Uncategorized

Jam Sessions

  The Music Therapy Center of California and Banding Together hold group music therapy sessions at four different locations during the Spring and Fall. These Jam Sessions are provided for free by Banding Together to create an inclusive group for teenagers and adults with special needs to have a safe place to play music and have fun together.

What are Jam Sessions?

Jam Sessions are a program run by Banding Together involving a music therapist, a music specialist and several volunteers and can hold from 10-20 participants. It is held at four different locations: Carlsbad, Point Loma, El Cajon, and Chula Vista. During Jam Session season there are two sessions weekly. After about 6 weeks, the Jam Sessions end at those previous locations and start up at the other locations. While Jam Sessions are out for the Summer, a program called Summer Sounds takes its place albeit at a lower capacity and different setting.

What’s different about Summer Sounds compared to Jam sessions? 

Summer Sounds takes place in a much smaller room and cannot provide the capacity that a Jam Session does. 5-8 individuals may attend Summer Sounds. It can provide more opportunities for individual clients to participate and work on social skills. It also provides an opportunity for clients to have a mini-jam session, even when Jam Sessions are not in season. 

What might a Jam Session look like?

1. Hello song (we’ll work on different ways of greeting each other) 
2. Drum circle (working on listening skills and playing instruments together)
3. Social Skills Lesson (a lesson will usually consist of a social skill we’re trying to teach with follow up questions and opportunities for engagement)
4. Guest musician (the clients have the opportunity to ask the guest musician questions and then we’ll play instruments such as shakers  along with the musician)
5. Jam time (we’ll pick a few songs and everyone can grab an instrument and we’ll all jam together.
6. Goodbye 

    Jam Sessions are a great opportunity for clients to play music, learn social skills, and have a place where they can feel included. It is also a great opportunity for volunteers to get hours, connect with their community, and get experience working with this population. It can also be an opportunity for Local Musicians to play a few songs and really bring out the Jam to Jam Session. 

If you are interested in registering you or a loved one for Jam Sessions: https://bandingtogethersd.org/what-we-do/jam-sessions/participate/

If you are interested in volunteering for Jam Sessions: 

https://bandingtogethersd.org/get-involved/volunteer/

If you are interested in being a Guest Musician for Jam Sessions: 

https://bandingtogethersd.org/get-involved/musicians/

Here’s a clip of Jam Sessions featured in the Local News! 

if you have any questions about Jam Sessions, Summer Sounds or any of the other services provided by the music therapy center of california, feel free to reach out at: https://www.themusictherapycenter.com/contact-us/

Keep Jamming, 

Rockfully,

Eric Amparo, Music Therapy Intern

Gentleness in music therapy

  According to dictionary.com, gentleness is the quality of being kind, tender, or mild mannered. Another definition given is: softness of action or effect or lightness. How is gentleness related to music therapy? This blog post will  focus on the aspects of gentleness as it relates to the field of music therapy.

  Gentleness in music therapy involves approaching your practice from many different perspectives:

  First, approach your practice from the client’s perspective. We must understand that the client may have gone through many difficult things. For example, perhaps they have had medication changes or haven’t been sleeping well recently. This can help us understand and interpret “maladaptive behaviors” (behaviors that prevent one from adapting or taking part in certain aspects of life) that we may see in our sessions. This may be frustrating, but these behaviors are responses and learned behaviors from previous experiences. When we take the perspective of our client and come in with the patience and ability to provide a safe environment for our client to learn and practice new ways of coping, it will lead to greater success and happiness in the future. This does not excuse behavior that is inappropriate or violent. This does not mean they are justified in hitting us or breaking things. It just means that when we are viewing our client from a gentler perspective, we recognize the therapeutic value of our work and incorporate it in a way that addresses our clients’ overall needs as well as their needs in the moment. During a session, this may mean ending an intervention when we see a client is dysregulated and offering them the ability to regulate whether it be through a calming song, squeezes or other preferred strategies. When we are “in the moment” with our clients  (and actively giving the client the ability to be a part of the session) we are seeing the need and meeting the need.

  Second, approach from your own perspective (as the clinician). Who else is going to look out for us? We teach our clients to advocate for themselves, shouldn’t we do the same as music therapists, interns, and students? The answer is YES! We should always advocate for ourselves. Gentleness towards ourselves looks like checking in with ourselves and being honest with how we are feeling. For example, if you work with a child who has autism and the child is dysregulated and hits you during a session, it’s important to check in with ourselves to process how we are feeling. We are all human and it can hurt when we are seemingly “punished” for trying to do something good for someone else. So when we are hit and/or feel unsafe in a session, it is okay to voice that frustration not only to ourselves but hopefully to a supervisor above us so we can work on strategies on how to help prevent feelings that may lead to resentment or burnout. If it is not possible to safely take a break, we can finish the session and debrief with the caretaker or parent after the session or right after the incident to ensure we are feeling safe. We can also create a plan to ensure that the client feels safe to communicate with us when they are dysregulated. While in the moment, our initial instincts or reaction might be to “take it personally” when there is a challenging incident in a session, but instead consider what feelings may be coming up. Following the session, these questions can be used as a guide to process: . 

• What is your body telling you? 
• What do you need to feel regulated? 
• How can you approach the situation next time? 
• How can we read the behavior of our clients? 

There’s no point in setting up proactive strategies while you are reacting in the moment. First, take care of yourself to bring yourself back down to baseline so that you can help your client to do the same – then work on proactive strategies for yourself and your client next time! If the session doesn’t go the way you planned, remember, it’s not because you’re a bad therapist – it’s because you’re a growing therapist. You are honing your skills, and even the best therapists have challenging  sessions. We are always adjusting and assessing, not only our client’s goals and objectives, but our clinical skills as well. We are imperfect and that is okay. 

  Lastly, I’d like to approach the concept of gentleness with music therapy as a profession. The profession of music therapy is a beautiful thing and if you are reading this, you no doubt have some sort of affection towards the study/field. Music therapy is an amazing therapeutic modality with many benefits and research proven techniques. That being said, music therapy is not a cure all. Additionally, compared to other professions, it is a relatively new field and the general public is still learning about the efficacy of music therapy. As a student, intern, and/or professional – we know the power that music therapy can have. We understand the unique power of music’s ability to influence the brain and processes that occur within the brain. We also understand that music therapy, even though there is much research, may not be the right approach for everyone. As a research supported profession, there is more work and study that must be done to help to complete the bigger picture. We understand that we may have to advocate for music therapy and may often get eye-rolls or be called “the music lady/guy/person”. As a professional it may be a challenge to be understood and it is natural to get annoyed or upset in these situations. We have, after all, dedicated ourselves to the pursuit of the betterment of mankind through this medium and to have it be misunderstood can be disheartening. In order to take a gentle approach, remind yourself of the good work that we do and the important impact that we make. When we do good work, we advocate for the profession by helping others “see,” experience and understand the impact on the clients we work with.  The impact of music therapy is often enhanced when it is provided in conjunction with other therapies and positive influences in our clients’ lives. Recently in an interview, I was asked, “Is music therapy the best course of treatment for dementia patients?”. My answer was that in order to meet many of the needs for a patient that most often will require a cross disciplinary treatment plan. For example, a patient in a residential home may need medication for pain and as music therapists we can provide music that will enhance comfort and pain relief as the medicine does its work. Gentleness also means implementing best practices of the time and recognizing that we are learning and growing and contributing as our profession continues to develop. 

  So be gentle. The world is hard enough. There are things we cannot control. By taking the perspective of gentleness, we can find peace inside our work. We can bring peace to our clients and to ourselves. Through that, we can better serve our community, clients, ourselves, and the music therapy profession. 

Peace, love, and gentleness,

Eric Amparo, Music Therapy Intern

Drum Circles

  When I attended ASU, we had a class called HealthRhythms that took place every Thursday from 6pm – 9pm once a week. In this class, we learned a protocol (sponsored by REMO) that taught us techniques and exercises we could use in drum circles. When I first got my class schedule, my Thursdays were packed. Yoga class started at 8:00 am and my day would end with HealthRhythms at 9pm. The day ahead always seemed a bit daunting – but no matter what, when 6 pm rolled around and we’d get to that building inTempe where HealthRhythms was I’d find myself feeling refreshed, even energized when the class was over. It was like a cup of coffee. This wasn’t ideal since I wanted to be winding down and going to bed, but it did teach me was that there was something very special about drum circles.

  During the course of that class I had fallen so much in love with drumming that I had purchased my own rope djembe and spent many hours on YouTube as well as asking my professor how I can tune it. I practiced many of the protocols we worked on in that class and still to this day find myself using these protocols in drum circles and sessions with clients during my internship. Some quick asides about the HealthRhythms protocol:

1. It takes about 2 days to become certified.

2. You do not have to be a music therapist to become certified.

3. You get a cool book with all the techniques you learned and more! 

  As professionals in the field of music therapy, HealthRhythms can offer the ability to engage with the clients in ways that can absolutely up your drum circle game. However whether you are HealthRhythms certified or not, there are so many benefits to drum circles: 

• Drumming is a form of communication. By reducing your verbal instructions and focusing on instructing and communicating through drumming you can empower your clients to work on listening and responding which can in turn create greater group cohesion and allow clients who may not be as vocal/verbal as other clients to still communicate with their peers.

• Drumming is a form of exercise and movement. When we are working with clients with sensory needs or kiddos with boundless energy, drumming can be a form of regulation. It can help output that energy into a focused activity. It can give the client an opportunity to find regulation within the rhythms. 

• Drumming is a cognitive exercise. When we are learning a new rhythm or technique, we must train our brain to learn the new concept. Our bodies will entrain to the rhythm, but we do have to mindfully practice and engage our minds to embody the new technique. 

• Drumming is grounding. When we are tired or distracted drumming can bring us back to the present moment. We can focus on entraining to the beat. We can focus on the people around us as they are drumming a pattern. We are a part of a community at that moment. We are connected. 

Drum circles are a great tool to add to your toolbelt to help out with clients and especially groups. If you are interested in the HealthRhythms protocol feel free to check out their website at: 

https://support.remo.com/hc/en-us/articles/17336510943124-HealthRhythms-Become-A-Trained-Facilitator-

I am not sponsored or affiliated with the HealthRhythms protocol and do encourage you to seek out which techniques and rhythms work best with your own personal strengths even outside of HealthRhythms. 

Pictured: My co-intern (Alec) and I co-leading a drum circle at our weekly Jam Sessions!

Be well and keep on drumming!

Music Therapy Intern

Eric 

What is Patterned Sensory Enhancement

What is Patterned Sensory Enhancement and How Do I Use It?

Patterned Sensory Enhancement (PSE) is “a technique that uses the rhythm, melodic, harmonic, and dynamic-acoustical elements of music to provide temporal, spatial, and force cues for movement which reflect functional movements of activities of daily living, or the fundamental motor patterns underlying these activities” (Thaut & Hoemberg, 2016, p. 106). PSE is a technique that is used by board certified music therapists who have completed the Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) training. Other practitioners such as occupational therapists, physical therapists, etc. can also take the NMT training to supplement their work as therapists. There are seven affiliation categories that define representation, responsibility, and the level of expertise and engagement in the advanced practice of NMT: Neurologic Music Therapist (NMT), NMT Fellow (NMT-F), NMT Allied Professional (NMTAP), NMT Allied Professional Fellow (NMTAP-F), NMT Scholar, NMT Educator, and Student. For more information on NMT and the NMT Info Sheet, click here.

It is important to understand that the music used in PSE is not meant to accompany movement, but facilitate it. The music therapist can use various elements of music to facilitate various aspects of movement. The three types of cueing are spatial, temporal, and force cues (Thaut & Hoemberg, 2016). 

Spatial cues

The “spatial aspects” of movement refer to how the body moves in space. For example, one can move their arms up and down, lift their leg and put it down, or take a step as they walk. The spatial component of movement can be cued with the elements of pitch, dynamics, sound duration, and harmony. 

Pitch

Pitch can indicate the direction in which a movement is going. When the pitch goes up or down, the movement follows. For example, one can facilitate the movement of the arms extending overhead with a chromatic or major scale that steps up and the arms moving down from overhead to the waist would be reflected in a descending scale. 

Dynamics

“There are some movements for which pitch cannot accurately cue direction, but dynamics can be more effective in facilitating the spatial aspects” (Thaut & Hoemberg, 2016, p. 109).

For example, one can spread their arms out to the side and back towards their torso. One can use dynamic contrast to facilitate this movement, such as loud dynamics when moving the arms out to the side and softer dynamics when moving them towards the torso. 

Sound Duration

In addition to pitch and dynamics, the duration of notes can be used to facilitate spatial aspects of movements. For example, if the therapist would like to help their client create fluid movements (such as arm swinging), they can use legato notes. If the therapist would like their client to make more jerky or rigid movements (such as stomping or hip flexion and extension), they can use staccato notes. 

Harmony

Harmony is another element that can be utilized in the facilitation of spatial movements. “Harmonies that are closer together give a feeling of spatially closer movements, whereas movements that are more open would be better cued by more open harmonies” (Thaut & Hoemberg, 2016, p. 110). For example, moving the arms away from and back toward the body do not go up or down, but to the side and back towards the center of the body. The musical facilitation for moving the arms out to the side can be a more open-voiced chord (notes are not that close to one another). Similarly, the musical facilitation for moving the arms back towards the body can be a closed voiced chord (notes are close to one another). For more information on open and closed voice chords, click here.

Temporal Cues

The temporal cues are perhaps the most important elements to consider when implementing PSE. “If the music does not accurately match the temporal structure of the movement, it will be difficult for the client to use any aspect of the music to facilitate the movement” (Thaut & Hoemberg, 2016, p. 111). The temporal structure of a movement can include tempo (or timing), meter, rhythmic pattern, and form. 

Tempo

The most important thing to consider before facilitating movement with music for a client is the tempo or the speed at which the client can comfortably complete the movement. Before setting the tempo, the therapist provides simple verbal cues to enable the client to understand the movement. Simple verbal cues can include “up and down” (e.g. for a bicep curl, leg lift or toe tap), “side to side” (e.g. for hip flexion/extension), or “in and out” to clearly indicate the important points in the movement and help frame the timing of the movement. It is also important to use a metronome at this point so one can identify the starting tempo for the music. A great tool for this is a metronome app with a tap function. 

Meter

In music, meter refers to regularly recurring patterns and accents such as bars and beats. Meters are commonly in two, three, four, or six. The timing of each movement has a meter. Movement such as skipping or weight shifting are typically in 6/8, whereas movements like marching or walking may be in 2/4. When performing an arc/swung pattern such as moving pelvic tilts side to side (or a seated weight shift), one can use a 3/4 time. The meter can often change depending on how fast or slow the movement is being carried out by a client. 

Rhythmic Pattern

When cueing a movement, the music therapist does not need to provide a musical cue on every beat within the measure. Within the meter, there may be a rhythmic pattern that emphasizes the movement being made. It is emphasized by the timing of the rhythmic pattern, where the beginning of one move stars can be beat 1 and the movement ends on beat  4. For example, when prompting a client to shift their weight side to side while sitting in a chair, the music therapist might provide a cue at the outer ends of the movements in 6/8 meter (when shifting to the left, there is a cue in the form of a chord on beat one and shifting to the right, another cue is provided on beat four). This helps the client to time their movement so they can match the movement to the rhythmic pattern within the meter. 

Form

Form refers to the “structure of the whole temporal pattern that is being used to cue a movement” (Thaut & Hoemberg, 2016, p. 112). Some movements may have multiple components that require different rhythmic structures. For example, when practicing leg raises, a client might need four beats to raise the leg, two beats to lower it, and two beats in rest before starting again. Form can also refer to the larger structure of a piece of music. If a therapist is facilitating two different movements in a song, they might utilize an ABA or ternary form. For example, the verse of a song might cue a client to bicep curls while the chorus might cue the client to make arm raises. 

Force/Muscular Dynamics

The final aspect of cues include muscular dynamics. A good question to consider is “Where is the work for the client when they are doing a particular movement?”. The aspects of music that influence how much force is behind a given movement include tempo, dynamics, and harmony. 

Tempo

Tempo can have a significant impact on the amount of force behind a given movement. It is important to consider the potential advantages and disadvantages of fast and slow tempos. For example, if a therapist is helping a client to stand up from a sitting position, a fast and forceful tempo may be appropriate. If the therapist is helping the client to sit down from a standing position, a slow and controlled tempo might be more appropriate to ensure the safety of the client. 

Dynamics

Dynamics can be very effective in creating a feeling of the force behind a movement. For example, a crescendo can convey a feeling of increasing muscle force in a movement, and a continuous loud dynamic may help to sustain a holding position. Likewise, a decrescendo can help to create a feeling of decreasing muscle force, and a continuous soft dynamic may convey the feeling of a resting position.  

Harmony

Tone clusters and unresolved harmonies can be very effective in creating muscular tension. “When a chord creates some tension in the harmony, it can cue the muscle to continue working until the harmony is resolved, at which point it cues the muscle to relax” (Thaut & Hoemberg, 2016, p. 113). For example, when facilitating a progressive muscle relaxation, the music therapist can play a dominant 7 chord when prompting the client to tense their muscles. Likewise, the therapist can resolve the harmony when prompting the client to release the tension. An example of this could be to use a G dominant 7 chord and a C chord when releasing the tension. 

Helpful Hints

1. Go through the movement with your client and get an idea of their optimal tempo while tapping the tempo into the metronome.
2. Using the metronome, talk the client through the movement rhythmically, using simple verbal cues such as “up and down”, “side to side”, and “forward and back” ,
3. Maintain  your verbal cues while slowly bringing the music elements in. Keep the music simple to begin with, and then gradually layer the music in order to cue the spatial, temporal, and force cues.
4. Fade out your verbal cues and let the music facilitate the movement.

Adaptations for working with individuals with cognitive disabilities/delays

1. Model the movements as clearly and simply as possible. Sometimes, gestural prompts are more effective than verbal prompts.
2. Use client preferred music. A client might be much more motivated to perform an exercise when the exercise is timed with their favorite song.
3. Consider using visuals to help facilitate the movement. One might use visuals with commands in the form of words or a picture of someone performing the movement if verbal processing is difficult for the client.

Reference

Thaut, M., & Hömberg, V. (2016). Handbook of Neurologic Music therapy. Oxford University Press. 

Written by Alec Johnson, Music Therapy Intern

Self-care for Music Therapists: 

According to the World health organization: 

“Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

• feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
• increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and
• reduced professional efficacy.

A lot of these terms are thrown around and it’s easy to look at “burn-out” and “self-care” as these concepts that exist in a vacuum. But we are students, interns, and professionals in music therapy- who take our job or profession (avocation) as our livelihood and as a way to share our talents and skills with other people. When burn out occurs it can often feel like the thing we care about has turned against us. How can we prevent ourselves from falling deeper into the rabbit hole? The answer may be self-care. I do want to preface this blog post by stating that self-care is not a panacea for burnout or other problems in our lives (they may exist on a fundamentally systematic level), but what it does is provide a safe environment for us to refresh and take care of ourselves in areas that we may have ignored in the meantime. Usually self-care will be effective when you find yourself in a situation where you have not allowed yourself to prioritize your wants and needs and so through an almost learned helplessness, the quality of your life takes a toll. It can also be said that if you are already prioritizing your needs and listening to what your body is telling you (already practicing self-care) you are less likely to fall into burnout. 

As music therapists, interns, and students we experience a variety of different populations (who all have different needs) and methods (which all require different skills and attention) through which we enact music therapy. Because of this, sometimes work can bleed over into our personal time and sometimes it is hard to detach ourselves from the difficulties we may have faced throughout the day. There may be thoughts about how self-care should be a “treat yourself” type activity as seen in Parks and Recreation. 

Treat Yo Self | Parks and Recreation

While others might say that self-care isn’t about that at all, it’s about eating healthy and going for a walk. I feel like the answer may be more nuanced than that. It could be one of these things or all of them. The important thing to remember is that if the reason why you’re feeling burnt out is because you haven’t been taking care of yourself, then it is important to evaluate how you can support yourself in the ways you need.

During our self-care symposium (which is a time during the week where we get together to learn about a topic related to music therapy), we were given a sheet of paper to fill in the ways we might practice self-care within certain aspects of our life. I’ll go through each aspect and give an example and if it helps, I invite you to do the same. The template can be found here: http://au.professionals.reachout.com/developing-a-self-care-plan if you’d like to do one for yourself! 

Physical: Tune in with your body. Are you hungry? Thirsty? Sometimes when we are hungry it can affect our mood and the way we interact with our clients and/or coworkers. Studies have shown that even a small amount of dehydration can affect brain functionality (Zhang Et. Al 2019). What are some things that would help you feel better? You could eat something healthy if your body is feeling tired or sore. Or you could eat something that tastes good to take care of your emotional health. Remember that tuning in with your body and being aware of what you need will help you honor feelings you may have been having difficulty with in the moment. During internship it can be hard to get a moment to slow down long enough to even grab a bite to eat. But it is important to tune in and see what your body needs. A lot of these self-care activities may also overlap with each other. It’s also good to remember that doing an activity like going for a walk may also help with other aspects such as your emotional health. 

A musical option is drumming: Go to a hand drum class, local drum circle or sit down at a drum set. Moving your body can help you regulate and expend restless or tired energy. 

Psychological: We  can often carry a lot of stress and worry with us in our lives without even being aware of it. Both good and bad things from personal events to work projects can often bleed into our lives if we are unable to create healthy boundaries. Going to therapy is a great way to practice self-care for your psychological health. Another option is journaling. Journaling can be a great way to reflect upon stressful things in your life in a safe environment. It could be possible that looking back at events can help you prepare yourself for future events. Another option is to practice mindfulness: By grounding yourself in the present moment – you allow yourself to just exist. It’s not that your worries will go away, but it can sometimes create that perspective shift you need to find equilibrium in yourself again. One of my favorite mindfulness exercises is chocolate meditation (or if you have another favorite sweet or food – any food can work but foods that melt are especially helpful for this one). 

Try it out! 

Link to chocolate meditation: 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mindfulness-in-frantic-world/201109/the-chocolate-meditation (Penman, D 2011). 

Musically you can write a song or after tuning in with how you are feeling, play a song that matches your mood at the time. By doing this, you are honoring your thoughts and emotions and giving yourself the space and time to feel them. 

Emotion: There is a bit of overlap between the psychological and emotional states of self-care, however I will say that tuning in with your emotions is an important practice. When you let your emotions go unfelt or unacknowledged, you may find yourself feeling resentful or mad and acting out without even realizing it. Somatic emotion or emotions existing as physical sensations can be an effective way to help us “tune in” to our emotions. When we are taught about emotions, often it can just be from a place of outward appearances: a smile means someone is happy, crying means someone is sad. But to really understand our own emotions, we must tune in to how our body is feeling. We may feel or carry sadness as pressure in our chest or anxiousness as tension in our shoulders. We may feel happiness in our arms or anger in our tightened fists. By tuning in and reacting with an activity such as getting a massage or engaging in  breathwork, this will allow yourself to acknowledge and cope with your feelings. 

Musically, you can sing/play a song you really enjoy or again play a song that matches your feelings at the time. 

Spiritual: Spirituality may look different from person to person based on their experiences and what kind of spirituality they grew up with. If you’ve found yourself not having the time to engage in it – give yourself the opportunity to again or perhaps look at it from a different perspective. How is your spirituality addressing your current needs? This could look like going to a service, meditating, or journaling. It could look like having a discussion with your friends or family about it. Spirituality is a means of helping us feel connected – if you are feeling disconnected, sometimes tapping into that can realign ourselves when we are feeling dysregulated. 

Musically, you could engage in music at a service or sing spiritual songs at home in the shower or when you drive that help you tune in with your spirituality. 

Relationships: Are there relationships with others that we may have been ignoring or avoiding due to work? Consider your interaction style as well as the way that you feel refreshed. Are you an introvert (someone who feels refreshed after being alone or with people they feel comfortable around)? Are you an extrovert (someone who feels refreshed after spending time out socializing and can be around and meet new people)? Are you somewhere in between (ambivert)? Considering which of these we are can help us seek out the interaction that refreshes us and fills our cup when we are feeling like we’re running on empty. Relationships are foundational to us as human beings. Send that friend or family member a message. Write a letter. Go get coffee with a friend. Have a board game night. Interacting with people we care about unrelated to our work can help us refocus and recenter our minds. 

Musically, you could ask a couple friends to jam with you or start a playlist with a couple friends. 

Workplace: Practicing self-care in the workplace is very important to prevent and heal burnout. Consider your workflow, are you giving yourself an adequate break in between work sessions to breathe? Perhaps you can set a timer for yourself for two minutes or take a quick walk outside to reset your brain. Check in with yourself, how are you feeling? Write a to-do list. At our company’s annual retreat, the theme was “slowing down to speed up.” This involved self-reflection and checking in with ourselves to see where we were at the current moment. It also involved celebrating the successes we experienced throughout the year. We also reflected on our strengths and what we brought to the team. Mostly, slowing down puts things into perspective and allows us to approach a possibly difficult or overwhelming task with grace and tact. We are not always the most efficient as human beings, but with compassion and understanding, we can be very effective at the things we want to achieve. 

Musically: Go to Karaoke with your coworkers (if people are available and it’s a typical thing that happens in the office). Or even take a break to talk about your coworkers’ interest in music (Favorite singers/band? Favorite songs?)

To review: These are the aspects of self-care we looked at today. But that doesn’t mean these are the only possible sectors of our lives we can practice self-care in. They are a good starting point for reflection.

• Physical
• Psychological
• Emotional
• Relationship
• Workplace 

I feel the most important thing to remember is to be kind with yourself through this process. There are many reasons why we become burnt out or start to feel the effects of exhaustion, however working back through it starts with tuning in to our needs and allowing ourselves the time and space to honor those feelings.

Take care of yourselves

Treat yourself 

And move forward with kindness.

Best,

Eric Amparo, Music Therapy Intern

Sources:

 Developing a self care plan .    

 http://au.professionals.reachout.com/developing-a-self-care-plan 

Penman, D. (2011, September 11). Retrieved August 10, 2023, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mindfulness-in-frantic-world/201109/the-chocolate-meditation. 

Treat Yo self. YouTube. (2018). YouTube. Retrieved July 27, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSjM5B3QNlw. 

World Health Organization. (n.d.). Burn-out an “Occupational phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases 

Zhang N, Du SM, Zhang JF, Ma GS. Effects of Dehydration and Rehydration on Cognitive Performance and Mood among Male College Students in Cangzhou, China: A Self-Controlled Trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 May 29;16(11):1891. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16111891. PMID: 31146326; PMCID: PMC6603652.

Sensory Processing Disorder

What is Sensory Processing?

Sensory processing refers to the brain’s ability to receive, organize, and process information from the environment. This is fundamental to our ability to effectively respond to and navigate the world around us. Sensory processing is a complex process that involves many different aspects of brian function, and sometimes individuals can have difficulties in sensory processing. 

This is called Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). SPD is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how the brain processes and responds to sensory stimuli. Individuals with SPD can have atypical responses to sensory information, which can make it difficult to respond to the sensory information appropriately or function effectively. 

Here are various types of SPD: 

• Sensory Modulation Disorder (SMD): This type of SPD can lead to difficulties in sensory responses. Subtypes of SMD include sensory-oversensitivity, sensory under-sensitivity, and sensory seeking. For example, some individuals with autism spectrum disorder can be very sensitive to sound, light, and touch. Sensory over-sensitivity can be very overwhelming with individuals with SMD. 

• Sensory Discrimination Disorder (SDD): Individuals with SDD can have difficulties distinguishing between different types of senses (sound, touch, vision, etc.). They might also have difficulty understanding what a sensation means. For example, they may have difficulty distinguishing the difference between various textures on their skin. This can make it difficult to function effectively, because they have trouble choosing clothing or identifying objects. 

• Sensory-Based Motor Disorder (SBMD): SBMD is a condition that affects motor coordination and planning. Subtypes of this condition include Postural disorder (when posture diverges from normal alignment) and dyspraxia (difficulty in coordinating movements). Individuals with SBMD may exhibit awkward movements and have difficulties in motor activities such as catching a ball or handling a utensil. 

How Does Sensory Processing Work?

Sensory processing is a complex process that involves a multistep and parallel processes in the brain. In other words, many different parts of the brain work together to process sensory information, and these parts of the brain constantly talk with one another to manage the sensory processing. Here is a basic overview of the chain of sensory processing:

• Sensory receptors: The human body has specialized receptors located throughout the body that pick up information for each sense. For example, the eyes take in light, the ears pick up sound waves, the skin feels touch in touch, etc. 
• Sensory Input: Each one of these sensory receptors convert the sensory stimuli into electrical signals and shuttle them off to the brain for processing. 
• Sensory interpretation and integration: Once the sensory information reaches the brain, it is registered, processed and interpreted. At this stage, the brain is making sense of the sensory stimuli and integrating it with the information collected from other sensory receptors to make a unified picture of the world around us. 
• Behavioral Response: Once the information is registered and interpreted, the brain will generate an appropriate response. For example, if one touches a hot surface, the touch receptors on the skin send the signal to the brain. In turn, the brain will respond by taking the hand away. 

This is a simplification of a very complex process. Any issue along this chain of processing can result in SPD. SPD is diagnosed by healthcare professionals who specialize in sensory processing disorders. The diagnostic process may involve a multidisciplinary team that includes occupational therapists, pediatricians, neurologists, developmental pediatricians, and clinical psychologists. Referring to a report from those professionals or collaborating/consulting with the team might provide insight and help you to best serve your client with SPD. If a client has SPD, it is important to identify what the client has difficulty with in order to address the issue and provide therapeutic intervention. To help identify the specific needs of your client, you can find a checklist on chapter one of “The Out-of-Sync Child” by Carol Stock. 

Application to Music Therapy

There are many ways SPD can manifest, and there are many possible strategies to address the issues. In the case of music therapy, Here is an example of how SPD might be addressed through a narrative explanation.

Client A walks into the session smiling and laughing. One might automatically assume that they are happy and excited. However, smiling and laughing may also indicate  sensory overstimulation (a sign of SMD), and the client might need help regulating himself. 

Here are a couple of strategies that might help the client regulate their sensory system. 

Movement and Music Therapy for SMD

Sometimes, a client can regulate themselves through movement. This can be done by jumping on a trampoline, bouncing on a bouncy ball, or dancing. There is no simple answer to this, as each individual is different and may require different strategies. Let’s take the bouncy ball for example. The music therapist might prompt the client to bounce on the ball. One can incorporate music by utilizing the ISO principle (matching the clients psycho-emotional state and movement with musical stimuli) by playing music to the tempo of their bouncing at volumes and timbres that match the client’s energy level. The music therapists can allow the client to bounce while gradually modulating the energy level of the music to help the client to calm down and settle into a regulated state. However, it is important to be aware if the client becomes overstimulated. Watch out for signs of overstimulation such as hysterical laughing and smiling. Songs for such interventions would be chosen from a few different considerations, such as the client’s preferred music. A couple song choices I have used in these situations are “Three Little Birds”, “You Are My Sunshine”, “Row Row Row Your Boat”, “The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers” (for bouncing), and “Jump” (for jumping). 

Signs of overstimulation might include:

• Excited or nervous laughter
• Pupil dilation
• Headache
• Disorganized movement
• Crying
• Saying “Stop” or “no”
• Dizziness, nausea, vomiting 

Source

Astronaut Training: A Sound Activated Vestibular-Visual Protocol: For Moving Looking & Listening

In conclusion, SPD is a condition that can affect individuals of many different diagnoses. We can learn to more effectively help our clients when we understand the basics of sensory processing, the nature of sensory processing disorders, and learn to apply music therapy interventions to help ameliorate clients’ needs. 

Written by Alec Johnson, Music Therapy Intern

Beginning Guitar Tips for Music Therapy Students

A Basic Guide to Navigating the Fretboard

Guitar is arguably one of the most useful instruments in music therapy because of its versatility and mobility. With the guitar, one can provide rhythmic/melodic/harmonic accompaniment while walking or sitting. This is different from the piano in the way that you don’t have to be stationary while playing the instrument. Here, I will provide a guide to learn and practice this beautiful instrument.

Finger Form

It is essential to consider physical form when learning the guitar. Developing proper form is what will allow you to play guitar with grace and prowess. Here are a couple of things to consider:

• Check your posture: When picking up the guitar, check your posture. An upright and relaxed posture is something that will help to make it easier to place the fingers and switch chords properly. Form is important to consider because improper form might lead to injuries down the road, such as tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome. Music therapists might also find themselves in awkward positions when working with clients to meet their needs in the moment such as crouching with a hospice patient or hunching over to be at eye level with a child with special needs. 
• Play with your fingertips: When placing fingers, make sure to have the tips of your fingers straight down on the strings. Flat or collapsed fingers are bad form because it will mute strings and make it harder to transition between chords
• Finger Transition exercise: When transitioning between chords, make sure to move the fingers in a slow and deliberate manner. Moving deliberately will help your brain to make the connections with the motor system needed to transition smoothly between chords with greater speed and accuracy. Take this transition exercise for example: 

Spotlight of Attention

• Play between C and A minor chords. 
• When changing chords, place a spotlight of attention on one finger at a time (while still moving all fingers). 
• Pay particular attention to the touch sense and motor movement in each finger. By placing attention on one finger at a time, your brain can establish the required movements, eventually building the connections in your brain needed to make skillful movements. 

This progression from C to A minor is an easy one because you only need to move one finger to make each chord. It is still helpful to place the spotlight of attention on each finger at a time while changing chords. You can do this with any chord progression, and with time you will build a strong foundation with which you can play through any chord progression like an expert. 

• Embrace mistakes: Mistakes are a good thing! When we make mistakes, the brain can recognize the error and recalibrate the movements needed to successfully play the note or chord. If you’re making mistakes, know that you are making progress. It is important to be careful, though, not to solidify mistakes into habits. 
• Play with eyes closed: Have you ever wondered how some guitarists are able to play without looking, and even talking? This is because they have the fine motor movements so well ingrained in their brain and fingers  that they don’t need to think so hard about it anymore. You can do this too (with time, focus, and consistent practice)! The first step is to fade your visual input. This is a great way to develop your tactile (touch) and proprioceptive (your sense of body in space) senses, which is a foundational skill those masterful guitarists have. Here is an exercise:

Look With Your Body

• Let’s take this classic progression for example: C G A- F
• Practice the progression while looking with your eyes
• Once you feel confident (able to finger the chords accurately and swiftly with eyes closed) with playing the progression, try looking away, only looking when you get lost (remember, embrace mistakes!)
• Once you get good at playing while looking away, try playing with your eyes closed. When you make a mistake, try feeling your way with your fingers before looking to correct yourself
• Once you get good at playing with your eyes closed, try talking while playing the progression. This can be random words or gibberish, it doesn’t matter. If you have trouble with this, try speaking in rhythm with the chord changes, then gradually speak out of rhythm as you get more comfortable
• Next, try having a conversation with someone as you play the progression. This is the most challenging task, as it requires you to divide your attention between both the conversation and the guitar. If you have practiced the previous steps sufficiently, you should be able to do it with some practice

When doing music therapy sessions, you will often need to focus your attention on a myriad of things. This exercise will help you to gain independence from your guitar so you can play while devoting your attention to your client. The client is the main focus in music therapy. This practice will help you to develop your guitar skills enough so you can maintain your attention on the client.

In conclusion, like many instruments, the guitar can be a tricky instrument to learn. However, you can reach proficiency with time, effort, and focus. This doesn’t mean you need to practice eight hours a day, though. You can make tremendous progress with moderate and consistent practice. I recommend focusing on one small thing each day. This way, you can achieve a realistic and measurable objective. If you do this everyday, you can make a lot of progress over a week, month, and year. 

Written by Alec Johnson, Music Therapy Intern

Tips for Music Therapy Interns

Internship is a very exciting time for music therapy students. You get immersed in real-life situations where you get a chance to apply all the things you learned in school. It can be exciting, scary, and heartwarming all at the same time. Here are some valuable things I have learned as an intern and by sharing them I hope that it will help you be prepared and get the most out of your internship.

Go easy on yourself and do your best

You are here to learn. Remember that you will not be perfect when you first start, and that is okay. Making mistakes, stumbling through sessions, or struggling to understand certain concepts is all part of the process. This does not mean you shouldn’t try your best though. 

Thoroughly researching the populations you work with, brainstorming interventions, and asking for feedback from your peers and supervisors will help you to develop your skills as a budding music therapist. 

Another important thing to keep in mind is that session planning is really important. 

It is good to schedule a good chunk of time for session planning and preparation. This includes writing out your session plans and preparing any prompting aids such as visuals. It is also wise to come prepared to sessions ten to fifteen minutes early, as there may be unexpected issues to resolve. 

Seek feedback and constructive criticism

It can sometimes be rather uncomfortable to take feedback, especially when there are a lot of things to improve. However, as stated above, you are not expected to be perfect. Taking constructive criticism with a humble and sincere ear will help you to improve and save you lots of difficulty down the road when you are a professional. 

After every session, make a habit to ask for feedback. Make it clear that you are happy to hear about things you can improve. This will help your supervisor know that they are invited to provide constructive criticism, and you agree to take it in stride so you can grow into the best music therapist you can be. As for applying the feedback, make notes of everything and review the points in future session planning and preparation. 

Confronting your shortcomings is important, and it is also equally important to foster your strengths. Make a habit to ask about things that you did well, or aspects of your work where your supervisor sees potential. 

Throughout your internship, you will have regular supervision meetings. Take advantage of this time! Here, you have the opportunity to glean insight from the experience your supervisor has accumulated. Come prepared with educated questions and a willingness to explore the places they lead you to.

Communication is key

Communication is an essential skill in any profession. A helpful tip regarding communication is that overkill is better than negligence. Always make sure to communicate through multiple methods. For example, when sending a report to a teammate, it doesn’t hurt to send a text along with it to make sure that they received the message.

When you are communicating verbally in a meeting, it is a good habit to take notes and email the notes with whoever you met afterwards. This will help to reinforce the information for yourself, and to make sure you and the person you met with are on the same page. 

Another thing to remember is that disagreements are inevitable. If there is a disagreement, make sure to be humble and practice cordial communication. Always remain calm, as there is a chance that there was a misunderstanding. Making a habit to admit when you’re wrong and to take responsibility for yourself will go a long way for developing your character and building healthy relationships with others. 

Be patient

You’re not going to become a master in a day. To become a competent music therapist takes time. Striving and struggling to better yourself everyday should be balanced by a loving sense of self-regard. Remember to be patient with yourself as you show up everyday and do the work. 

This also applies to your clients/patients and in some cases, their parents or caregiver. Whether you are facilitating education or rehabilitation, know that they will not improve overnight. The therapeutic process is a journey that you embark on with your client/patient. 

Take care of yourself

Anything worthwhile will not be easy to achieve. Taking time to clean your living space, organize your things, get some exercise, and eat healthy food will make your life so much easier when you are going through the day-to-day grind of internship. Equip yourself with coping strategies that will help to handle stress when it inevitably comes your way. Practice breathing, walk in nature, build healthy relationships, watch inspiring movies, and take time to enjoy hobbies that bring you a sense of peace. These small aspects of our life can make a big impact in our work lives. For example, if you don’t maintain a proper sleep schedule, it might be more difficult to be present with and serve your clients.  

Cultivate yourself

Developing your skills as a musician and clinician is very important. The more capable you are, the more you can serve your community. The skillset of a music therapist encompasses a vast range of skills. Here are a couple subjects to consider:

• Music theory/ear training 

Music theory and ear training are coupled in this point because they are virtually inseparable. These are very useful things to know as a music therapist. Understanding music theory means that you can navigate music with ease because you understand the patterns. This means that you can learn music more easily and can improvise with greater fluency. For example, you might start playing a song in a certain key, and find that it is too high or low for the client. Being able to seamlessly transpose a song is a very useful skill in the treatment setting. 

A good habit to form is to look up the chords from your list of repertoire songs every day. An even better exercise is to feel through the song with your ear and look up the chords after. This will help to develop your instrumental, ear training, and music theory skills through a regular and quick activity. 

• Instrumentation

Music therapists are trained in guitar, drums, piano, and vocals because they typically use each of these every day. This can be overwhelming, although it doesn’t have to be. Give yourself a SMART goal for the day. Focus on one instrument at a time, and devote a short time to practice a small thing in that instrument. For example, if you choose to focus on guitar today, a SMART goal might be to practice transitioning from the C chord to A minor chord for 10 minutes. While it might not feel like you’ve made  tremendous progress, it will surely accumulate as days go by. This is much more effective than exhausting yourself by spinning your wheels trying to learn everything at once and getting nothing done. 

• Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence refers to one’s ability to understand one’s own emotions and to recognize and empathize with the emotions of others. This is a very useful skill when working with clients/patients. When you are more emotionally in touch with the people around you, you are better able to navigate any situation and help people to learn or rehabilitate themselves. Here is an article for more information on emotional intelligence. 

In conclusion, your internship is an exciting time where you get an opportunity to develop yourself as a person and future music therapist. You don’t have to be perfect, and simply showing up every day is a big step in the right direction. Be humble, tenacious, patient, and strive to improve everyday. Know that if you feel intimidated or nervous, that is exactly where you should be. We can only grow when we journey outside of our current zone of knowledge and competence. The process of growth involves a little bit of discomfort and uncertainty, but it is always a worthwhile venture.

Finally, remember to stop and take the time to appreciate the moment and people around you. In hindsight, this time will pass quickly and you will likely be left with fond memories of the experiences and people you interacted with. 

Enjoy the journey!

Written by Alec Johnson, Music Therapy Intern

Self-Care Practice for Music Therapists

Music therapists have very demanding jobs. No matter what population a music therapist works with, it requires tremendous mental, emotional, and physical energy. This is why it is very important for one to make sure they are taking care of themselves. Here is an exercise that may help to relax your body after a long day’s work or provide a mental reset during your day.

The following exercise is adapted from Eckhart Tolle’s exercise he calls “Inhabiting the Body”. It is meant to help you practice sensory awareness which may help you to relax and be more in touch with your body. This exercise will focus on the touch or tactile sense. This exercise can ground your thoughts and body in the present space. We’re going to use the analogy of light to help guide our awareness to various parts of our body. This can help to maintain attention to the tactile awareness. You can find a guided practice here.

Set up:

• Get comfortable. You can stand, sit, or lie down for this exercise
• You can have your eyes open or closed, although closed eyes are recommended so you can focus on the tactile sense

Sensory Awareness Script:

• Imagine that your attention is a spotlight. Where your attention goes, the spotlight follows
• As the light passes through each part of the body, imagine it warming each part and helping to release any tension each part might be holding
• Place your spotlight on the bottom of your feet, simply feeling the touch of skin in your shoes, on the floor, or carpet. What does it feel like?
• Now, while keeping the light on your feet, expand the light up to your ankle
• As the light passes through each body part, take note of any tension that might be held in each area
• Slowly spread the light to the knees, to the hips, to the chest
• If you have thoughts going through your mind, that is totally okay. Simply let them pass without judgment and continue holding your attention to the body parts we have placed the light in
• Slowly expand the spotlight to your shoulders, to your elbows, to your hands
• Slowly expand up to your neck to the top of your head
• Now the entire body is filled up with the light. Take note of your sensory experience. What sensations do you feel? Are you experiencing any pain? Tension? Stiffness?
• Whether the sensations are considered “good” or “bad”, simply be aware of it without placing judgment. 
• Wiggle your fingers and toes and come back whenever you are ready

This is a very simple exercise, although it can be very effective in helping you in your selfcare journey. Please note that this is not medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional if you have persistent anxiety or concerns about your health. 

Written by Alec Johnson, Music Therapy Intern

Intersections of Music Performance and Music Therapy

Musical performance is an artistic expression and aesthetic experience for an audience, whereas music therapy is a clinical modality to help develop or rehabilitate speech/language, cognition, motor functions, etc. There are many skill sets one must have to function effectively in both professions, and some of these skill sets intersect. Here, we will lay out a few of these skills and reflect on how they relate to both professions. 

Technical Proficiency

Performance: Technical proficiency in a performer’s respective instrument allows a performer to play their instrument with excellence and grace. Without technical proficiency, a musician is less able to provide a compelling performance to their audience. Technical performance is not enough to be an effective performer, although it is a foundational skill. For example, if a singer asks a performer to play a song in a different key, the performer must be able to transpose on the spot. This requires an understanding of music theory and the ability to play the chord progression in any key.

Music Therapist: As with performance, technical proficiency is a crucial skill for music therapists, although not the only skill. A key difference here is that a music therapist needs to have a well-rounded understanding of more than one instrument. Music therapists need to be technically proficient in guitar, piano, drums, and percussion because they will be working with many different people in a myriad of settings. The primary focus of music therapy work is on the client’s non-musical needs (speech, cognition, social skills, etc). These needs can be addressed through an intelligently designed clinical intervention that involves structured musical activity. This requires the music therapist to have at least a basic understanding of many different instruments. Technical proficiency in instrumentation is a foundational skill in music therapy because they need to focus their attention on the client/patient. This requires technical proficiency to be second nature. For example, when working with a client in a hospice setting, a music therapist must be able to play a preferred song while constantly assessing the emotional expression and affect of the client. If a music therapist is unable to play chords on the guitar without looking at the fretboard, they might not be able to observe the expressions of the client and adjust accordingly. In this situation, technical proficiency is a crucial skill for providing effective music therapy interventions. 

Emotional Intelligence and Storytelling

Performance: Emotional intelligence refers to one’s ability to understand and navigate one’s own emotions, as well as recognizing and empathizing the emotions of others. A major part of what can make a musical performance so compelling is the performer’s capacity for emotional articulation through musical expression. This requires the performer to be keenly aware of their own emotions. This also helps the performer to convey emotions in an intentional manner. Proficient emotional expression (through the way lyrics are sung and through the non-verbal expression in the instrumentation) is one essential component in the art of storytelling which is the skill of conveying information in an engaging manner. Musicians can convey musical information in an engaging manner by expressing various emotions and situations in musical representation. Proficient emotional expression is one essential component in the art of storytelling, which is the skill of conveying information in an engaging manner. Musicians can convey musical information in an engaging manner by expressing various emotions and situations in musical representation. For example, one can use musical elements such as melody, harmony, timbre to convey information. An effective storyteller is able to capture the imagination, emotions, and attention of the audience by using musical elements (rhythm, harmony, melody, etc.) to convey emotion and information. Again, emotion can be expressed both verbally (through delivery of lyrics) or non-verbally (through instrumentation). In addition, the listener can also interpret the music in their own way. The performer doesn’t necessarily have to be aware of the emotional response of the listener.

Music Therapist: Emotional intelligence and expression is a fundamental skill for music therapists. Recognizing and empathizing the emotions of others can be considered an important skill for any social engagement, although it is especially crucial for the therapeutic setting. For example, let’s say a music therapist is conducting an intervention designed to help an individual in a mental health in-patient clinic to make sense of and express their emotional experience. To be aware of the client’s emotional response to the music is crucial so the therapist can recognize the emotional response and help the client to process the experience. 

Another example is in hospice care. If a music therapist is playing a patient-preferred song and notices an emotional response in the patient, the music therapist can take this as an opportunity to help the patient process the experience. If the music therapist is unable to recognize the emotional response, then they are unable to help the patient process it. 

Oftentimes, music therapists work with individuals or groups who are emotionally distressed or need help processing difficult emotional experiences. This requires the ability to manage their own emotions as well as help others to do the same. 

Storytelling is also a useful skill as a music therapist, although the storytelling is meant to provide informative instruction or to teach a functional skill. For example, when working with a child with autism who has social skills deficits, the therapist  may sing or write a song about what it means to have a conversation and how to initiate/maintain a conversation. The act of writing the steps out of the steps or the skills needed is called a social story. The addition of music creates a social song story. 

Repertoire

Performance: Performers benefit greatly from having an extensive repertoire of songs that span a wide range of styles and genres. Some performers are in a specific niche such as jazz, classical, rock, etc. So, they may only need to focus on the repertoire within their genre/style. Of course, it is helpful to have a vast repertoire that spans across many genres and eras, as patrons often make requests for songs. If they are performing in set program, they only need to know the repertoire that is needed for the program.

Music Therapist: Having an extensive repertoire is important for music therapists. One key difference between music therapists and performers is that music therapists must know a wide range of genres and styles that is tailored toward each client/population they work with. This is a necessary skill because the music is administered as a clinical treatment and the music must be formed and delivered in a manner that addresses the therapeutic goals and objectives. Providing client-preferred music is very important, as it can help to relate with the client. For example, when working with a elderly individual in hospice, it is most appropriate to provide music from their era (music they listened to when they were younger (e.g. teens through early 20’s). A child might enjoy music from Disney movies. It is important to tailor the repertoire to the music that the client prefers and is motivated by.

Below is a table of how various musical elements are used in performance vs music therapy sessions. 

In conclusion, the skill sets of performance and music therapy intersect in many ways. It might be accurate to note that the skills required to be an effective performer are fundamental to the skillset of a music therapist, although performance skills alone do not suffice for being an effective music therapist. The goals for a music therapist involve clinical outcomes, whereas a performer’s goals involve goals related to entertainment. This requires a different mindset. 

Written by Alec Johnson, Music Therapy Intern