Todd O’Connor, MA, LCAT, MT-BC, in a music therapy session
Three-year-old Levi is among the youngest patients at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital, but due to a rare immune condition that was diagnosed when he was two months old, he is no stranger to Mount Sinai.
Levi’s condition necessitates blood draws and infusion treatments every other week. It has been a challenging physical and emotional experience for both Levi and his mom, Alyssa, but since meeting Todd O’Connor, MA, LCAT, MT-BC, a music therapist and program manager in the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department, both of them now feel more relaxed during Levi’s appointments.
Todd’s approach with Levi is threefold: They do collaborative song-making and instrument playing before a procedure; Todd plays improvised guitar music to refocus Levi’s attention during the blood draw; and the two do more active music-making—usually drumming—to release any tension afterward.
Todd says that Levi is gratified by their musical partnership, and they have been able to build a trusting “therapeutic alliance.”
Alyssa is elated that Levi is experiencing less distress than in prior visits and is grateful for Todd’s advice on how on to prepare Levi for at-home treatments. Todd finds Levi’s resilience encouraging.
“I work with patients and their families during moments of extreme vulnerability,” he says. “It is a privilege to be allowed into that space, and I always come back to feelings of reverence and respect.”