Harmony.

In our fascinating conversation, Dr. Cindybet talks about how music therapy can help MS patients cope with their diagnosis, becoming another potential weapon in our arsenal - not simply lifting our mood but improving our movement and memory!

Topics covered in this episode include:

• How Dr. Cindybet persevered to use her musical gift to help people, despite a lack of awareness of the benefits of Music Therapy in Puerto Rico
• Why Music Therapy can be particularly effective for those newly diagnosed with MS, and how Dr. Cindybet adapts her work to the individual needs of each patient
• The reasons why you should pay attention to song lyrics - evaluate the message as well as the rhythm and the feel
• The power of playlists
• Dr. Cindybet's work on the national MS in Harmony project

Resources for this episode (clickable links):

• Visit Patients Getting Paid
• If you’re getting value from FUMS, please consider leaving a review wherever you’re listening now
• Help keep FUMS alive at the FUMS Podcast Patreon page - or buy FUMS Merch
• Download Kathy’s song, “Wash Your Mouth Out With Hope”
• Connect with the Puerto Rico Music Therapy Institute on Facebook
• Learn more about the MS in Harmony project
• Visit the Certification Board for Music Therapists

** Sign up for The FUMS 6-Pack here: The FUMS 6-Pack.

~ Special thanks to my podcast editor Steve Woodward. Do you have a podcast or are you interested in starting a pod? I HIGHLY recommend adding Steve to your team. Find him at PodcastingEditor.com