August 10, 2020 By Dawn Thompson

A Success Story!

Taking a Look at Music Therapy - A Client Story

Edge Water MT truly values the flexibility of our clients and therapists! Before the covid-19 outbreak began, this client received music therapy services in her home to work on goals such as reciprocal communication and social skills. Services then moved smoothly to telehealth when the outbreak began and have continued online to address treatment goals.

In this photo taken prior to the covid-19 outbreak, you'll see her and her music therapist utilizing instrument play to practice taking turns, a skill that is foundational to addressing reciprocal communication. Her music therapist then utilized a steady drum beat to encourage a slowing of the client's rate of speech, and maintain engagement during a conversation about a client-preferred topic.

After switching to telehealth, this client and her music therapist utilized visual stories to learn about coronavirus and practice important safety skills such as hand-washing. Musical cueing was utilized to encourage hand-washing for 20 or more seconds by singing a client-preferred song and practicing hand washing movements.

In telehealth sessions, this client continues to work on reciprocal communication skills and social skills through musically prompted conversations. Musical stimuli including guitar accompaniment and steady drum beats act as both cues for turn taking in conversation, as well as means for maintaining attention.

Musically accompanied social stories are also utilized in these telehealth sessions to encourage understanding of the "new normal" we are experiencing and prompt conversation about life changes.

This client has continued to make progress in her goal areas, and has been an absolute rock star while adjusting to telehealth, we are so proud of her progress in her music therapy sessions!"

June 28, 2020 By Dawn Thompson

Now Offering Telehealth!

Now Offering Telehealth Music Therapy

We have added Telehealth Music Therapy! Edge Water Music Therapy now offers both in-home music therapy, as well as telehealth therapy using video platforms such as Zoom, Google Meet, Skype and Microsoft Teams among others. Fill out our Music Therapy Interest Form below to learn more today!

June 25, 2020 By thomps23

Now Accepting New Clients!

We are accepting new clients! We are offering music therapy services via telehealth at this time, and are passionate about continuing to provide services to individuals during this time of social distancing.

Would you like to know more about our music therapists?

Give us a call at (269)329-0730, send us a message on our Facebook page, or fill out a music therapy interest form on our website. We are always glad to answer your questions.

June 22, 2020 By Dawn Thompson

Songwriting for Processing Emotions

Songwriting can be used in the music therapy setting to address emotional expression needs and process trauma. For situations where written language is less accessible to the client, drawing can be used as a substitute for written language in songwriting projects. In I Will Follow You: The Combined Use of Songwriting and Art to Promote Healing in a Child Who Has Been Traumatized, Katurah R. Christenbury, MMT, MT-BC describes the process of prompting a young child to create drawings based on different emotions. She then used these drawings to create songs for the child as part of processing their trauma.

Providing the opportunity for a child to express their emotions through drawing, then making musical decisions such as how fast or slow to play, or the volume at which to play, can provide them an outlet to explain the complexities of their emotions.

In my own music therapy practice, I use songwriting to encourage children to identify their emotions, explore the roots of those emotions, and facilitate emotional expression in an engaging way.

-Karina Gluys, MT-BC

Music Therapy Interest Form

June 19, 2020 By thomps23

Music Therapy Goal Areas

Music therapy can address needs in a wide variety of non-musical goal areas. Listed below are just a few examples of goals we address in our music therapy sessions each week.

Emotional Regulation: Learning to identify one’s own emotions and the emotions of others.
Coping Skills: Developing positive coping tools to relieve stress, anxiety, and mood disruption.
Executive Functioning: Incorporating organization skills, memory support, and cognitive tasks into musical experiences.
Communication Skills: Encouraging verbal and non-verbal communication through reciprocal play.
Sensory Integration: Experiencing new sensory input through auditory and tactile experiences.
Social Skills: Learning greetings, goodbyes, and appropriate social boundaries.
Daily Living Skills: Developing routines for daily living skills including hand washing, teeth brushing, and dressing.

Would you like to know more about our music therapy services?

Give us a call at (269)329-0730, send us a message on our Facebook page, or fill out a music therapy interest form on our website. We are always glad to answer your questions.

June 12, 2020 By thomps23

Who can benefit from Music Therapy?

Individuals of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds can benefit from music therapy services. Music therapy can address a wide variety of needs and goal areas, therefore it can benefit individuals in many populations.

Below is a list of some (but not all!) of the populations who can benefit from music therapy services.

Children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly
Individuals with mental health concerns
Individuals with developmental and cognitive disabilities
Individuals with aging-related conditions including Dementia
Individuals who have experienced a traumatic brain injury
Individuals with physical disabilities

Would you like to know more about our music therapists?

Give us a call at (269)329-0730, send us a message on our Facebook page, or fill out a music therapy interest form on our website. We are always glad to answer your questions.

June 4, 2020 By thomps23

What is a Music Therapist?

A Music Therapist is someone who has completed an approved collegiate music therapy program, holds the certification ‘Music Therapist- Board Certified’ and has developed clinical and musical skills through continuing education at conferences, trainings, and supervision sessions.

At Edge Water Music Therapy, our music therapists, Ian Kells and Karina Gluys, provide services to our clients using evidence-based strategies and utilize continuing education opportunities to provide the best care for each individual.

Would you like to know more about our music therapists?

Give us a call at (269)329-0730, send us a message on our Facebook page, or fill out a music therapy interest form on our website. We are always glad to answer your questions.