Dr. Diane Schneider announces the availability of the Harp of Hope CD in a new Animal Therapy Edition. Since its release in 2001, the Harp of Hope CD has been instrumental in bringing calming, restful sleep, and relief of many difficult symptoms to its listeners. The Mayo Clinic shops, among others, have long featured the "Harp of Hope" CD as an effective therapeutic adjunct to human medical treatment. Now the same sound track of the original "Harp of Hope" is being released with new information about its usefulness in addressing similar symptoms in animals.

• Therapeutically sequenced to promote progressive relaxation
  
• Calming effect in waiting and treatment rooms
  
• Reduces stress in staff work areas
  
• Supports healing in surgical and recovery areas by decreasing muscle tension and promoting sleep
  
• Inexpensive and risk-free for clients to use at home with animals
  
• Rave reviews from current users!

PLEASE NOTE: This is a special veterinary edition of the Harp of Hope CD by Diane Schneider, J.D., Ph.D. The music is identical to the original Harp of Hope CD available at http://harpist1.tripod.com , but this Veterinary Edition CD contains new liner notes, background, and information for use of this CD with animals.

Harp of Hope: Veterinary Edition is a unique recording of therapeutically sequenced harp music intended for use in veterinary practices, and by those who live with or care for animals, to address symptoms such as agitation, fear, restlessness, sleeplessness, tension, and high blood pressure.

Diane Schneider is a teacher, lecturer, and practitioner in harp vibration therapy. She is currently a Visiting Scientist on the Palliative Medicine Consultative Service of Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, and has conducted clinical research on harp vibration effects upon hospitalized human patients in the Mayo System. She produced and recorded the CD, Harp of Hope; Harp of Quiet Faith, and Harp of Christmas Peace; according to the same therapeutic protocol she developed and uses live at the bedsides of patients.

In 2001, people began to report that they were using the Harp of Hope CD with their sick or elderly animals, especially to help arthritic dogs fall asleep and to calm agitated cats. Diane, who has fostered almost 40 felines over 12 years for the Humane Societies in Toronto and Minnesota adds, I routinely use live harp music and the Harp of Hope CD to relax and comfort nervous or post-operative cats. She adopted "Frosty," found near death in a Minnesota minus-20 winter, after using a regimen of harp vibrations to support her healing. This 1 year old female Siamese mix was able to regenerate three frozen extremities which had been scheduled for amputation, and was also found to have regrown necrotic ear tissue and fur which had previously disintegrated. Frosty, now 8 years old, has always shown a marked interest in music, often lying at the foot of the harp while it is being played.

A review of the literature leaves no doubt that significant human benefit from therapeutic music has been reported anecdotally since before Hippocrates, and documented clinically since the 1950's. Documented positive effects include: 1) Increases in immune antibodies, oxygen uptake, wound healing, relaxation, comfort, mobility in extremities, verbalization after stroke, cognitive acuity, weight-gain in elders and newborns, return to normal sinus rhythm; and 2) Decreases in stress hormones, blood pressure, muscle tension and holding, pain, nausea, respirations, anxiety, fear, depressive symptoms, sad feelings, digestive distress, agitation, sleeplessness, certain Alzheimer's and Parkinson's symptoms including tremor.

While far less clinical research exists on music and animals, controlled studies are increasing. For example, a pilot study in summer, 2003, on canine patients in a veterinary hospital in St. Augustine, FL reported that dogs who received harp music following surgery showed decreased stress and returned more quickly than the control group to normal respiration and decreased anxiety and vocalization. Other studies on cats, cows, rabbits, and horses are emerging with similar positive results. We invite your submission of additional resources or questions to Dr. Schneider at healingharpist@hotmail.com.

From the liner notes: This CD can help you meet the needs of both animal and human clients. Tempos, rhythms, keys, note intervals, chord structures, and plucking techniques have been arranged to promote progressive peace and relaxation by stabilizing blood pressure, and reducing anxiety, pain, and nervous tension. Therefore, it can be used effectively from point of entry in the waiting room, to create a calm and reassuring atmosphere; over a sound system throughout the treatment rooms; during medical or surgical procedures; in the recovery area; or offered to the pet owners for use at home, as a comfort measure and immune-stimulating adjunct to drugs or other therapies.