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Developing Emotional Maturity in Children Using Social-Emotional Learning
If you’re a parent or professional in the education world, you’ve probably noticed a new buzzword: Social-Emotional Learning. What is Social-Emotional Learning, and what does it have to do with public schools?
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is based on the acquisition of 5 core competencies: self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, relationship skills, and social awareness.
In many ways, music therapists have addressed these benchmarks for decades in our schools. We know the innate social-emotional benefits of making music with others, learning an instrument, and interpreting music.
Mental Health Awareness: Equipping our Children
Mental health problems affect about 1 in 10 children and young people. They include depression, anxiety, and conduct disorder, and are often a direct response to what is happening in their lives. Alarmingly, however, 70% of children and young people who experience a...
Decreasing Bedtime & Morning Stress
Many parents know the challenge of getting their children to wind down and finish necessary tasks before bed each night. They also will attest to the struggle each morning with dressing, eating, gathering the necessary items for the day, and navigating out the door on time. Now imagine adding to your morning and nighttime routine a child or more who does not attune to everyone else’s activities, a child with Autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD, Anxiety Disorders, or Depression. Let’s face it, parents are exhausted by the end of the day and have a list a mile long to start the new one, so one or more child not moving at the pace the parent needs can cause incredible stress for everyone in the house.
Book: Singing in the Rain
Imagine you are a young child again. It’s raining. You see a puddle forming in front of your house. What do you do? Do you stay inside and shelter yourself from the rain? Do you run outside and jump in the puddle?
Holding a Safe Space to Heal from Trauma
There has never been a more important time to ensure that our staff have a clear understanding of how to approach individuals using a trauma informed lens.
Pause and Hear the Sounds of Spring
The world is awakening from its winter slumber and the quiet hibernation of winter is nearing its end. Before we know it, the trees and flowers will be blooming!
Book: Pete The Cat – The Great Leprechaun Chase
St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday that is near and dear to my heart. Growing up, my family celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by eating corned beef and cabbage, listening to Irish music, and discussing our Irish heritage. Now that I provide music therapy services for children, reading Pete the Cat: The Great Leprechaun Chase by James Dean has become part of my personal St. Patrick’s Day tradition.
Neurodiversity and Music Therapy
Have you heard of the word neurodiverse? Judy Singer came up with this term in the late 1990s. Judy is a sociologist who learned, after recognizing her differences from other children her age, that she was on the autism spectrum. Judy never considered herself to...
Book: Clap Your Hands: A Celebration of Gospel
Blog post written and submitted by Kayla Davitt, MT-BC On one of my recent weekly trips to the store, I stopped by one of my favorite departments: children’s books. Every time I browse this section, I hope to find stories that I can use in my music therapy sessions....