Category: Music Therapy, Bottom up Approach

My kids grew up on the phrase “Freedom and responsibility go hand in hand.” Throughout their teen years, they probably heard this more than they cared to. It was a great measure for me when it came to decisions of “Should I let them do this, should I give them money for that, or should… Read more »

I was talking with my teenage daughter this week as she had just finishing purchasing a purse that she bidded on on ebay.  As she was excitedly reflecting, I said to her “You know what is fun when you order on line? Waiting for it to come.”   She said excitedly, “I love to wait –… Read more »

Most all the time the clients that come to my studio are excited to come, smiling as they enter, and often run down the hallway to the Music Therapy room. I like the facilitation of development to occur naturally, unstressed, and to flow ahead. However, there are times whens smiling, excited faces don’t happen, when… Read more »

Sometimes part of the process of helping a child progress is validating that they are okay right where they are presently, even though where they are may be seen by statistics, norms, or by others as below the bar.  Sometimes a child that hugs the safety of the known needs a little nudging.  Other times,… Read more »

Last week’s example of validating through music is vastly different from this week’s. Last week, validation was done at a sensory level, where that child is presently. This week’s examples are initially made at verbal, cognitive, and emotional levels, backed up and made more alive through music. In working with a group of performing teens,… Read more »

I recently read an article by Southeast Psych entitled “Verbally Validate to Help Kids Manage Their Emotions” (http://blog.southeastpsych.com/?p=5001) which made me think, “Wow, We do that on a regular basis at a very deep level, which goes beyond words in music.” If one were to make a generalized slice through the brain, and generalized it… Read more »

I have been asked a few times “Yes, but do they (my clients) carry that (progress) outside the music room?” Sometimes, especially now that I have a private practice and contracted jobs where I don’t spend a lot of time in the facility, I only see what happens in the Music Therapy room, although I… Read more »

This is a true story. As I discussed this situation, I thought immediately that I should be writing this down. I have a young adult client named TJ. I also have an old guitar in my studio. I’m not exactly sure where it came from, probably a relative whose attic needed cleaning. I took the… Read more »

Brace yourself: the floodgates of my frustration have been opened today. Last week, I talked about giving processing time: giving time, not a recent societal norm. In the area in which I reside, it appears to me that change is not only not a societal norm, but any attempt to try is met with my… Read more »

Unfortunately, without machines there is no scientific way of measuring processing, at least not that I  know of. We have to use our own human observance skills and become familiar with the signs. It is most definitely the space between the notes; unseen, unheard movement forward. It is a little bit like when you know… Read more »