Timeline of ACPR

To illuminate the importance of my training and the wisdom of my community here is a timeline of people who helped inspire this current work of using heartbeats in music therapy:

In 2000 Lorrie Kubicek, MT-BC introduced me to the Gil Raldiris song Mi Cuerpo—“Mi cuerpo, mi cuerpo hace musica/My body, my body makes music. The body itself as a symphony of life that can be used to create music.

In 2001 the “heart” beat was a Native American rhythm that was taught by Steve Wilkes in a percussion class at Berklee College of Music. This rhythm’s intention is to “ground” the participant and listener and to become in-sync with one’s internal and original rhythm. Matt Mangano (John Mayer/Zac Brown Band) introduced me to the work of Milford Graves whose fascinating approach to music, heartbeats, and life continues to inspire my work. Milford’s advice: "Throw away your metronome and listen to your heart."

In 2003 at NYU Clive Robbins solidified the importance of recording everything in music therapy as a way to preserve the shared experience, to reflect and review on what actually happened, as a way to present the work with actual real-life context whilst celebrating their legacies and reliving the time that was shared.

In 2005 NPR’s Morning Edition did a story on Milford Graves and stated, “Graves listens to the heart rhythms of volunteers using a host of diagnostic tools, including a custom-built stethoscope and sensors that pick up the electrical impulses that cause the human heart to beat.”

In 2007 at Cincinnati Children’s my first music therapy colleague Kathryn Bruno, MT-BC and I discussed the recording of lullabies with parents. She discussed Cara Davis, MT-BC, who used ultrasound recordings in-utero in the background with lullabies created with the mothers of high-risk pregnancies to increase bonding after multiple losses. Working in the hospital’s three intensive care units, there were not many recordings that families would want to have or to revisit. It was in these three years that the ICU monitors and especially in the CICU (cardiac intensive care) the heartbeat began to come into more focus.

In 2009 a video shown during a home hospice visit by a patient called “Music From A Tree” by Diego Stocco demonstrated a makeshift stethoscope microphone--https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY-ZoVMwGKM

Lucanne Magill’s article: The meaning of music: the role of music in palliative care music therapy as perceived by bereaved caregivers of advanced cancer patients. Am J Hosp Palliat Med 2009;26(1): 33–9.

In 2010 I came upon a story on Good Morning America about the Stortch family who lost their teenage daughter in a skiing accident. Her heart was donated. The look on Tara Stortch’s face when she hears her daughter’s heart beating alive inside the recipient’s body illuminated a bulb of light that pushed me to continue to try to figure out how to best capture our patient’s sounds of life and amplify what is working inside to connect with the external world--https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFx-TIE3zy8

In 2013 I began exploring heartbeat recording using Doppler ultrasounds with neonates in the NICU and with expectant mothers in our perinatal hospice service at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center before assembling a makeshift lavalier mic with a stethoscope.

Clare O’Callaghan’s publications on preloss care and legacy are at the foundation of this work.

In early 2015, I wrote a newsletter update for International Association for Music and Medicine called “Sounds of Life: Using Internal Sounds to Connect with the External World.” It covered the recent use of this intervention in the intensive care units at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center from 2014-2015. One particular video and blog https://blog.cincinnatichildrens.org/patient-family-experience/and-the-beat-goes-on generated by the hospital had begun to swim around the internet in May of 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbTrbySS3fU which lead to it being shared and written about locally by the Cincinnati Business Courier https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2014/06/03/exclusive-cincinnati-childrens-therapist-turns.html and local NPR affiliate https://www.wvxu.org/local-news/2014-07-09/using-dying-heartbeats-to-make-music and in late May, nationally for ABC news online: https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2014/05/26/therapist-turns-heartbeats-of-dying-patients-into-music and internationally in the UK’s Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2639606/And-beat-goes-Therapist-creates-beautiful-music-heartbeats-dying-patients.html and in July the Huffington post: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/recorded-heartbeats-brian-schreck_n_5552019. This seminal video was shared and presented at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s 26th Annual Forum for a physical audience of 5,600 and virtual 30,000 via streaming. Cincinnati Magazine interviewed me for their “Top Doctors 2015” issue: http://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/top-doctors-archive/music-therapists-create-heartbeat-keepsakes-grieving-families/.

10/4/2022 Co-authored manuscript submission with Dr. Claire Ghetti for Action Research Journal-- entitled "Heartbeat recordings in music therapy bereavement care following suicide: Action research single case study of amplified cardiopulmonary recordings for continuity of care" Manuscript ID is ARJ-22-0129.

8/31/2022 Authored chapter for the Barcelona Publishing music therapy textbook Music Therapy at the End of Life (volume 2) entitled Amplified Cardiopulmonary Recordings for Music Therapists.

9/8, 9/15, 9/22/2022 Completion of Dr. Harvey Chochinov’s Dignity Therapy training (4-hour sessions) through the University of Manitoba, Canada.

9/7/2022 Research Approval RO# 22-N0097 / IRB# 1338569 / Title: Pre-loss Music Therapy Legacy Recordings and their Impact on Quality of Life with Adults with Advanced Cancer (and their Families in Bereavement.)

7/30/2022 Documentary on amplified cardiopulmonary recordings called The Beat of the Heart was screened at the Flyover Film Festival at the Louisville Speed Art Museum.

6/16/2022 Legacy Lab Presentation for Behavioral Oncology multidisciplinary staff.

5/23/2022 First author of Amplified Cardiopulmonary Recordings: Music Therapy Legacy Intervention with Adult Oncology Patients and Their Families—A Preliminary Program Evaluation published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

1/25/2022 Presentation for medical music therapists at the University of Bergen, Norway.

1/20/2022 Guest Lecturer at Drexel University for music therapy graduate students on medical music therapy, legacy work, and best practices.

10/21/2021 Amplified Cardiopulmonary Recordings presentation for national VA Hospital’s creative arts therapists.

10/15/2021 Australian Music Therapy Association’s annual conference Spotlight Panel Presentation – The Evolving Symphonies of Life: Music Therapy in Cancer and Palliative Care Across the Lifespan.

9/25/2021 Guest lecture at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia for music therapy professionals and students throughout Latin America.

7/27/2021 Co-author of Chapter 5 in Relationship Completion in Palliative Care Music Therapy. Pp47-48. Barcelona Publishers.

7/20/2021-Present—Record, edit, and produce Norton Cancer Institute’s monthly Hope-Cast podcast availabile on Apple podcasts.

7/15/2021 Presentation for Norton Cancer Institute Symposium for Legacy Lab creation.

7/14/2021 Presentation for John Hopkins Pediatric Palliative Care MD on Amplified Cardiopulmonary Recordings and clinical implications and applications.

4/28/2021 Virtual co-presentation for the Stowe Weekend of Hope—Stronger Together: Navigating Cancer with the Support of a Multidisciplinary Team with Elizabeth Archer-Nanda, DNP.

4/11, 4/18, 4/25, and 5/21/2021 Created and lead a 16 credit CMTE course on Amplified Cardiopulmonary Recordings: Turning the Beats of the Heart into Music through Alverno College.

4/9/2021 Guest Lecturer at University of Louisville’s MUTH 311 class—Improvisation for Music Therapy.

4/1/2021 Behavioral Oncology clinical practice presentation to department staff.

12/16/2020 Virtual medical music therapy presentation and interview for “Pediatric Music Therapy” via facebook live for music therapists and music therapy students nationwide.

11/13/2020 Presented with Dr. Melita Belgrave for the Mayo Clinic (Arizona) Premedical Scholars Program: Innovative Medical Music therapy Interventions—Medical Music Therapy, Legacy Creation, and Heartbeat Recording.

11/4/2020 Facilitated workshop for University of Louisville music therapy students.

9/17/2020 Presented a workshop for the international community of music therapy and music and medicine practitioners on the clinical applications and use of heartbeat recording.

8/14/2020 Began working on an original manuscript of a qualitative case study with a colleague in Bergen, Norway.

7/30/2020 Presented with international music therapy colleagues for a Special Interest Group through the International Assocication for Music and Medicine on relationship completion through music therapy and palliative care: Clinical Guidelines. This work has been accepted to be turned into a book through Barcelona publishing.

7/13/2020 Co-authored manuscript and submitted to the journal of palliative medicine with the palliative care team at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

5/30/2020 Organized, presented, and moderated online presentations for the 2-day IAMM virtual conference.

4/6/2020 Submitted original manuscript of a report of 191 participants who have engaged in heartbeat recordings here at NCI over the past 4 years to two journals.

4/1/2020 Completed website www.amplfiedcpr.org to spread the word on my work in medical music therapy.

3/28-29/2020 Cancelled 2-day CMTE on medical music therapy, improvisation, and heartbeat recording at Alverno University in Milwaukee due to the Coronavirus.

3/10/2020 Assisted in online/virtual redesign of the International Assocication for Music and Medicine’s international conferece to be held in Boston in May 2020.

2/28/2020 Presented an all-day symposium on medical music therapy at Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA.

2/20/2020 Presented on heartbeat recordings and medical music therapy for the Circle of Hearts support group at Norton Women’s and Children’s.

1/7/2020 Initiated and directed music therapy intership through University of Louisville and system-wide Norton music therapy.

11/09/2019 Piloted music therapy services at the Shelbyville NCI clinic bringing services to almost every Norton Cancer Institute campus.

9/25/2019 Presented on medical music therapy through the arts in residency program at Spalding University.

3/15/2019 Great Lakes Music Therapy Association Regional Conference, Cincinnati OH. Presented Keynote presentation for the attendees as well as a 3 hour CMTE on the heartbeat recording intervention.

11/3/2018 Featured segment on Kentucky Educational Television’s show Kentucky Life: https://www.ket.org/episode/KKYLI%20002405/

6/10/2018 on executive board of the International Association for Music and Medicine. Presented on current work with adults with cancer.

6/8/2018 Cure Champion recipient for the national American Cancer Society.

3/29/2018 featured in CNNi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJGMTYmf8GU&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop

3/27/2018 featured in local news WHAS: http://www.whas11.com/mobile/article/news/local/infusion-string-band-fights-cancer-with-music/417-532375377

3/11/2018 featured in local news WDRB: http://www.wdrb.com/story/37696985/norton-childrens-hospital-preserves-patients-heartbeat-in-stuffed-animals

1/26/2018 wrote an article with Alexa Economos in the Journal of Music & Medicine Volume 10, Issue 1 entitled: “Heartbeat Recording and Composing in Perinatal Palliative Care and Hospice Music Therapy.”

11/18/2017 featured on KARE 11 out of Minneapolis via

“Heart Threads” which has been viewed 698, 354 times.

11/14/2017 featured on local news station WHAS http://www.whas11.com/mobile/article/news/local/louisville-therapist-reveals-the-power-of-the-beat-through-music/491627335

11/09/2017 featured on local news station WLKY http://www.wlky.com/article/therapist-uses-heartbeak-in-music-with-cancer-patients/13454336

10/26/2017 began work as a research consultant with Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles’ ongoing research involving the heartbeat recording intervention.

10/13/2017 presented at Before I Die Fest with musician Harry Pickens entitled “Music, Death, and Life: AConversation for the Community.” Louisville, KY

9/7/2017 Featured in Louisville Magazine’s Top Doctor’s issue: https://www.louisville.com/content/beat-goes

8/15/2017 NYU’s alumni wrote a piece on my work: http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/news/2017/8/11/Alumnus_Brian_Schrecks_Heartbeat_Music_Therapy_

6/16/2017 NPR’s All Things Considered aired Kind World’s piece: http://www.npr.org/2017/06/16/533255537/heartbeat-music-parents-remember-their-son-through-his-song-of-life

4/2017 Presented at the National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative’s National Learning Session in Cincinnati, OH.

4/22/2017 began work on a documentary on my work as a music therapist: https://vimeo.com/209755892

1/10/2017 began work as a research consultant with Arkansas Children’s ongoing research involving the use of the heartbeat recording intervention with pediatric palliative care patients.

9/6/16 Featured in WBUR’s Kind World: http://www.wbur.org/kindworld/2016/09/06/kind-world-29-the-heartbeat

2/18/16 Featured in People magazine (online) human interest: http://people.com/human-interest/brian-schreck-produces-music-from-the-heart/

June 11-13th, 2016: Keynote presentation IAMM 4th Annual Conference—Beijing, China http://iammchina.org/ Elected to the executive board of IAMM as Director of Development and Finance.

4/22/2016: Plenary Session at 26th Annual SPN Conference. “Symphony of Life: Possibilities in Pediatric Medical Music Therapy”—Minneapolis, MN http://www.pedsnurses.org/2016conference

4/15/2016: 60 minute Oral presentation ADEC’s 38th Annual Conference—Minneapolis,MN https://www.adec.org/ADEC/2016/Conference_Home/ADEC2016AnnualMeeting/Homepage-Content-2.aspx?hkey=a2d0df4d-d952-404e-8df2-51f007b2dd35

Institute for Healthcare Improvement National Forum (Orlando) Presenting a special interest breakfast Title: A Symphony of Life: Innovative Medical Music Therapy Interventions Facilitators: Brian Schreck, December 2015

Featured in Southwest Airlines The Magazine October 2015 Issue: pp. 62-75. A follow-up letter to the editor was featured in the December 2015 Issue: p.35.

Co-presented Nursing Grand Rounds at Cincinnati Children’s with Dr. Mark Meyer, “Cultivating Creative Arts Therapies in Pediatric Palliative Care.” 11/11/15

Abstract accepted for poster presentation at AAP National Exhibition, Washington DC, October 2015.

Co-Presenter at the IHI national forum in Orlando, FL. December 2014

Presentor at University of Vermont Medical Center’s Service of Remembrance and Grand Rounds, Burlington, VT. November, 2014

Co-Presentor at AMTA national conference with SMART II interveners, Louisville, KY, November 2014.

Co-Presentor at AAHPM national conference in San Diego, CA. March, 2014

Author of a chapter in the book, “Music and Medicine: Integrative Models in the Treatment of Pain” Published June, 2013.

Best Evidence Statement: The Effects of Music Therapy on Well-Being in Pediatric Inpatients. Febuary, 2012

Co-Presentor at AMTA national conference in Charles, Il. October 2012.

Co-Presentor at International Symposium in New York City, “Music and Medicine: Integrative Models in Pain Medicine, January 2012.

Created Knowing Note for Music Therapy Services at CCHMC, 2011.

Presentor at an International Conference on Music Therapy and Supportive Cancer Care: New Horizons in Care across the Life-Span, March 2010, Windsor, Canada.

Co-Author of a chapter in the book, “Music Therapy at the End of Life” a Jeffrey Books Publication, 2005.