Did you catch Part 1 of my summer blog series on Music & Movement? Or as I like to say, Movin' and Groovin' in Music Therapy! Check out that video here - we're working on identification of shapes. Today, I want to share a video that incorporates movement into an individual session where we're working [...]
Today's post is Part 1 of my summer blog series on movin' and groovin' during your music therapy sessions with kids! Movement is so important when children are learning - it wakes up the body and the brain and actively engages children in the learning process. In the video below, I am working on shape identification [...]
"When I'm gone, when I'm go-ne. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. You're gonna miss me by my walk, you're gonna miss me by my talk. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone." That song has been stuck in my head more than a time or two the past few months! If you don't [...]
I can't believe it - last Sunday was the final day of Friendship Circle for the school year! Friendship Circle is an amazing program that I've been a part of for the past four years. The program provides opportunities for socialization and friendship for children, tweens, and teens with special needs. I provide group music [...]
As April is winding down, so is the school year here at University of Miami (UM), where I've been teaching this past school year. It has been an incredible year and I have learned so, so much! I'm looking forward to the coming months, where I have a few major life changes coming down the [...]
Bravery - This is a theme that's reappeared quite frequently in the last year or two....in Disney movies and in songs. I think this theme is very relevant to teens and so I decided to incorporate it into my music therapy sessions last week. These are sessions for teens with autism and other special needs and [...]
As music therapists we are skilled at using various musical elements to systematically help us achieve or bring about a desired behavior. In my work with children with autism and other special needs, I use the V7 chord to build anticipation and prompt a verbal response. ("It's a....it's a.....dog!") I use a 6/8 meter to [...]
Last week, I shared some of my favorite St. Paddy's Day session ideas for my middle school and teen music therapy groups. Check that post out HERE! Today I want to share a few more ideas. I always love having a theme or holiday to inspire my session planning! Movement to an Irish Jig There [...]
Sensory-based interventions are some of my favorite to incorporate into my music therapy sessions. Many of the children I work with who have special needs are also sensory-based learners. This means they learn about their world through their senses - sight, touch, hearing, even taste! Here is an original song I wrote to use in my sensory sessions [...]
Those of you who have purchased Tuneful Teens: Creative Ideas for Engaging Adolescents in Music Therapy know that there is something cool I added to the package a few months ago. A FREE update! As I continued to work with teens with autism and other special needs I began seeing that the songs I used [...]
