What is That Instrument?

by Amy Thomas | Oct 3, 2021

Blog post written by Katie Pistilli.

When you think of music therapy, what is the first instrument that comes to mind? For most, it is probably the guitar. Versatile, portable, and calming, guitars are a music therapist’s go-to instrument. Some therapists might have access to a piano or large drums. Beyond these basics, music therapists use a variety of instruments you may or may not have heard of. These instruments aren’t only fun and different, but they also aim to achieve a range of therapeutic goals.

Cabasa

Origin: Africa

Also known as: Afuche

This handled instrument is a tactile treat for kids. The metal beads make a “ch-ch” sound when rolled on the players hand. During music therapy, the cabasa is used to help calm a child when they are overwhelmed. Rolling the instrument down arms, legs, or back has a calming effect on children. When the child is ready, they can hold the cabasa and play it themselves on different body parts. For young children working on identifying body parts such as hands, feet, or arm, the cabasa is a perfect instrument.

Clatterpillar

Origin: Japan

Also known as: Kokiriko; Binzasara

The clatterpillar is known for its “clickity-clack” sound. Also known as a kokiriko, the clatterpillar got its name because it resembles a caterpillar crawling along the ground. This instrument is held in two hands and is somewhat challenging to play. Children playing with the clatterpillar are often working on a skill called bilateral coordination, which is the ability to do a different movement with each hand. Use your imagination, does the clatterpillar sound like a train coming down the tracks?

Step Bells

Origin: East Asia

Also known as: Xylophone

Step bells are a staple instrument for every music therapist working with children. This instrument is a variation upon the xylophone and covers an 8-note scale. While holding a mallet and playing the notes, children can be creative with this instrument and pretend they are climbing a mountain, sledding down a hill, or listening to the sounds of water falling. Amidst these creative songs, the step bells encourage children to work on fine motor and spacial skills. Not only do they have to hold a mallet in their hands, but to activate the bells they have to be very precise about where they aim.

Guiro

Origin: Latin America

The guiro is a common instrument heard in Puerto Rican and Cuban music. Held in one hand, the other hand can scrape or tap the guiro to make a variety of rhythms and varied sounds. Because it can be more than one sound (scraping or tapping), the guiro is a great instrument to use when practicing following directions. For example, during one part of a song a child may be prompted to scrape the guiro, while during another tap it. Don’t forget to use your imagination! Some children will say the guiro looks like a space ship or a fish. What do you think?

Kalimba

Origin: Africa; Zimbabwe

Also known as: Mbira; thumb piano

The Kalimba is an incredibly unique instrument with sounds that are especially therapeutic. Held with both hands similar to a smartphone, the player uses their thumbs to pull down on individual keys. The resulting sound is almost magical with notes blending together in lovely, ringing harmony. It can be a motivating instrument for children to play while they work on fine motor skills with their thumbs. Holding it in their hands, the player can also feel a deep vibration from the wood that can add to the relaxing nature of the instrument. Be careful, these soothing sounds may just put you to sleep!

Originating from across the globe, these instruments make a tremendous impact in music therapy. Children are highly motivated by instruments that make unique sounds and look different than what they are used to hearing. Next time you see a music therapist in transit, see if they have any of these instruments in their bag, they just might!

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Developing Emotional Maturity in Children Using Social-Emotional Learning

by Amy Thomas | May 11, 2021

Blog post written by Katie Pistilli

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) was a term coined by an organization called CASEL, The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning.

According to CASEL, Social-Emotional Learning is “the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.”

SEL guidelines are proven to:

Increase student’s pro-social skills
Cultivate skills needed to maintain positive relationships
Increase academic performance
Decrease anxiety and depression.

The impact of SEL curriculum spans well into a child’s adulthood, with evidence showing that children exposed to SEL are less likely to experience poverty or incarceration.

SEL is based on the acquisition of 5 core competencies: self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, relationship skills, and social awareness.

A social-emotional learning curriculum not only has an impact on individual students, but their community as a whole.

Music Therapy and Social Emotional Learning

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. Here are a few specific ways that music therapy addresses the 5 core SEL competencies:

1) Self-Awareness

Self-Awareness ranges from identifying emotions to more complex skills such as linking thoughts to feelings. In music therapy these skills can be addressed with:

Putting thoughts and feelings to music while songwriting.
Asking the question: Is this song happy or sad?

2) Self-Management

Self-Management encompasses skills related to managing emotions and coping with stress. In music therapy, we can address these skills with:

Participating in a drum circle, expressing complex emotions while playing and regulating the body with rhythm.
Calming the body by breathing in time, using music to slow heart rate, and using mindfulness-based interventions.

3) Responsible Decision-Making

Responsible Decision-Making involves the ability to think critically of one’s actions and how our behavior impacts those around us. In music therapy this might look like:

Learning how to play instruments and take care of them.
Listening to peers in a group, being respectful and responding with kindness to their ideas.

4) Relationship Skills

Relationship skills involve social behaviors such as developing friendships and communicating with others. Since music is an innately social experience, it is common to address these skills in music therapy.

Learning social songs to help children remember and learn the nuances of social behavior such as having conversations or what to do when someone gives a complement.
Cultivating a hobby or shared interest with a classmate through music.

5) Social Awareness

Social Awareness skills involve understanding the perspectives of others and cultivating empathy. In music therapy this may look like:

Discussing the meaning behind lyrics and considering what an artist was trying to express.
Sharing instruments and taking turns during group music making experiences.

The COVID-19 pandemic taught us that now more than ever it is essential to take social-emotional learning seriously. The children in our community have so much to gain from adults in their lives valuing these skills.

If you think music therapy could be a helpful resource for a child you know to work on Social-Emotional Learning skills, please contact us. We would love to hear from you!

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Decreasing Bedtime & Morning Stress

by Amy Thomas | Apr 27, 2021

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 getting out the door on time. Now imagine adding to your morning and nighttime routine a child 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 children not moving at the pace the parent needs can cause incredible stress for everyone in the house.

What are the options for families? All children, whether they are typically developing or have developmental disabilities and neurodiversity, may struggle with mood regulation, staying on task, time management, working memory, and many other executive functioning deficits that make nighttime and mornings difficult. There are two areas that this blog will focus on in hopes of helping parents who feel like it’s time to throw in the towel. For those who feel that they have tried everything, we want to suggest that you combine these two important elements: the best routine and most supportive genre of music.

As Licensed Creative Art Therapists and Board-Certified Music Therapists, the staff at Upstate Music Therapy Center LLC know the power of predictability. Some of the children we work with in classrooms are greeted with a transition song. It is sung to a comfortable walking pace so that the social greeting and message of needing to move from the class to another environment is managed through the song and rhythmic pulse. Using a technique such as this for certain children can mean the difference between a smooth transition to another space or a complete meltdown. Once in the session the therapist also recognizes that the predictable schedule allows the child to move comfortably and more independently as they learn their role within the routine. This many times includes a visual schedule. Through this process the therapist needs to give fewer prompts and the child’s self-esteem and level of accomplishment improves. How does this information help a parent in their home?

Empowering your children to co-create a routine for their nighttime and morning allows the child to select items for their schedule that they most prefer. Perhaps they would like their favorite stuffed animal to sit and watch as they brush their teeth, they participate in deciding what foods will be available on the quick breakfast food menu options for each day or decide if they will fill their backpack for the next day before dinner or after dinner. Offering choices and providing a visual aide of the routine is helpful. This can include a checklist in a notepad, picture icons for younger children, or a schedule posted on their wall. Having a visual guide to keep your child on task and increase their level of independency is a win for all.

The other important element is using music with your children to support the level of focus, relaxation, or stimulation required for the activity that they need to engage in. Again, involving your child in making the music selections, especially for older children will be very important. However, they may not realize how the music they are listening to impacts them physiologically, behaviorally, or emotionally. A study on how particular genres of music impact a person’s heart rate can shed some light on what styles of music to listen to prior to sleep and when we want them to have an increase in energy to complete tasks.

Does Music Affect a Persons Heart Rate? David Sills, Amber Todd (Emerging Researchers) Dayton Regional STEM School, Dayton, Ohio; Wright State University, Dayton Ohio

In this study they use the following genres classical, 125 bpm; electronic, 119 bpm; jazz, 154 bpm; world, 124 bpm; RnB, 99 Bbpm; rock, 79 bpm and as you can see in Figure 4 classical and electronic music was the two styles that brought down the high school students heart rates reflecting the most relaxed state. Studies have suggested that an ideal resting heart rate is between 60-100 beats per minute and may drop lower than 60 bpm when in deep sleep. It makes sense to use music prior to bedtime that reduces our heart rate in preparation for sleep. You might be surprised to see in Figure 4 that although the rock music had the slowest bpm it produced the highest heart rate.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter made in the brain. Basically, it acts as a chemical messenger between neurons. Lack of dopamine can make you sleepy, but not sleeping may also lower your dopamine. We also know that levels of dopamine can increase up to 9% higher when listening to music that is enjoyed. It’s involved in reward, motivation, memory, attention and even regulating body movements. When dopamine is released in large amounts, it creates feelings of pleasure and reward, which motivates you to repeat a specific behavior. Allowing your child to select a playlist for their morning routine will increase their dopamine and motivation to complete tasks that are rewarding. What is the reward for getting their morning time or bedtime routine complete without resistance? The music itself may be rewarding enough, however some children do best with a reward system such as stickers on a chart for each morning and nighttime they follow their schedule. At the end of the week, they receive a reward.

Perhaps your child does well with timers. The example below, one for 20-minute nighttime routines is one of the many options available online. Music preferences are important so include your children in making the selections right for them. Enjoy creating routines and finding supportive music to lessen the stress in your home.

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Neurodiversity and Music Therapy

by Amy Thomas | Feb 28, 2021

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 be disabled, but different in the way she perceived and navigated the world. Her brain functioned in a way that created tense moments when it came to socializing and navigating school. The lack of understanding by others and her own confusion on how to feel about her brain processing differently than her peers created some challenging times for her over the years.

Once Judy began to embrace that there is diversity in the way that people learn, this allowed her to begin seeing the world in a different way. Disabled turned into diverse, a much more positive and accepting term. Instead of posing the question, “What is wrong with her?” we can now look through the lens of neurodiversity and instead ask, “What is different about her?” With the understanding that all children learn in different ways and that diversity makes each child unique, a path was carved to begin building resilience, self-confidence, and hope for the future.

Individuals who are neurodiverse, as all children and adults, have a range of learning needs. In some cases, these include improving motor and communication skills. As we look at these two areas you will note the natural and obvious aspects of music that pair beautifully for skill development in neurodiverse individuals. Board Certified Music Therapists are trained to complete assessments and create specific plans regardless of the person’s learning style, limits, and abilities. Music Therapists work with individuals of all ages, however, for this blog, we will focus on the learning needs of children.

Children move at a functional pace of about 120 to 135 beats per minute, which is faster than adults. For children who struggle with gross motor movement, the rhythm of a song played using the tempo that most accompanies a natural gait provides wonderful support for working on motor needs. As a child marches, walks, or jumps to a steady beat, their body becomes increasingly organized, allowing them to feel more confident and steadier.

When neurodiverse children find themselves unable to use their right and left hands together to complete a project in class, they become frustrated and many times give up. The music therapist offers the child mallets, rhythm sticks, piano, guitar, and other instruments requiring two-handed motor movement. As they play along to a piece of music, they engage for a sustained amount of time to rehearse the movement. Because their brain recognizes the structure of the song, when it will begin and end, they successfully complete the song, many times without requiring a break. This success can then be carried over into the classroom when participating in a non-music task.

Using language in a functional way to communicate and have engaging interactions with others is vital for human beings. For individuals who are neurodiverse, they might struggle with the ability to have a reciprocal conversation with a classmate or friend using language. Neurological differences present unique challenges, particularly related to communication. A child who has neurological challenges may have a limited understanding of how, when, and why they interact verbally with a peer or teacher. A few areas for consideration are timing, pacing, and processing. Music Therapy creates a setting for individuals with neurodiversity to practice these three areas.

For children experiencing speech and language problems, rhythmic singing can provide pathways to circumvent damaged neural networks. This is possible because music is received by both hemispheres in the brain and can be incorporated into therapy for challenges such as apraxia, aphasia, stuttering, or even getting a nonverbal child to utter their first syllable.

To illustrate, a nonverbal child might try to hum or sing (possibly on “la la”) two notes of the singsong notes of childhood. The therapist will time this intervention to determine a music tempo, which aligns with the rate at which the child can successfully create the vocal sounds. This occurs when the child is in an environment that is safe and stress-free to assure that the vocal sounds will freely flow with less potential for vocal restriction. The goal is to increase the pace, as appropriate, to eventually match a typical rate of speech. Pauses in music are just as powerful as the musical sound itself. It is in the pauses that the neurodiverse child has the opportunity to process what comes next, prepare their mind and mouth to produce the next sound, and wait when necessary for a peer to take their turn to vocalize. This is the beginning of reciprocal communication, a musical conversation. Vocalizing back and forth on melodic notes, learning when to speak and when to wait. The therapist assists the child in progressing to greeting words and responses to those greetings as they are sung back and forth between the children.

We must always remain cognizant that each person is individual, and what works for one may not work for another. This is where a Board-Certified Music Therapist’s training is imperative. Music therapy sessions with clients are always changing according to the child’s need within the session and how they respond to any given technique. A Music Therapist can change the key to the music, the tempo, the style, and the dynamic in a way in which to meet the need and create opportunities for successful participation.

For more information on Music Therapy and the Neurodiverse child please click on CONTACT US and send us a message.

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What Does a Music Therapy Session Look Like?

by Amy Thomas | Feb 7, 2021

Blog post written by Katie Pistilli.

Music therapy is a creative arts therapy. As creative arts therapists, music therapists work to harness the power of music and creativity to address their client’s non-musical goals. These goals could be related to speaking, movement, or emotional expression, among many others. Upstate Music Therapy Center therapists most often work in school-based settings, and our students often have goals related to achieving success in the classroom. Success happens when the therapist can structure a motivating creative environment where the child can thrive.

Music therapy sessions are individualized. No one session will look alike. Music therapists always try to structure the session to meet the one-of-a-kind needs of a particular student.

While all sessions are unique, in a school-based setting, there are a few things sessions have in common:

1. There is organic music.

Organic music is naturally produced using instruments played by the therapist, live in the moment. The opposite of organic music is inorganic, meaning it is recorded and the therapist is not actively creating it. Music therapists make their own music during the session to best accommodate the needs of the student. By playing instruments such as guitar, piano, percussion, and singing in the moment, the therapist can create a flexible and individualized creative environment. Keep in mind, this does not mean there is no recorded music used at all. There are certainly scenarios where a therapist may utilize inorganic music as well.

2. There is often a greeting song and a “goodbye” song.

While this is certainly not a universal rule, many music therapists choose to start their session with a greeting or check-in song. For many students, routine and repetition is comforting. New music can sometimes be confusing, and by starting the session with a familiar activity or song may elicit a sense of peace amidst an otherwise hectic day. The greeting song also offers an opportunity to address and talk about emotions or events of the day.

Similarly, as a child completes their music therapy session and prepares to transition back to the classroom, the therapist uses another familiar song. For children, this song prompts a “goodbye” conversation. Leaving a peaceful and fun setting can be difficult and using a familiar ending song or activity can ease that transition.

3. Interventions are implemented.

Music therapy interventions are activities that aim to address a child’s goals. Think of interventions as the “meat” of the session—they are where the child will grow in their skills and learn. From session-to-session, these activities may vary. Below are some examples of music therapy interventions:

To help a child calm down and stay in their seat the therapist may use grounding techniques such as rhythm and movement. When kids feel a steady beat in their body, their heart rate and breathing may sync up to that beat and create a sense of calm.

To practice learning new information a therapist may present the child with a song to help them remember material. We can all relate to being able to remember song lyrics, but possibly struggling with numbers or new information. That same concept applies in music therapy. Songs can be used for children to practice the alphabet, numbers, spelling, or social skills such as conversations.

To express and process complicated emotions a therapist may implement a songwriting intervention. This could include writing words and making a completely original song, or, changing the words to a familiar one. Either way, the student is encouraged to create music that reflects their thoughts and mood.

A music therapist uses music to assist their client in infinite ways. The possibilities for growth in music therapy are endless. If you have a child or know someone who may benefit from music therapy, you can find more information on referrals and assessments by clicking below.

HOW TO MAKE A REFERRAL

The post What Does a Music Therapy Session Look Like was written by Katie Pistilli and first published on Upstate Music Therapy Center.

Science and Music: A Partnership that Changes Lives

by Amy Thomas | Jan 25, 2021

Written by Katie Pistilli

Would you ever go to a doctor or physician of any kind, whose practice doesn’t value and implement current research and scientific evidence? My guess is, you probably wouldn’t. Our health and wellbeing is important and we want to be confident that our doctors, therapists, psychologists, etc are well-informed and guiding us with the most up-to-date medical advice.

This is called evidence based-practice. It’s a universal value among professionals. By using evidence-based practice, the clinician is ensuring they are implementing interventions that are proven by research to be effective towards targeted goals of the patient. Without it, professionals would be simply following their intuition based on their own experience. While there is value in personal experience, it is essential to implement practice that is backed by research.

How does this apply to Music Therapy?

Evidence-Based Practice is one of many factors that make music therapists professional clinicians and is an essential pillar of the music therapy profession. In fact, it’s front-and-center in its definition:

“Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.” – The American Music Therapy Association

Like other professions, the work done by music therapists is based on scientific research and proven results. As music therapists, we stay up to date with trusted publications for new information and research. One is called The Journal of Music Therapy, another is Music Therapist Perspectives.

How do we use evidence-based practice?

As it applies to music therapy, we use evidence-based practice to create a treatment plan for our clients. This comes after an initial assessment is completed and recommendations are made for treatment.

As part of the plan, specific goals will be identified. Once they are, the therapist should then seek out research and interventions that are proven to be effective in accomplishing that specific goal.

The therapist may consider these questions:

What are my client’s goals?
What are their areas of need that may hinder them from achieving those goals (diagnosis, abilities)?
What are my resources (instruments, space)?
How can I adapt this research for my client’s interests and age?

Here’s an example. Say a music therapist is working with a child to maintain grasp in their hands. In music therapy, we utilize instrument playing to the beat of the music in order to address these kinds of goals. The anticipatory nature of rhythm and song can truly assist an individual learning functional movement such as grasp, or even walking. The technical term for this evidence-based technique is rhythmic entrainment.

A similar concept applies for individuals working on fluency in their speech. Perhaps they have a hard time speaking a full sentence and have to pause or repeat words often. Through evidence-based music therapy techniques such as Rhythmic Speech Cuing or Therapeutic Singing, the therapist uses natural musical element such as melody and rhythm to address their client’s goal area.

Why is it Important?

Utilizing Evidence-Based Practice is an ethical matter. If a therapist begins to implement treatment without it, there is always the potential for harm. As a field that continues to strive for licensure and recognition at the state level, it is essential that music therapists maintain this professional competency. Not only does evidence-based practice ensure the most ethical and effective treatment for our clients, but it supports the validity of our profession as it becomes more respected and recognized.

For more information regarding the use of research in the music therapy profession CLICK HERE.

The post What is Evidence-Based Practice was first published on Upstate Music Therapy Center.

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