Thanks
for visiting
musicfromthestart.com
topics
and conversations. Here I want to address music
therapy
issues
and concepts as they relate to education, health and wellness.
This is part fourteen of my blog posts where I describe music therapy interactions I've had that are indicative of why music is so healing, meaningful, enriching and sometimes life changing!
This
post describes a music therapy session that is fairly common where I
have to take into account the client's cognitive comprehension (or
processing) speed, i.e., through assessment, first identify how slow
I need to speak to individuals for them to fully understand and then,
very importantly, determine how slow I have to play the music to have
them fully comprehend the experience.
I'll
discuss this concept by describing sessions I have with a music
therapy client named Freda. What a blessed privilege and honor to
work with her. I say a blessed privileged because Freda is 104 years
old! She sings beautifully and has her mental faculties relatively
intact.
When
I visit Freda she welcomes me with the cutest high pitched voice and
a big smile. After a number of visits I know now what songs she
knows the words to, and we enjoy singing and video recording the
sessions. Very fun... when I video a song on my phone and we watch it
she exclaims “look, we're on TV!”
When
I play a song that I know she knows, I watch carefully how
comfortable and with how much ease she is able to sing. When needed,
I slow down when she has trouble getting some words out. It is common
when singing with Freda (and those similar) that when a second or
third verse comes up, that might not be as well known as the first
verse, she slows down to remember or correctly sing the words. Being
able to accompany and support her singing with precisely her needs in
mind is the wonderful thing about live music and music therapy. I'll
remind us that my favorite definition of music therapy is: using
music to support and achieve non-musical goals. The primary goal is
not to make beautiful music. The primary goals are to provide an
opportunity for positive reminiscence, to be a positive diversion
from stress and worry and to support hopefulness. The fact that we
are making beautiful is simply “icing on the cake.”
These
kind of experiences are so precious. Again, what an honor to
experience live music with Freda and witness the precious responses
that she has. Wow!!
So, "Why (live)
music??"... To again be in the privileged position to experience
live with others, i.e., supporting them, performing with them,
witnessing and recording their responses and sharing these
experiences with their family and others.
As
a reminder the main thrust of the music therapy/childbirth lecture is
to support moms (and dads) as they put together their own music
listening playlists or CDs to support rhythmic breathing, act as a
positive diversion from pain and stress, etc., to be used during
labor and delivery.
Also,
I'm looking forward to recording my second music album early this
year. This is music for child development, autism and special needs.
As a reminder, one song, “High 5,” from David's Basics in
Education (music album #1) is still a free download for a limited
time.
In upcoming posts I will continue with other music therapy/health and wellness related blog posts.
My prescription this week??? Sing and experience music with those you love and others!
AND!!!! Please share with others, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter ... Thanks
