Ireland’s first and only music therapist helping people with chronic pain graduated from University of Limerick today with a PhD in music therapy.
From County Clare, Katie Fitzpatrick has dedicated her education and career to music and music therapy and is blazing a trail in the treatment of chronic pain.
The newly minted Dr Fitzpatrick is among more than 1,900 new graduates being conferred at UL over three days for the 2024 Winter Conferring Ceremonies this week.
“I have always loved to sing, dance and play the piano. My great grandmother was a piano teacher in Dublin and my gran says she was the original music therapist, often working with children who found school difficult and giving them opportunities for success through music.”
Katie’s career has included working in Savins Music Centre, an internship with the Association of Irish Choirs (now Sing Ireland) based on the UL campus, and as a self-employed community musician working with adults in disability services, older adults with Parkinson’s disease, adults experiencing homelessness, and children.
Following an undergraduate degree in Music and English at UCC, Katie chose to continue her education in UL.
“The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance is the only place in the country that offers masters programmes in both Community Music and Music Therapy.
“I did consider travelling to the UK to study music therapy, but I had such a great experience on the community music course that I ended up going with UL again. Plus, the Academy and surrounding campus is such a gorgeous space to spend time in!”
Katie’s PhD research suggests that music and music therapy can contribute to improved quality of life for people living with chronic pain and helped her secure a full-time senior music therapy post with the HSE Pain Management Centre serving the Mid-West.
“This has been a really exciting opportunity as there aren’t many music therapists working in the HSE overall, and none in adult pain services,” she explained.
“In some ways it can be hard as you don’t have many other music therapists with the same experience. However, I have been able to link with colleagues in music therapy and pain internationally and have found a lot of overlap with work in mental health and other chronic illnesses.
“I am hopeful that this post will help to create a precedent for more creative arts therapy posts and eventually a dedicated grade structure and statutory recognition for our profession.”
During her time in UL, Katie co-founded the International Association of Music and Medicine Chronic Pain Special Interest Group with PhD supervisor Professor Hilary Moss, to link with other music therapists, service users, researchers, and other healthcare professionals with experience and interest in the field.
Hilary Moss, Professor of Music Therapy in UL’s Irish World Academy of Music and Dance said: “Katie excelled in all aspects of her research, and what inspires me is how community engagement was at the core of her work. Her research was a collaboration with participants who attended music therapy, which is critical to the research team I have built at UL.
“She was appointed to a full-time position at University Hospital Limerick as a direct result of her research and hard work and is leading the international field in the area of music therapy as a treatment and therapy for chronic pain.”
Katie continues to guest lecture on the Music Therapy course and supervises MA student research, but her main focus is now on helping people living with chronic pain.
“I have the opportunity to work with lovely clients who are often experiencing high levels of distress, collaborating to find ways to cope with this through music and creativity.
“I would love to do what I can to progress the status of music therapy within the HSE. I have kept up some research as part of the post and am currently co-editing a book on music in health and wellbeing, so I could see myself returning to complete post-doctoral research at some point.
“For now though, I am enjoying regular working hours and time to walk the dog and pursue my own music and hobbies! I have even taken up an Italian class at the language centre in UL!”