What is Music Therapy?
Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. Music therapy is a well-established allied health profession. It consists of using music therapeutically to address physical, psychological, cognitive, behavioral and/or social functioning. Because music therapy is a powerful and non-threatening medium, unique outcomes are possible. With young children, music therapy provides a unique variety of music experiences in an intentional and developmentally appropriate manner to effect changes in a child’s behavior and facilitate the development of his/her communication, social/emotional, sensory-motor, and/or cognitive skills.
Music therapy enhances the quality of life. It involves relationships between a qualified therapist and child; between one child and another; between child and family; and between the music and the participants. These relationships are structured and adapted through the elements of music to create a positive environment and set the occasion for successful growth.
How Does Music Therapy Make a Difference with Young Children?
Music stimulates all the senses and involves the child at many levels. This “multimodal approach” facilitates many developmental skills.
Quality learning and maximum participation occur when children are permitted to experience the joy of play. The medium of music therapy allows this play to occur naturally and frequently.
Music is highly motivating, yet it can also have a calming and relaxing effect. Enjoyable music activities are designed to be success-oriented and make children feel better about themselves.
Music therapy can help a child manage pain and stressful situations.
Music can encourage socialization, self-expression, communication, and motor development.
Because the brain processes music in both hemispheres, music can stimulate cognitive functioning and may be used for remediation of some speech/language skills.
How Does Music Therapy Make a Difference for Individuals with ASD?
Music therapy interventions focus on enhancing social, communicative, motor/sensory, emotional, and academic/cognitive functioning, or music skills in individuals with ASD. Music therapy services are based on each client’s individual abilities, noting preferences, needs, the family’s values, beliefs, and priorities. Music therapists work in partnership with clients, families, and teams.
Music therapy implements a variety of ASD-specific evidence-based strategies (e.g., prompting, reinforcement, picture schedule) and music therapy techniques (e.g., singing/ vocalization, instrument play, movement/ dance, musical improvisation, songwriting/ composition, listening to music) These strategies and techniques support clients in practicing identified and targeted skills.
Music therapy sessions provide familiarity, consistency, structure, and predictability – characteristics that support the learning style of individuals with ASD.
What Do Music Therapists Do?
Music therapists involve children in singing, listening, moving, playing, and in creative activities that may help them become better learners. Music therapists work on developing a child’s self-awareness, confidence, readiness skills, coping skills, and social behavior and may also provide pain management techniques. They explore which styles of music, techniques, and instruments are most effective or motivating for each individual child and expand upon the child’s natural, spontaneous play to address areas of need.
At River Pediatric Therapies, we work as an interdisciplinary team; music therapists may coordinate programming with other professionals such as early intervention specialists, psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, speech/language pathologists, adapted physical education specialists and art and dance/movement therapists. Music therapists also collaborate with families to provide suggestions and resources for using music with the child at home.
Music therapists develop a rapport with children. They observe the child’s behavior and interactions and assess communication, cognitive/academic, motor, social/emotional, and musical skills. After developing realistic and individualized goals and target objectives, music therapists plan and implement systematic music therapy treatment programs with procedures and techniques designed specifically for the individual child.
Music therapists document responses, conduct ongoing evaluations of progress and often make recommendations to other team members and the family regarding progress. These measures and suggestions may assist the individual, family, and team to appreciate success while empowering clients to maximize their functioning in all aspects of their lives.
Who is a Qualified Music Therapist?
Graduates of colleges or universities an approved music therapy programs are eligible to take a national examination administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). After successful completion of the CBMT examination, graduates are issued the credential necessary for professional practice, Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC).
Why Music Therapy?
Music therapy may address several needs simultaneously in a positive and exciting medium: it may provide pleasurable learning that promotes success. Furthermore, music therapy can greatly enhance the quality of life of the young child and his/her family. Music is often the first thing to which a child relates. It is a “universal language” that crosses all cultural lines. Music occurs naturally in our environment in many settings and is a socially appropriate activity and leisure skill. Music provides a predictable time-oriented and reality-oriented structure while offering opportunities for participation at one’s own level of functioning and ability. Not only may music activities be opportunities for a child to “shine,” but they may also be used to reinforce nonmusical goals. Most people, especially children, enjoy music – therefore, music therapy can be the therapy that reinforces all other therapies.
Reference:
American Music Therapy Association
musictherapy.org
Rachael Kovaly, MT-BC
Music Therapist
River Pediatric Therapies
rkriverspeechmt@gmail.com | (412) 804-8379