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     Have you ever been in the middle of a presentation and lost your train of thought, gotten sidetracked by things happening around you, or gone on a lengthy tangent about something completely unrelated to the topic being presented on? First of all, welcome to the struggle bus–there’s a seat open in the back. Second, feast your eyes on the graphic below and absorb some helpful strategies and tips from the lovely people at toastmasters to help these distractions become a little less distracting. All the information below is adapted from this quick four minute video.

The distractable's Guide to giving a distractionless presetation-2.png

NFAR RaceCalling all super runners, super walkers, and super supportive sideline cheerleaders alike! If you know any superheroes who love to have a great time, learn about autism research, gather resources for parents and professionals, and support a wonderful cause be sure to talk to them about the NFAR Race For Autism. The National Foundation for Autism Research (NFAR) raises money through fundraising and donations. The foundation uses 100% of donations to support “local autism initiatives” and has detailed information on how and where to send donation on their website (linked above). I was incredibly lucky to have been able to attend the NFAR Race for Autism on April 6th as part of a resource fair educating parents and professionals about the various services provided by The Music Therapy Center of California and Banding Together. You don’t have to be an avid runner or devoted athlete to participate in this race because there’s something there for everyone. This event brings together families and individuals in the San Diego community that share the same passion for supporting Autism research. After greeting several familiar faces and meeting plenty of new ones, there were surely none that left this event without a smile. I loved being able to piece together the bigger picture of how music therapy supports those with special needs and how we can connect with organizations such as NFAR to build a stronger foundation for families to lean on. This SUPER organization realizes that “by creating a concerned and active community, we will help to ensure a brighter future for our children.” So dust off those superhero capes and break in those running shoes because you won’t want to miss this event next year!

 

 

 

-Maggie

 

 

This weekend I’ve had the pleasure of co-leading a drum circle for the Autism Tree Project Foundation’s NCL Girls Mentor Program. My co-intern, Noriah, and I facilitated various interventions involving non-verbal communication, socialization, direction following, and other attention related skills. These future female rock stars impressed me with their energy, spunk, and willingness to listen and learn from one another. The following infographic outlines the philosophy, approach, and techniques I have adopted over the past few months for leading drum circles. 

ATPF Drum Circle-4

Screen Shot 2019-04-24 at 3.16.31 PM

If you’re interested in volunteering or know anyone who would benefit from this program, visit the ATPF website at http://www.autismtreeproject.org/programs/girls-mentor-program 

Maggie

Pattern Sensory Enhancement, or PSE, is a Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) technique developed by Michael Thaut. This technique’s purpose is to elicit movement with musical cues through all elements of music (i.e. tempo, rhythm, dynamics, etc.). Those cues fall under three primary categories, spatial, temporal and force, and has a step by step procedure to follow. When done correctly, PSE can be very effective in not only engaging but driving movement and prompting full range of motion and functional motor movement.

Spatial cues are broken down into pitch, dynamics, sound duration and harmony. All of these elements indicate how the body should be moving in space in one capacity or another. If a music therapist wants to facilitate an arm swing up and down, they could use a legato scale crescendoing as the scale ascends to elicit the upward momentum of the arm and a decrescendo as the scale descends down on the release of the movement. Gravity naturally assists this lowering or downward motion of the arm meaning emphasizing the movement with rising dynamics and a connected melodic line are less of a necessity as the laws of physics state that what goes up must come down.

Temporal cues encompass tempo, meter, rhythmic pattern, and form. Matching the desired motion to these cues is important for the clarity and facilitation of the movement. For example, if a therapist’s objective is to maintain or improve lower body gross motor function in the legs, and therefore is facilitating leg lifts, using a duple meter march will depict the movement within the music. Duple meter because the natural cadence for walking goes 1. 2., 1.2. (i.e. leg goes up/down, up/down). An example of an appropriate song might be “When the Saints go Marching in”. It is in a duple meter and the downbeat is very strong and easy to pic out. The corresponding lyrics are convenient, although not necessary.

Force cues are musical elements like dynamics, harmony, and tempo. Although these elements are used as spatial and temporal cues, they can also be used to indicate where the “work” or exertion is in the movement (i.e. in the leg lift example above, lifting the leg requires more exertion to work against gravity). In other words these help to cue the points at which the muscles are either exerting or releasing energy. A dissonant chord, such as a diminished C, might be used at the moment a client needs to hold a position of tension. The chord resolving to C major would indicate the release or relaxation of the muscles.

To effectively implement PSE, it is important for the music therapist to follow these 4 steps.

    1. Demonstrate the movement with your client and set a tempo on a metronome that matches their natural cadence (i.e. If you will be marching, introduce it verbally but also demonstrate what the movement should look like.)
    2. Following the metronome, give your clients rhythmic verbal cues. (i.e. Give your verbal cues in the corresponding meter. If you have a metronome that allows for tapping in the beat, do so.)
      1. I.E. up and down, out and in
    3. Continue the verbal cues while gently bringing music in.
    4. Fade out the verbal prompts and let the music facilitate the movement.
  • Optional: add a song, but never compromise the beat!

-Noriah Uribe

 

 

*Source by Tara Harwell

        My outlook on fundraisers has usually been that they are a necessary evil. I often viewed them as the time of year when a non-profit would have to shmooze up to the rich and affluent in the hopes that they would donate enough money for the non-profit to continue to provide whatever services that may be. However, this past weekend I came to see fundraisers very differently as I had the pleasure of being a part of a fundraiser, Greatest Hits, for Banding Together, a non profit that provides music therapy opportunities to those that may not have access to it other wise. The fundraiser was held at the Belly Up, a concert venue in Solana Beach, California. It featured a live auction, donor board, wine and beer pull, as well as variety of live musical performances. The event sold out for the first time in its nine year history thanks to the support of local grammy award winning musician and avocado farmer, Jason Mraz.

        As the events of the fundraiser progressed and money was raised I noticed something. People were excited to give and be a part of Banding Together’s mission. The community atmosphere was palpable as clients participated as “hype men” (a.k.a. The ones building up the excitement in the room by cheering the event along) for those around them, cheering on donors as over $60,000 was raised to make a difference for those with special needs to experience music opportunities. Those that gave, gave generously because they believed in the cause. It was as I looked around at the excitement on everyone’s faces, those giving and those volunteering, that I noticed my previous perspective changing. Those attending the event were not there to be an ATM. Instead, they were there to stand with Banding Together and share in the mission. The Greatest Hits fundraiser was meant to showcase the individuals who benefit from the programs, why it matters, and what fruit partnering together will produce and it did so exceedingly well. I will without a doubt look back on it with the fondest of memories.

-Noriah Uribe MTI

 

jason maraz at the bellyup

Vestibular sensory processing disorder can be an everyday challenge for the out-of-sync child. Knowing what’s going on in the child’s brain and understanding signs of dysregulation can lead to more effective and efficient treatment. The Out-of-Sync Child by Carol Stock Kranowitz is a great resource for educating yourself on sensory processing disorder. The following visual outlines what the vestibular system is, what happens when it’s out-of-sync, and everyday challenges relating to vestibular sensory processing disorder.

 

Vestibular Sense

Maggie

First off, I’d like say to all my fellow music therapists, interns, students, clients, and advocates for our profession (you know who you are!)— Happy World Music Therapy Day!!!

 world mt day.png

Being in this profession, we get a lot of the same question…

“So, what is music therapy, anyway?”

I thought today would be the perfect day to answer!

Music therapy is a research-driven field that uses music interventions to target individualized, NON-musical goals. It is provided within a therapeutic relationship by someone who has completed a music therapy degree program, an extensive 6-month internship, and passed a national board-certification exam.

Now that we’ve got our definition, let’s break it down…

  1. Music therapy is evidence-based.

This means our profession is constantly progressing with new research and evidence that music works in certain ways. The rise of technology has brought about new and more efficient ways of researching, including brain imaging studies that show the power of music on the brain!

Here’s a really interesting TED talk about the impact improvisation has on the brain!

2. We work on NON-musical goals. 

Our goal isn’t to get Susie to play Hot Cross Buns on the piano. We want her to improve her finger dexterity so she can do functional things like tie her shoes. And once she’s built up those muscles, we’re going to use a song to teach her just that!

This is a very basic and generic example, but I want to place an emphasis on the fact that learning musical skills is either a by-product, or a segway to a skill that helps give clients their best possible quality of life.

More examples of music therapy goals:

  • improve impulse control
  • orientation to day and time
  • increase length of utterances/phrases
  • improve bilateral body movement
  • encourage self-regulation skills
  • teach personal information
  • increase sustained attention

3. Music therapy is provided by a credentialed professional.

The 4-letter credential we work so hard to add to our names is unique to us, and is rightfully earned after completing a degree program with internship, totaling 1,200 clinical hours (yes, 1,200), and sitting down for a comprehensive exam that confirms our competency in knowledge of music, human development, therapeutic domains, and more.

Then, every 5 years, the MT-BC must submit at least 100 Continuing Music Therapy Education (CMTE) hours. This encourages music therapists to continue growing professionally past graduation and ensures the music therapist maintains competence to provide music therapy.

So there it is. An extremely brief overview music therapy. Feel free to comment with questions or suggestions for change, share, and like!!

For even more interesting and educational information, you can visit www.musictherapy.org or www.cbmt.org.

Sources
www.musictherapy.org
www.cbmt.org

Self-care is important. Self-care is easier said than done. Self-care is prioritizing your own needs even when life’s daily demands deem them inconvenient. Self-care looks different for everyone, as everyone has different needs, strengths, and motivations. However, the following are a few resources and habits I’ve found to be helpful in my own process of prioritizing self-care. Here’s hoping these provide some insight and guidance in developing your own self-care routine and quicken the path towards finding ~inner peace~

Inner Peace

  1.     Hydrate or die-drate! 

I’m not kidding, just ask the people at mayo clinic! “Lack of water can lead to dehydration — a condition that occurs when you don’t have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.” Follow this link to find out how much water consumption is best for your body type.

   2.     Get Enough Sleep

Namast'ay in bed

I’ll be the first to admit, this one is impossibly difficult for me. I’ve never been a good sleeper; I can’t sleep when I need to and I want to sleep when I can’t. That being said, I’ve recently found meditation to be an effective tool in getting my body and mind to agree on a reasonable bedtime. There are amazing apps out there that are completely free! Some of my favorite are Breethe and Insight Timer.

   3.     Take a SMART Break

BIGOur brains are the hardest working parts of our bodies, and sometimes they just need a break! Tasks that require sustained attention and utilize our prefrontal cortex (or The Notorious P.F.C. as I like to call it) can be especially exhausting. However, going straight for our phones when we feel exhausted or overwhelmed might not help the situation as much as we’d hope it would. Check out this study by Dr. Gazzaley and Dr. Rosen explaining other ways to work healthy breaks into our daily routine. Go outside, paint a picture, hit the gym, or find something to laugh about to give yourself a smart break that will set you up for more productivity.

Happy self-caring!

Maggie

Songwriting alone is HARD, writing a song with another person is even harder, and writing a song that has structure, meaning, intention, and addresses a specific set of goals may be a scary, scary thought. If you have 2 minutes to spare this video will show you how the characters from The Office crack under the all-too-real pressure of group songwriting. In my experience, I’ve found that songwriting is one of the most intimidating techniques to incorporate into music therapy. There are so many different ways to approach songwriting which can make it a highly overwhelming concept to tackle as a music therapy intern. However, breaking this process down into steps makes it more approachable and can help the music therapist consider how they are going to structure a songwriting experiences in order to best suit the client’s needs and goals. It is also important to assess how much original content the client is able to contribute. Some clients may be able to compose their own lyrics independently, and others might require and extra level of structure and support.

In order to keep the client focused, I’ve found that using word maps and fill-in-the-blank lyric worksheets is extremely helpful. The client is still able to decide on the topic and what they want to say about it, but it makes the session more productive and ultimately makes the song more meaningful. Below is an example of a fill-in-the-blank songwriting intervention I’ve used with a client to write about the new year.

Maggie Hake, MTI © 2019-2

I’ve also enjoyed experimenting with piggyback songs because they’re a great way to keep the client engaged by using their preferred music.  Most songs can be simplified or re-written to focus on the client’s goals. For example, if the goal is to increase functional movement in lower body extremities by participating in therapist facilitated exercises such as toe taps, lyrics to client preferred songs could be changed to encourage them to tap their toes. The following is a piggyback song I wrote to be used with the NMT technique Therapeutic Instrumental Music Performance in order to address a client’s sensorimotor goal.

Screen Shot 2019-02-09 at 2.02.49 PM

  The biggest thing I’ve learned from these experiences is that every part of the songwriting process should be purposeful and reflect the function of the song. Whether the song is tackling certain emotions, social scenarios, motor movements, or articulation the song’s purpose can be reflected through each songwriting step. The following link is a useful beginner’s guide to different chord progressions and how to incorporate them with various styles of music (https://www.uberchord.com/blog/5-popular-common-guitar-chord-progressions-song-writers/). Overall, these resources and experiences have helped peel back a layer of scary and remind me of the valuable benefits of using songwriting for music therapy.

Happy songwriting!

Maggie

Sources: Angela Neve Meier, M.M., MT-BC, NMT http://www.themusictherapycenter.com/?page_id=5624

 

As a budding professional I have had very limited experience outside of the client-therapist relationship. Throughout my first three months as an intern I have been able to observe the importance of establishing positive relationships with families and caregivers. Those caring for our clients at home play an integral role to their overall success. Families of children with special needs are similar in that they too require a different level of support. As therapists we’re constantly figuring out how we can draw the circle wider and actively involve families in the overall therapeutic experience. The following are a few insights on how to incorporate families and why it is important:

  1. What’s the at-home dynamic?

Especially when working with new or less familiar clients it is important to understand where they come from and what their at-home support system is like. Asking the parents/caretakers who bring the child open ended questions can be a great way to get to know them and start to build a trusting relationship. Questions such as, “What kind of music does your child like?”, “What are some goals you have for your child?”, “Who are the members of your family/does your child have any siblings?”, “What activities do you do as a family?”, or “What are some things that your child enjoys?” can give the therapist some insight on family dynamics as well as build rapport with the client’s family.

   2.   Repeat after me: communication is key!

When in doubt, always over communicate. Parents are going to have concerns, that’s just the nature of their job. Communicating how the interventions we’re choosing are supporting the child’s goals and showing them different resources we’re able to provide can help ease those concerns. Parents are quicker to support and understand what we’re doing if they are shown how we are working towards their child’s goals and given research to show why what we’re doing works. Taking time to demonstrate the tools (e.g. books, visual, and/or videos) that are being used in their child’s music therapy sessions  to the parents in the waiting room or emailing it to them is a great way for them to see how music works with their child. Even if parents are able to hear what is going on from the waiting room, it is helpful for them to see the resources being used and how their child is responding to them. It also gives them ways to help generalize these concepts to their child’s everyday life.

   3.   You’re not an island: collaborating with the interdisciplinary team

Often times children working with a music therapist will also be in other forms of therapy such as speech, occupational therapy, or physical therapy. Communicating with the parents and/or the child’s other therapists on ways they are working to reach the child’s goals provides consistency and is more effective in helping the child reach those goals more quickly.   

A Team Approach-3

Maggie

Sources:

Kaczmarek, L. (2007). A team approach: Supporting families of children with disabilities in inclusive programs.

Tara Harwell, M.A., MT-BC, NMT  http://www.themusictherapycenter.com/?page_id=5656