According to the Canadian Association of Music Therapists (2016):

“Music therapy is a discipline in which credentialed professionals (MTA*) use music purposefully within therapeutic relationships to support development, health, and well-being. Music therapists use music safely and ethically to address human needs within cognitive, communicative, emotional, musical, physical, social, and spiritual domains.”

*Music Therapist Accredited

As a music therapist, I use music in a variety of ways to work towards non-musical goals, with a focus on children and young adolescents.  My approach is eclectic and child-focused. I am particularly interested in the use of music as an alternative mode of communication, and I’m influenced by  Resource-oriented music therapy, Creative music therapy (Nordoff-Robbins), Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT), and The field of play (Carolyn Kenny).

Children who might benefit from music therapy include those facing challenges such as speech and communication disorders and delays, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), brain injury, cerebral palsy, genetic disorders, and developmental delays.

Some examples of potential goal areas for children include: Non-verbal communication, Staying on task, Social interaction, Encouraging physical movement, Learning to make choices, Creative self-expression, Speech goals, Increasing range of motion, Gait training, Cognitive stimulation, Bonding with parent.

For more information about how music therapy works through life, please read my blog series: Music Therapy Through Life.

I provide music therapy to children in their own homes in Toronto. I ask that your child and I have a room in which to work, ideally one that is private. If you have a keyboard instrument (such as a piano), I would love the opportunity to use it with your child. All other instruments/ required materials will be brought by me.

Consultation

I offer a free consultation. This is provided on the phone at a pre-arranged time (1/2 hour). This is your opportunity to tell me about your child, what they may be struggling with, and your concerns. It is my opportunity to ask some questions. At the end of the consultation, I will tell you whether I think I can help, and you will be given the opportunity to make a decision about whether to go ahead.

Assessment

Clinical assessment looks a lot like other music therapy sessions. I will take this time to get to know your child, their strengths and their weaknesses. Some of the assessment will also include information gathering from you. This generally takes one or two sessions. At the end of the assessment, I will create a treatment plan and formulate goals for your child. I will go over my plan with you, and get your agreement to go ahead.

Treatment

Most children have one session per week in order to keep momentum. During treatment, I continue to document your child’s progress towards the goals established during the assessment, and we may agree together to adjust the goals as treatment progresses. Session length may vary depending on your child’s age.

A typical music therapy session might include receptive music (listening), familiar and improvised music, songwriting, moving to music, and multi-modal aspects (such as visual art elements). Exactly what will be involved depends on your child and their specific goals. I have a wide variety of instruments that I use in sessions such as drums, bells, shakers, and other small percussion instruments. Music therapy with children often looks a lot like play and your child may not realize how hard they are working.