Unexpected connection with a young boy with autism

I love a good surprise.  A great one happened to me recently.  The week before I have to admit was not my best session with a young boy with autism that I work with.  He was distracted, and I could not get him to focus on me.  One of the things that was distracting him was a book.  I decided to make up a song for the book while he was reading it.  I thought it did not really work that well because he did not engage in the song.  He simply kept reading it as though I wasn't doing anything.

The following week I went to see him.  The session started great with a lot of interaction.  He then went and got the book from the previous week.  He opened up the book and looked at me.  I started singing the song, and he sang it with me while making eye contact.  It was a good surprise.  I love a good surprise.

Seeing a smile from Young Man with Autism

I have been working with a young adult with autism in Mountain Home Idaho recently.  His attention span is short, and his interactions with me have been short too.  He will interact for a few minutes at a time.  But everytime I go he interacts a little bit more.  The last time I worked with him I saw something amazing.  He was more interactive with me than he has ever been.  He was playing music in time, following simple directions in the songs and even singing with me.  But my favorite moment was when he looked at me and gave me a big smile.  I had never seen him smile before, and it was a beautiful smile and a beautiful moment I won't forget.

Music Therapy helps a young adult with developmental delays find his voice

Music therapy can be so exciting when a break through happens.  I have been working with a young adult with developmental delays in a group for about a month.  This young man is able to speak a few words, but I have never heard him say to words in the correct context.  Last session while working with him in the context of the song we were doing he answered a question with an appropriate response.  It was awesome.  I saw the look of suprise on his mother's face and I got so excited.  It is moments like this that make me so thankful to be a music therapist.

Music Therapy at a Skilled Nursing Facility in Idaho

I started music therapy for at a skilled nursing facility yesterday.  It was my first time working with them, and it was exciting to see their reactions.  It was great to see how music therapy helps people who normally do not interact to make eye contact, sing, and talk about their lives.

The was one resident in particular who had an amazing interaction.  The facility wheeled in a woman who was sleeping.  The activity director said that she has never seen the resident interact with anybody in any way as long as she has been working there (around 9 months).  During the session, there were two times that the resident mouthed the words to the song.  The staff was amazed.  It was great to be able to facilitate a connection with someone who has been so isolated for so long.

Music therapy as a way to create a therapeutic relationship

A therapeutic relationship is key in any form of therapy.  If you don't have a trusting open therapeutic relationship, you can't make changes.  I am amazed at quickly a therapeutic relationship can be built through music therapy.

I am reminded of a person that I am working with who has had a lot of trauma in the past.  When she came in she was timid and had a difficulty expressing herself and what she wanted.  Then we played music together.  There was no words shared, just improvisational music.  The change after the music was significant.  Her thoughts were more organized, she had more confidence, and she opened up freely.  The music was able to quickly create a therapeutic relationship without any words.