A TEENAGER receiving mental health support from a Kewstoke hospital has spoken of how music is helping his recovery.

Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke, on Beach Road, recently took part in a ‘Music 2 Empower’ programme to provide music sessions for service users.

For James Tonkin, 19, it's been life-changing.

Growing up in a musical family, the violin has been a massive part in his life.

When he moved to the UK from Japan for his university degree, he struggled with the adjustment and his mental health began to suffer, eventually reaching the point where he needed inpatient treatment.

James, who started playing the violin aged four, said: "Music is beautiful. I like the sound.

"It’s very satisfying to play and I really like the feeling of getting the note just right.

“I really enjoy it when people listen to me attentively and everyone at Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke has been very supportive.

“The purpose of music is to not only please yourself but to please everyone who listens to it.

“I get really moved when I can see people really paying attention.”

Cygnet Health Care launched ‘Music 2 Empower’ on World Mental Health Day 2019 and has since rolled out the programme across its hospitals, allowing service users like James to showcase their abilities, give hope, inspire others and benefit from this psychological approach.

Dr Sai Achuthan, medical director at Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke, said: "Seven weeks after James's admission, we realised music was really helping him to progress.

"He was able to be distracted from all the other things which were going on around him.

“He was very focused and his attention span and memory power increased.

"It helped him to become much more confident with people and to build rapport with his peers and with the psychological team.

“For me, our music programme is ground-breaking.

"Not many hospitals have art, music or dance therapists.

"At Kewstoke we don’t only treat the mental health symptoms, but we rehabilitate our patients.”

Sophie Alderson, James’s ward manager, said: “When James came to the ward, he was extremely quiet.

"He wouldn't interact with other people. He is resilient and he started telling us a little bit more of his story.

“When he started to play, other service users asked him if he would play a piece of music for them. He felt really empowered and uplifted.”