Individual music therapy begins with a music therapy assessment, where the therapist evaluates cognitive, social, emotional, physical areas of functioning as related to musical responses. The assessment provides a baseline for future music therapy sessions and the client is provided with a written copy of the assessment report. Based on the information obtained from the assessment, as well as input from the client/family or the client’s treatment team (with informed consent), the music therapist formulates non-musical goals and objectives for the music therapy sessions (i.e. to improve eye contact, to improve articulation). The music therapist prepares and implements an individualized treatment plan using music as the catalyst to promote change and achieve the chosen goals. The music therapist continuously evaluates the client’s progress towards goals, and written progress reports/recommendations are provided. Individual sessions are generally held for 30, 45 or 60 minutes, once a week, depending on attention span and benefit to the client.
Music therapy goals can include: (but are not limited to:)
- Promoting communication skills (articulation, oral motor skills, vocabulary development, rhythm/intonation of speech etc)
- Promoting social skills (eye contact, sharing, turn-taking, appropriate social response)
- Promoting emotional expression
- Promoting relaxation
- Promoting distraction from pain
- Promoting and maintaining gross/fine motor skills
Music Therapists frequently work with individuals who may present with signs of:
- Dementia
- Alzheimers
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Down’s syndrome
- Palliative care
- Medically fragile
- Rhetts syndrome
- Developmental delay
- Dual diagnosis
- Speech delay
- Physical disability
- Recovering from stroke
Email us at [email protected] for more information or to book a music therapy assessment
