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Music Therapy Advocacy

January 31, 2017 by kalani

Advocacy can help open doors, produce opportunities for growth, expand your horizons, and grow your personal and professional network.

That said, advocacy is also not without its challenges. Over the course of the past decade, music therapists have been faced with responding to misinformed, potentially damaging comments that can serve to undermine the profession and services we provide, all while striving to continue to move forward with advocacy efforts that make a positive difference. These negative exchanges can lead to feelings of frustration, stress, and even anger – and serve to potentially distract us from focusing on our clients and our work.

In light of the contentiousness that seems to surround legislative and policy issues, we propose incorporating a spirit of mindfulness in your advocacy efforts. Mindfulness is defined as, “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.” Mindfulness requires an awareness of our attitudes, feelings, thoughts, and actions; an understanding of how they impact our experiences and behaviors; and a willingness to take responsibility for our mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being.

For more about mindfulness, listen to the EVOLVE podcast on iTunes or kalanidas.com.

To that end, we offer the following guide to assist you in your search of an advocacy zen space and ask…when have you been REACTIVE or PROACTIVE in your advocacy efforts?

Scenario 1: When feeling REACTIVE to a misinformed comment, demeaning question, or misleading blog post…

How to react from an advocacy zen space:

Step 1 – Perceive. Notice the feeling and visceral reaction you are experiencing. Be aware of your physiological response to the situation. We often experiences feelings of enhanced energy or “heat” when reacting. Where is the feeling in your body?

Step 2 – Process. Implement coping strategies to help you process through your reaction and self-regulate. Take a slow, measured breath, count to 10, or walk away from the situation and take a break. Sometimes, even just acknowledging that you’re upset or feeling anxious can help reduce the anxiety associated with the experience. Any time you feel stress, it’s important to allow yourself to “feel the feeling,” without judgment or “shaming” yourself for feeling what you feel.

Step 3 – Respond. Be intentional in what you say and do in response to the situation. Redirect the conversation to the main focus: the client. Use non-violent communication (NVC) when responding to others. For example, don’t use language that includes blaming, shaming, or labeling others or their behavior. Instead, describe the situation and look for a solution. Remember: Everyone is doing the best they can – and we don’t know what we don’t know. It’s been my experience that education goes a long way in helping to resolve issues. If someone needs to vent, let them and move on.

I’ve met some fantastic, passionate, creative people when advocating for music therapy. When responding to someone who was claiming to be providing music therapy services (without being a music therapist), I discovered that this person had created some wonderful music education strategies for special needs students. Rather than approach him in a negative way, saying, “You can’t call that music therapy!” I listened to his stories and validated his PURPOSE, which was to help students through his music classes. I even invited him to consider presenting at a regional music therapy conference.

Remember that many musicians, including those who work with sensitive or special needs populations, don’t know why it’s not appropriate to call what they do music therapy. Most people assume that music therapy is using music to help someone feel better. It makes sense to them. The education process takes time and compassion. As music therapists, we want to create allies, not enemies, and we want advocates who will recommend music therapy when recreational and educational experiences are not enough.

Super Tip: Rather than focusing on why someone shouldn’t call what they do music therapy, focus on what they CAN call it. For example, someone can offer “therapeutic music” or “musical relaxation experiences.” Perhaps you can help non-music therapists find a way to describe their work, so instead of “loosing,” they’re “switching.”

Scenario 2: When being PROACTIVE by taking initiative in advocating for the profession and our clients…

How to react from an advocacy zen space:

Step 1 – Visualize. Begin with the end of mind. Imagine what your ideal outcome would be without barriers and challenges. Envision your goal or purpose. What is the ideal scenario?

Step 2 – Develop. Focus on the strengths of your current situation as you design your strategy. What is working for you? What’s going well? What do you have that you can build upon? When talking to potential clients, talk about your successes. A lot of business owners tell stories about how they helped their clients.

Step 3 – Accept. Approach your plan with an attitude of acceptance. Though you begin with the end in mind, you may not know the path to get there or the obstacles that may occur. Be open to and accepting of the options and possibilities that are presented to you. Let the client solve their own puzzles, with your help. Your client knows what they want, although they might need you to help them form an actionable plan. Remember: A lot of people are still just finding out about music therapy. They often have ideas about MT that are incorrect or incomplete. They need you to help them understand the profession.
As the music therapy profession continues to move forward in its advocacy efforts, we encourage you to be mindful in your reactive responses and proactive endeavors. We cannot control the vitriol and negativity that seems common to the political climate, but we can control and take responsibility for our own reactions and responses. Let’s continue in our efforts from this intentional advocacy zen space.

For more about music therapy, visit the American Music Therapy Association

Filed Under: Education, Music Therapy Tagged With: advocacy, Music Therapy

Drum Fun – Musical Games for Groups. Now for iPad!

October 18, 2012 by kalani

The popular DVD set, Drum Fun! – Musical Games for Groups, is now available for the iPad.

The iBook includes written instructions for presenting each game and includes video so you can see the games being played by a group of participants.

Now available on the iTunes bookstore for the very low price of $12.99!

View on Apple.com

The Drum Fun! iBook contains all the same activities as the 2-DVD set and features Modifications, Extensions, and Notes for each game. You also get Presentation Tips and Notes for Music Educators, Music Therapists, and Community Music Facilitators. Search the iTunes store for “Drum Fun!” Watch samples of the DVD here.

The iBook version is perfect for anyone who wants to add to their drum circles, musical parties, corporate team building events, socializers and energizers for meetings and gatherings, and any occasion where the main goal is to create musical experiences that bring people together in a fun and social way.

Games include:

  • Rumble Ball
  • Flocks in Socks
  • Number Walk
  • I Am the Drum!
  • Sound Toss
  • Drum Stories
  • Sound Compass
  • Day at the Museum
  • Where’s Froggy?
  • Clapandele
  • Let’s All ____!
  • Music Pads
  • Let’s All Play!
  • Drum Call
  • Timbre!
  • Pieces of Eight
  • Signals
  • Rhythm Canon
  • Let’s All Move!
  • Ships in the Night
  • Orbits
  • Echos
  • Four on the Floor
  • Musical Mystery

Filed Under: Community Drumming, Education Tagged With: drumming, drums, Education, Group Drumming, kalani, music games, Music Therapy

The Rhythms of Life

June 2, 2012 by kalani

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (23.8MB)

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Kalani discusses how basic life rhythms relate to several aspects of health and how those rhythms align with and relate to musical experiences. You’ll learn about the different rhythms of the body and get some ideas as to how to structure musical experiences to support and facilitate positive physical and emotional changes that lead to greater health for groups. You’ll also learn how to use ‘the rhythms of life’ to support your own health goals.

Rhythms are part of every-day living and many of the body’s natural rhythms can be used within musical experiences to facilitate positive health changes. This is accomplished through designing and facilitating structured experiences that align with and modulate the bodies natural rhythms in ways that are intentional and desirable. Two primary areas of focus include the rhythms of walking and the rhythms of breathing. Both of these areas relate to �our general physical health and can be developed to affect emotional and spiritual health.

Kalani LIVE 4

Filed Under: Community Drumming, Facilitation, Health, Techniques, World Drum Club Tagged With: dr. andrew weil, drumming, health, health services, kalimba, mark holdaway, medicine, michael thiele, music techniques, Music Therapy, psychology, rhythm, slit drum, sounds true

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords & MT

January 27, 2011 by kalani

Some of you may have read my recent post on Music Therapy. Recently, there have been a couple things that have brought this allied health profession into the forefront. You might be surprised to learn that music therapy is now entering its 60th year as a profession. To learn more, visit the American Music Therapy Association website.

One of them is the recent tragedy that befell Gabrielle Giffords, Rep. from Arizona. She was shot, point-blank, in the head and is faced with a challenging recovery. ABC news covered the story, interviewing her husband, a former astronaut and pilot.  He was also faced with a brain injury and has recovered fully. He mentioned the “high-tech” therapies that might help Giffords. An example of this, he says, is music therapy. He gives a short explanation of how it could help his wife recover and develop her speech and communication abilities.

Update as of Feb 20, 2011
This article in CHRON, Houston & Texas news mentions Music Therapy as one of the contributing factors in her recovery.

In addition, there is a movie being shown at the Sundance film festival that features a music therapist: The Music Never Stopped. The Sundance film festival is happening this week. Read about it here, on the AMTA website! And then visit their website and contact them to request a screening in your area.

The Music Never Stopped

Something we can all do, is to investigate and advocate for music therapy treatment for people with all kinds of needs. Music Therapy works with all ages and a wide spectrum of diagnosis. Music Therapists work in all types of settings, from hospitals to schools, and can make a huge difference in the lives of their clients. With more research being published and more people learning about the power of music therapy to help, we can make a difference. Tell your friends, share on Face Book, write a letter to your Representative and Congress person telling them about your support for music therapy.

Filed Under: Music Therapy Tagged With: abc news, Gabrielle Giffords, health services, husband, medicine, music, music therapist, Music Therapy, newscast, psychology, psychotherapy, sundace, the music never stopped

Music Therapy

January 18, 2011 by kalani

You’ve probably heard the term “Music Therapy” and even if you’re not familiar with the profession, you can probably imagine what it’s about: helping people through the use of music. If you think that, you would be right; however, there’s much more to it.  Despite the fact that Music Therapy, as a profession, is now entering its 60th year, many people are still unfamiliar with it, or don’t understand it.

In order to understand what music therapy is, it helps to know what it is not. Ask someone on the street what music therapy is and you are likely to get all kinds of responses. Some common perceptions of Music Therapy can include:

“It’s playing music for people so they feel better.”
“It’s when you relax to music that you like.”
“It’s when you play those gongs and healing bowls.”
“It’s using instruments to get out your feelings.”
“It’s when a musician receives therapy.”

The Music Therapist

One of the first things to learn about Music Therapy is that it’s something that is done by a trained and certified Clinician. Requirements for becoming a Music Therapist (in the US) include: receiving a Bachelor of Music degree from an accredited Music Therapy program, completing a supervised internship (1100 hours), and passing a certification exam administered by the Certification Board for Musci Therapists. (That’s what the ‘BC’ in ‘MT-BC’ stands for: Board-Certified). The skills, knowledge, and experience needed to become a Music Therapist are similar to those required in other allied health professions, such as speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. Music Therapists study physiology, psychology, physics of sound, clinical techniques, musical styles, instrumentation, leadership, discussion techniques, adaptive strategies, documentation, and much more. Additionally, the Music Therapist works within the profession’s Scope of Practice and meets specific Clinical Standards to ensure that clients receive only the highest quality services.

Client-Centered

Another key feature of Music Therapy is that it is designed specifically for the client(s). The Music Therapist gathers information about the client through a process called assessment. This step is a lot like your first meeting with a doctor when they get all your health care history and current condition. They ask you what’s going on, examine you, and try to get a good idea of how best to help you, based on your needs and abilities. It’s the same with Music Therapy. The Music Therapist often works with other members on a treatment team to gather and share information about clients and discusses ways to best serve them. Music Therapy is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but a dynamic  process that is driven by the client and his/her unique needs. Music Therapy is done with someone, not to someone. Music Therapy is not a ‘program’ that can be universally applied to any population with specific outcomes in mind. On the contrary, it honors the unique needs of each client, even in group settings.

Treatment Program

After the initial assessment, the Music Therapist designs a treatment program. The treatment goals in a Music Therapy program are often the same goals as for other forms of therapy (physical, cognitive, occupational, etc.). The main difference is in the way the Music Therapist helps the client reach their goals. While physical therapists uses all kinds of exercise experiences (custom machines, rubber bands, balls, massage, adaptive technology, coaching, etc.) to help their clients reach various therapeutic goals, Music Therapists use music-based experiences (playing instruments, creating music, listening to and discussing music, moving to music, adaptive technology, etc.), to help their clients. It’s quite common for a music therapist to share goals with physical, speech, talk, and occupational therapists. The main difference is in the way each therapist works.

Music Therapy is a dynamic process that is customized for the client(s), before and during a session. For this reason, the music therapist is highly skilled in many areas of music (plays many different instruments and styles of music), able to incorporate a wide variety of interventions (different types of musical experiences), and able to modify experiences to stay focused on the client’s needs (keeping them actively engaged while staying focused on reaching treatment goals).

Because music therapists work with virtually all populations, there is a wide spectrum of techniques and approaches within the field. As in the medical field, it’s quite common for a music therapist to specialize in a particular area, such as pre-natal, special education, traumatic brain injury, addiction recovery, hospice, etc.. Specialized training courses can supplement the music therapist’s core skill set, as well as Master’s and PhD degrees in music therapy.

The Music Therapist maintains documents that record and track client progress. At some point, he/she will determine weather to continue, modify, or terminate treatment. This choices are based on periodic evaluation of the client’s condition, needs, and goals. Music Therapists abide by a comprehensive Code of Ethics when delivering services.

As we learned at the top of this article, it’s not just that someone is playing an instrument or listening to music that produces a desired outcome, but rather that they are working with and under the guidance of a Board-Certified Music Therapist, someone who is knowledgeable and skilled in music, therapeutic interventions, and working with various populations. Music alone can be a power force, but it is when that power is skillfully and purposefully used that we can expect more than recreational outcomes. As you browse the internet and literature, you may come across terms and services that sound like music therapy. Some might even use the term Music Therapy or the name of an instrument, followed by the word Therapy. Here’s one way to tell if something is Music Therapy or not: A music therapist will have the letters MT-BC after his/her name. These stand for Music Therapist, Board-Certified.

Evidence-Based

Music Therapy is a profession based on evidence that is gathered through Scientific Studies. Both qualitative and quantitative research models are used and studies are peer-reviewed to ensure they are valid and relevant to the field. Music Therapy research is often quoted and used by those outside of the field to support the idea that there are “health-benefits” to “making music.” While it’s likely that there are some predictable benefits to be gained by engaging in any recreational activity, musical or otherwise, it’s difficult to say whether or not someone who is not a music therapist could provide the same types and quality of service to clients with various diagnosis and needs. As you know by now, the Music Therapist does a lot more than ‘play music’ with clients. They use evidence-based musical experiences within a therapeutic relationship to help the client make measurable and positive change.

There are hundreds of Music Therapy studies on a wide variety of topics available for review. To find out more about the Science of Music Therapy and learn more about how Music Therapists are helping clients live more productive and fulfilling lives while saving hospitals, families, and tax-payers money, visit the AMTA website and search the term ‘Music Therapy’ on PubMed or another resources. Note: Check to see if what is called ‘music therapy’ actually is, based on what you now know.

How it works

Music Therapy can take many forms as determined by the population, goals and objectives, and the treatment plan as designed by the Therapist. Therapists will often take different approaches to meeting the same objectives, depending on their unique perspective, expertise, and background. When designing a treatment program, the Music Therapist considers the primary goal area(s), determines one or more objectives to be met, then he/she selects and modifies music-based interventions to reach the objectives.

Example: A person with a developmental disability is working towards the self-care goal of dressing himself. Being able to dress himself will reduce his dependence on others, raise his self-esteem, and result in a savings to the facility is staff time and money. In order to reach his ultimate goal, he must first develop his fine motor skills (i.e., using his fingers to button a shirt or tie a shoe). The supporting goal of “increasing fine motor skills” then becomes the focus of the Therapist. The Therapist then chooses several the objectives that are designed to help reach the goal. One might be, “The client will use all four fingers and thumb of his his right hand to press the keys on the piano at least three times each within 30 seconds.” (This is both observable and measurable). With the objectives in place, the Therapist designs an intervention to meet them. To reach the above objective, the intervention might be to play the melody to “When the Saints Go Marching In” on the piano. When the client plays this song at a standard tempo, the objective will be met. For the client, this experience is likely going to be fun and musical – and it is. It is also a way to help the client develop the skills he needs to reach his ultimate goal of dressing himself. This process – of using musical experiences to reach non-musical goals – is at the core of Music Therapy. The practice is goal-driven, customized for the client, and based on observable and measurable outcomes. The musical experiences, coupled with the relationship with the therapist, are the vehicles that helps motivate and transform the client. When the client, the therapist, and the music are all working together, Music Therapy is taking place. Other examples of music therapy at work include:

  • inviting a group of adults in addiction recovery listen to and discuss the lyrics of specific songs. (The Therapist chooses songs because of their potential to open up discussions on various topics related to the therapeutic goals.)
  • helping a client in physical rehabilitation learn and participate in a traditional dance. (The therapist chooses the dance based on the inclusion of specific types of movements.)
  • showing a group of young mothers how to sing to and move with their infants. (The therapist writes songs that help the mothers bond with their babies and provides the infants with an important developmental foundation that will increase their chances to do well in school later on.)
Therapeutic Relationship

Music Therapy applies to almost any setting where a client is working towards a goal. General areas include physical (developmental, rehabilitation, habilitation, maintaining functioning, etc.), cognitive (educational, insight, psychiatric, remembrance, environmental, etc.), emotional (stress-reduction, coping skills, elevation of mood, adjusting to transitions, etc.). For more about Music Therapy approaches, applications, and populations, visit the AMTA website.

Common Misconceptions

It is not uncommon for a Music Therapist to hear the following statements upon entering a room at a facility.

  1. “Ok everyone, it’s time for music.”
  2. “Let’s get ready for your music lesson.”
  3. “Hey everyone, the music-lady (or man) is here.”

From the outside looking in, a Music Therapy session can appear to be a recreational music making experience (#1), a music education experience (#2), and even entertainment for clients (#3). This is understandable, since most people will categorize something under an already familiar heading. Some may see a music therapist helping a client learn how to play an instrument and come to the conclusion that a music therapist is a music teacher (or a recreational musician) who works with persons with special needs. Add to this the fact that there are indeed musicians who provide music lessons and recreational experiences to persons with special needs (who are not Music Therapists) and you can imagine how it could be confusing. Music Therapists are not the only people who use music, but they are the only ones who provide Music Therapy – the clinical and evidenced-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship.

This is the primary difference between a Music Therapist and a recreational music facilitator, a music teacher, and a performing musician who might also “do music” with various populations. In those cases, the music is usually a recreational or supportive experience for a person or group. Recreational music making experiences can be provided by Music Therapists and non-Music Therapists alike. In fact, there are many organizations and programs that are specifically designed to help promote and provide recreational music making opportunities to people of all kinds. Some include:

Resounding Joy
Musicians on Call
Volunteer Music
Developmental Community Music
HealthRhythms

Applications

Music Therapists work in a variety of settings and with virtually all populations.

Settings can include:

  • Public and Specialty Schools
  • Hospitals and Hospice
  • Extended Care Facilities
  • Health Services Clinics
  • Adult Day Care
  • Residential Treatment Programs
  • Prisons

Populations can include:

  • Pre-Natal
  • Infants & Toddlers
  • Children
  • Teens
  • Adults
  • Elderly
  • Special Needs
  • Psychiatric Patients

Music Therapy includes providing services to many populations and within many settings, both enhancing the effectiveness of other allied health professions and extending the boundaries of treatment to maximize the potential for positive change. Music Therapy can include any experience that uses music, sounds, vibrations, and other aspects of music. It can also include related practices such as poetry, story telling, creative arts, movement, dance, listening, discussion, guided imagery, touch, massage, and more.

A Powerful Force

Music Therapy has been shown to be effective in areas where other treatments have not. Because music is a unique modality that can have deep and even profound meaning for may people, it has the ability to motivate people to do what they may have never done or say what they have never said. Music helps people speak without words, to communicate across the boundaries of language and culture, to reach people in ways that words and gestures cannot. Music is often felt as a deeply meaningful and even sacred aspect to the self and a culture.

Backed by 60 years of clinical service, scientific research, technical innovations, and intensive training and certification, the Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC) is in a unique position to harness the power of music and provide unique services to a wide range of populations.

For more information about music therapy, visit the American Music Therapy Association and  the Certification Board for Music Therapists.

Filed Under: Education, Music Therapy Tagged With: Education, Music Therapy

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