Three questions came to me as I prepared to write this article. Why does healthcare need music therapy? Why does therapy need music? Why should healthcare systems invest in specialized therapists trained in utilizing the intricacies of music to improve […]
If you haven’t heard the new Taylor Swift song titled, “It’s Nice to Have a Friend,” then I recommend it. Throughout the song Swift gently reminds us that our emotions are affected by the simplicity of connection. The little ways […]
While music activities such as listening, singing, dancing, or playing instruments are often utilized by music therapists to target specific behaviors, applying music therapeutically can go beyond these traditional forms to facilitate the developmentally-appropriate right to decide. This right is […]
Recently, I provided an in-service for the physical, occupational, and speech therapists that I work with at the children’s hospital, titled, “Complementarity with Medical Music Therapy.” I explained that music therapists utilize evidence-based music interventions to reach a patient’s specific […]
The target population for this intervention are adolescents who are experiencing depression. The objective is to draw the adolescent’s attention to positive memories and the pleasant social interaction of the moment. In doing so, attention is pulled away from negative […]
Young children with cochlear implants are in the process of not only learning how to hear, but also of trusting what they hear. Therefore, even if a child hears and understands your verbal direction, he or she might just respond […]
The majority of children I treat as a music therapist have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children diagnosed with ASD often require additional therapeutic support to strengthen their communication, motor coordination, cognition, academic, and social-emotional skills. People often ask me, “does […]
Music therapy in the NICU uses evidenced-based interventions to meet the specific needs of the premature infant. Two such goal-oriented music therapy interventions used in the NICU include: Neurodevelopmental Stimulation and the Pacifier Activated Lullaby (PAL). Neurodevelopmental Stimulation (also known […]
Goal: To improve communication skills. Objectives: The child will verbalize a social greeting (e.g., “hi” or “bye”) The child will demonstrate nonverbal communication by nodding for “yes” and shaking head for “no.” The child will demonstrate expressive communication by verbalizing […]
Everything goes back to the way we define “success.” As a parent, what does “success” for your child mean to you? Each child is unique. Each child is walking, rolling, staring, smiling, or singing their way throughout his or her […]