We understand that every healthcare journey can affect a patient’s mind, body, spirit, and their community. Our goal is to provide comfort and guidance to children and their families throughout that journey. We do this by:

• Using integrative techniques to reduce or manage symptoms and accelerate healing
• Complementing other treatments your child is receiving to increase their impact
• Helping patients and family members cope by focusing on well-being, resiliency, and preventive care
   

Who Can Benefit?
Any child or adolescent who is experiencing an acute or chronic health condition, along with their family members, can benefit from our program. The mind-body connection is an important aspect of overall health, and it is especially vital for anyone dealing with a complex illness or injury. Integrative therapies help children and families practice happy and calm states of mind, so their bodies can relax, heal faster, and function better.

Services We Offer
Research has shown that integrative therapies, when used in conjunction with conventional medical care, can help ease symptoms and improve a patient’s quality of life. Therapies that are available to patients at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital range from massage and aromatherapy to nutrition guidance and music therapy. In addition, we offer tools and strategies to help children cope with the disruptions that are a part of complex illness and hospitalization.

• Acupoint therapy includes acupressure, acupuncture, Shonishin, and laser therapy to promote the body’s natural healing ability.
• Aromatherapy promotes physical and psychological well-being through the therapeutic use of essential oils.
• Art therapy is a clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic tool that uses the creative process of art-making to improve and enhance physical, mental, and emotional well-being for kids of all ages. At our children’s hospital, art therapy is facilitated by a registered art therapist.
• Biofeedback therapy uses sensors to measure physiologic responses, such as breathing, heart rate, and skin temperature. The patient learns to recognize and regulate changes in the body while developing ways to relax and reduce physical and emotional symptoms.
• Breathwork focuses on breathing exercises that increase blood flow to the brain and body, which can result in a reduction of muscle tension and increased relaxation.
• Energy therapy such as Reiki or Healing Touch uses subtle energy and light touch to promote relaxation, reduce pain, and soothe feelings of worry or sadness.
  Frequency-Specific Microcurrent (FSM) is a technique that can treat pain, repair tissue, and potentially reduce inflammation by using low-level electrical current, delivered by a trained practitioner.
• Guided imagery harnesses a child’s imagination to visualize a place that promotes rest, relaxation, and healing. A healthcare provider, family member, or digital resource can guide them during this process.
• Integrative Medicine is a healing-oriented practice of medicine that emphasizes the therapeutic relationship between an Integrative Medicine provider and patient. This practice considers the whole person, including all aspects of lifestyle, trauma, and current resources. It is informed by evidence and makes use of all appropriate therapies to facilitate the body’s innate ability to heal while working alongside conventional medical treatments.
• Massage Therapy manipulates the soft tissues of the body with varying degrees of pressure and movement to provide relief from pain, soreness, and other symptoms. Massage is performed by a provider or massage therapist with the proper training, specifically for chronically and acutely ill children.
• Music therapy involves the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions by a board- certified music therapist to achieve therapeutic outcomes. Music therapy can be used for symptom management, expression, patient and family support, developmental stimulation, and end-of-life care.
• Nature-based therapeutic services are professionally facilitated educational and play-based interactions with nature that bring about measurable outcomes in human health and well-being, including reduced anxiety and increased resiliency.
• Nutrition consultation provides food choices tailored to your child’s needs that help them maintain good nutrition and promote healing.
• Self-hypnosis is a patient-centered skill, which focuses on achieving a specific goal.
• Tui Na Massage is performed by a Licensed Acupuncturist and is based in stimulating the flow of qi to promote balance and harmony using the same principles of acupuncture. It targets specific acupoints to create harmony in the yin and yang of the body by getting rid of blockages and disturbances that manifest as illness, disease, and emotional issues.
• Yoga provides physical and emotional healing through breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures.
• Natural and herbal supplements and remedies can support patient health and may be appropriate, depending on each patient’s unique needs.