Kalani

Music Therapy at Tierra Del Sol

kalani — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:15:56 +0000

We are so lucky to be able to work as music therapists at the Tierra Del Sol Foundation in Sunland. The Administration and Staff are all fantastic and they ‘get it’ when it comes to music therapy. They see the difference it makes in the clients (and the staff) and support the program 100%. Tierra Del Sol is an adult daycare facility for persons with Developmental Disabilities. Visit their website and get involved!

We recently worked with Tierra Del Sol to produce this short video about the music therapy program.
We hope you enjoy it! Be sure to LIKE and SHARE.

Visit the Golden State Music Therapy website.

Drumming for Therapeutic Outcomes

kalani — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 05:35:22 +0000

There’s been a lot of talk about the health benefits of drumming. From studies in group drumming as a social tool to the science of brain rhythms, drumming has caught the eye of many who work in (or want to work in) health care settings.

This article looks at some of the current trends and applications and will help you filter through some of the information, and misinformation, that you might run into.

We’re going to look at three very small, yet important, words to help us understand how drumming (music) is being used in healthcare settings. The words are: WITH, IN, and AS.

WITH

Drumming can be used “with” just about any population, from children to older adults. When use ‘with’ a specific population, the drumming is usually part of a recreational program. The approach to drumming can take the form of: a drum circle (improvisation with social goals), a musical jam (improvisation with musical goals), a drum class (music lessons), or a performance (music presentation for an audience). What’s important to note, is that the drumming is an activity that is being offered to the group as a recreational experience, for fun. Drumming can be done WITH just about anyone. Even if the population has special needs, the drumming is still recreational, just as if the same people went bowling or to the movies.

What you need to know about “WITH”

Just because people have special needs, does not mean that everything that someone does with them is a form of therapy. Someone who provides a drumming experience for persons with autism, for example, is providing a drumming experience, not therapy, unless they are themselves a therapist and the music is an integral part of their program (We’ll get to this in a moment). Drumming with any population does, however, often require specific knowledge of that population in order to provide quality service and avoid possible negative effects, such as reactions to loud noises, for example. WITH and FOR can be used interchangeably. You can also provide a recreational drumming experience FOR just about any population.

IN

Drumming can be used ‘in” all types of programs. People who are already in a therapy program, weather ongoing or temporarily, can often benefit from group music making and other forms of creative expression. In fact, music and art have a long history of being use in programs aimed at providing some form of therapy. In this case, the drumming is used to complement other components of the program. The program itself is often designed and run by a therapist or other healthcare professional. When used ‘IN’ a program, the drumming experience may still be recreational, but it is chosen for a reason, such as to help participants get to know one another, to help people bond, or to help them find a way to express themselves without words. The healthcare professional uses the drumming in the program, as one of many components, to help his/her clients reach their goals.

What you need to know about “IN”

Similarly to “WITH,” drumming done “IN” a program is also not itself a form of therapy. It may still take the form of any number of drumming types (drum circles, jams, classes, performance groups, etc.) and be mostly recreational in nature. The difference between “WITH” and “IN” is that in the case of “IN.”, the drumming experience is used, for a reason, as part of a treatment program. The person running the program does not need to be specially trained in music, but they are usually trained in some healthcare profession.

AS

Drumming can be used as a type of therapy. When any or all of the many aspects and components of drumming (techniques, rhythms, cultural components, sounds, etc.) are specifically and purposefully incorporated into a treatment program to help the client reach his/her goals, that drumming is used as a form of therapy. The application of musical instruments, the music itself, and the relationships that are formed within the musical experience, to reach specific non-musical therapeutic goals, defines the profession of Music Therapy. Although music therapists are not the only people who might use music therapeutically, the profession is defined by the use of music and musical experiences, within a client-therapist relationship, to reach therapeutic goals. In the case of music therapy, the musical experience is not simply recreational (as it is in the “WITH” experience), nor is it simply one of many other components (as it is in the “IN” experience). In Music Therapy, the musical experience is the main tool the therapist uses to help the client.

What you need to know about “AS”

Music used AS therapy is not only most commonly provided by a music therapist (someone trained in both music and therapy), it is provided with the understanding that it is the therapist’s job to help the client reach specific therapeutic goals and objectives. This is similar to the job of the person who uses music “IN” a therapeutic program, and different than the person who does music “WITH” people with special needs. Because music is being used specifically as a tool (similar to the use of medicine or medical tools by a doctor to treat patients), special training and credentials are needed in order to provide this type of service.

For more about becoming, or working with, a music therapist, visit the American Music Therapy Association’s website: musictherapy.org.

What about Therapeutic Drumming or Drum Therapy?

Therapeutic Drumming is a term that has popped up in recent years. It appears to be used when people are referring to the use of drumming both WITH certain populations and IN certain programs. As we know from the above definitions, drumming that is used “WITH” populations and “IN” programs is largely recreational in nature and is therefore, not a form of therapy itself. A more appropriate term for this type of drumming is “Beneficial Drumming” or “Beneficial Music Making.” Both these terms are accurate, useful, and are likely to reduce any possible confusion with drumming done as part of Music Therapy; however, it is not necessary to label this type of drumming anything other than simply, ‘drumming.’

Drum Therapy is another term that has been created to describe drumming that is done WITH certain populations that have special needs. Similar to Therapeutic Drumming, Drum Therapy appears to include both recreational and/or educational types of drumming experiences. Because ‘Drum Therapy’ sounds so much like Music Therapy (Drumming is part of music, of course), it is advised that this term not be used and that Beneficial Drumming, or just ‘Drumming With’ be used instead (i.e., Drumming with persons with autism.)

Ultimately, both the terms Therapeutic Drumming and Drum Therapy (or Drumming Therapy) are not necessary, since neither differ from other types of drumming experiences that are commonly presented by a wide variety of people. (Anyone with ample drumming and facilitation skills can do ‘Drumming WITH’ or ‘Drumming IN’). Because there are no training or certification requirements to provide “Therapeutic Drumming” or “Drum Therapy” they do not constitute professions, yet they have the potential to be confused with Music Therapy.

Whether something is a form of therapy is not determined by the activity itself, but by the application of the activity, the relationship between the people (client-therapist), and the training and qualifications of the person leading the experience. To help make this point clear, consider “Talk Therapy,” which is a service provided by a licensed psychotherapist or psychologist. It would be unthinkable, and also unethical, to promote yourself as a talk therapist (or a provider of ‘therapeutic talking’), simply because you are ‘talking’ with people, even if they get some benefit from talking to you. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you are providing a service just because think you are “doing what that person did.” There’s a lot more to any profession than meets the eye and most healthcare services require some form of training and certification. Creating a term that ‘sounds like’ an established healthcare service can be confusing to both clients and businesses.

I’m a facilitator, but I don’t have special training in healthcare. Is it OK to offer drumming to people with special needs?

Absolutely! People who live inside institutional settings, or who have limited access to creative and social experiences need those experiences as much, if not more, than the rest of us. Find out about volunteer opportunities in your area and offer your services to as many people as you can. The world needs more music making. When you do visit a facility, do some research on the population beforehand and try to talk to someone at the facility to learn about their community. When facilitating drumming for any population, make sure that you have staff members present in case a client needs attention or you have a question about how to best serve a client. You don’t need to call what you do a form of therapy for it to provide real value. We all know that music making can help people feel better. The term “Drumming” is enough.

Summary

Now you know that there’s a difference between services where drumming is done WITH people, IN a program, or AS therapy. You know that there is a difference between recreational drumming that is done with people with special needs, drumming that is part of a therapeutic program led by a therapist, and drumming that is used by a music therapist. And you know how to define and talk about the kind of drumming experiences that you can offer in a way that is both accurate and ethical. If you have questions or comments, leave them below. We’ll answer them here or in another blog post.

The Art of Facilitation, Part 8: Guardian

kalani — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:40:59 +0000

Kalani discusses the role of the Guardian within the context of the Art of Facilitation in part 8 of this 8-part series. Topics included in this episode are: The main purpose of the guardian, keeping people physically safe, keeping the instruments safe, providing structure and expectations to keep people emotionally safe, providing gateways to moving to greater challenges, guarding the music, and resolving challenges.

Find out more about the DCM approach to facilitation by visiting the playsinglaugh.com website.

The Art of Facilitation, Part 7: Story Teller

kalani — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:32:52 +0000

Kalani discusses the role of the Story Teller as it relates to the greater role of facilitator, according to the DCM approach. Topics in this episode include; Using stories to structure and set up an experience, using stories to provide context, using stories as in-the-moment descriptions of events and impressions, using stories to summarize what occurred during an event, and using stories as a tool for metaphorical learning.

The Art of Facilitation, Part 6: Student

kalani — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:10:22 +0000

In this episode, Kalani examines ways we can each embody the student archetype or spirit as we deepen our skills as a facilitator. It doesn’t matter what you are facilitating, learning and becoming a student of your art is at the core of facilitation. Some of the concepts included in this episode are: Personal development and self-study, Observation and both a facilitator and participant, Using peer and participant feedback, and Creating opportunities for others to take the lead and become their own teachers. The Art of Facilitation is the focus of this year’s Developmental Community Music training program in L9s Angeles, July 22-26, (2013). To find our more and register for this unique and powerful course, visit playsibnglaugh.com. �Be sure to listen to the previous five episodes in this series.

The Art of Facilitation, Part 5: Follower

kalani — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 03:55:15 +0000

The Art of Facilitation, Part 5

Kalani discusses what is means to exercise followership or embody the ‘follower’ archetype as related to the Art of Facilitation. In this episode, we look at some of the qualities that lead to effective followership. These include an ability to work independently, commitment to the ultimate goal and vision of the group, being competent, having the courage to pursue the goal no matter what, looking for areas of agreement, willingness to try things before judging them, and being solution-oriented. For more about the Developmental Community Music approach to music facilitation, visit the DCM website.

Music Therapy – More than meets the eyes (or ears)

kalani — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 17:31:05 +0000

With most jobs, as with most things in life, there’s often more to it than meets the eye. When someone that is not trained or experienced in a particular skill, trade, or profession makes observations about what someone else is ‘doing’ they can end up coming to conclusions that are more based on their lack of knowledge, rather than a full understanding of what might actually be going on.

Music Therapist Gabby Ritter-Cantesanu recently shared this story on a community list-serve for music therapists. Someone had posted a comment on another list, describing how they thought a music therapist wasn’t doing the best job because of lack of rapport-building with the clients. What that person ‘saw’ or ‘heard’ was likely limited to their personal level of training, experience, and orientation. Did they understand why that therapist was doing what they were doing? Or were they not seeing (or hearing) subtle, yet crucial, cues that would have given them a deeper understanding and appreciation with regard to the session? One analogy would be the person who is viewing a painting by Picasso and saying, “Look how disorganized this is. He obviously couldn’t draw very well. I know lots of people who can draw better than that.”

The following is most of Gabby’s post, used with permission. It tells the story of two therapists who come to realize that we all need to better understand the challenges and solutions that exist within our various professions.

[[[

The question "Is the observer of the MT session not seeing what the MT is doing?" hits home. And I'd like to say, this is a VERY COMMON occurrence for me. And no, in my experience they are NOT "seeing" (or hearing) what the MT is doing.

Due to the nature of my position, I do not have a lot of chatting time as I'm flying into a school, providing service and then running out to get to my next school.

I overheard our art therapist say: "I wish I could be a music therapist and do the same thing every week", after observing my session (I worked in her office) for three weeks in a row.

What she isn't trained to observe, and was completely missing, was the nuances in the music. This particular student with autism cannot handle change, no matter how small, without having "melt downs" that include self abuse. She gets stuck in that routine of "sameness". To help her move through this, I do several things musically each week. This student is very musical and notices small changes in key, rhythm, tonality, etc. Each week I change things musically with her, leaving many of the actual songs the same. So, we may work on Old McDonald for several weeks, but one week we'll sing it in D major in the typically recorded version (steady (guitar) strumming pattern, etc.). The next week, I may keep it in D major but alter the music to finger picking during "EIEIO", etc. The next week we may play it on ukulele. By helping her move musically through small changes, she has begun to accept changes more readily and where she used to cry if I did not play music (and sing lyrics) exactly the same week to week, now I'm able to take greater risks and alter lyrics, play in minor keys, etc. You should have heard our minor version of Old McDonald with bats, goblins, mummies, etc. on the farm. The classroom is also reporting that she is accepting more changes and is able to now fully participate in morning circle time. SUCCESS!

To the art therapist, I was just playing the same songs every week. And because my students has improved at accepting changes, she wasn't completely shutting down so it wasn't overtly obvious that she was doing something uncomfortable or difficult. Once I sat down and explained this to the art therapist, she understood and thanked me, but had she not made that very hurtful comment, I would have never known this was her interpretation of what MTs do.

I feel observations by outsiders, without discussion with the MT, should be taken with a grain of salt because in all reality, they are not trained to recognize musical behavior so our groups can appear to be "happy happy joy joy" as Annette points out.

Many OTs I work with express the same problem with their field. It looks like a lot of fun to swing in a swing several times a day, but it is actually a student's sensory diet requirement so that they can function within the classroom.

These misunderstandings can lead to great discussions and further understanding but they can lead to feeling like you're undervalued/not valued and burnout. Peer supervision has been a wonderful experience for me, where I can freely vent these misunderstandings and get some validation and feedback on how to address them and move forward.

]]]

Does this type of thing happen in your work?
Leave your comments below.

The Art of Facilitation, Part 4: Friend

kalani — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 00:58:01 +0000

Kalani LIVE – The Art of Facilitation, Part 4

Kalani discusses the Art of Facilitation from the perspective of being a Friend. Key aspects include; Saying ‘YES,’ unconditional acceptance, being non-judgmental, asking questions, being a good listener, inviting disclosure, encouraging risk-taking, and praising accomplishments and attempts.

Learn about all eight aspects of facilitation in this eight-part series based in the Developmental Community Music approach. Find out more at http://playsinglaugh.com.

How to Read Chord Diagrams for Ukulele

kalani — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 05:13:02 +0000

Reading chord diagrams is easy when you know how. Hey – If ukulele and guitar players can do it, how hard can it be!

Once you learn how to read chord diagrams, you can quickly read just about any song you want, which is pretty cool. Let’s find out how.

A chord diagram is consists of a grid and dots. The top line of the grid represents the nut of the ukulele (the part the string go through at where the headstock connects to the neck).

The vertical lines represent the strings G-C-E-A from left to right. Imagine the ukulele is being held so the neck is pointing straight up.

The horizontal lines represent the frets. Usually there are four or five frets in a diagram.

The dots represent finger placement and often have numbers inside each one. The numbers show which finger to place on which fret. Fingers are numbered 1-2-3-4, which are the index, middle, ring, and pinky, respectively.

Here’s an example of the G7 chord as a chord diagram. See the triangle-shape and the numbers. See if you can finger out how to create this, then watch the video and see if you got it right.

NOw you can read a chord diagram? If you’re shaking your head, just watch the following video, which will explain the entire concept. (It’s way easier than learning from this post, but you had to read to this point to finger that out!)

Google

Tune Your Ukulele Without a Tuner!

kalani — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 04:55:11 +0000

There are wide range of small, affordable, electronic tuners available today, but what if you find yourself without one and you still need to get that uke in tune? What then? Never fear! There’s a clever way to tune up your uke without the need for having perfect-pitch. It’s called relative tuning and it’s pretty easy. Here’s what to do.

1. Choose one of the string on your uke to which you will tune the three other strings. You can use any of them, but I personally like the C string to start, so let’s start there. Make sure the C-string is not completely out of tune (really low or high). As long as it has a medium amount of tension in it, you should be fine. By the way, this method of tuning just tunes the uke to itself, so if you’re going to play with other instruments, you’ll need to tune to them. If you’re just jamming by yourself, this will work fine.

2. With the C string as your starting point (base pitch), place your finger on the G-string on the fifth fret. (The G-string is the top string). Pluck it and tune it until it matches the C string. (You’re playing a ‘C’ on the G-string.) If you’re using standard uke tuning, the strings will be an octave apart, but that’s OK.

3. Next: Place a finger on the C string at the fourth fret and tune the E string until it matches.

4. Once the E string is in tune, place a finger on the E string at the fifth fret and match the A string to it. You’re done! Easy.

Here’s a video clip from the PLAY UKULELE DVD that shows you how. Enjoy!