What are the needs of the families and communities that you work with?

[Julie Palmieri]

What are the needs of the families that you work with?

What are the needs of your community?

How can music meet the unique needs of your families and community?

[Elmira Abasova]

The needs of the families I work with and the needs of the community have many similarities:
1) They are worried about their future in the context of the current situation in Ukraine.
2) Parents wanted their children to be healthy and develop according to their age. For children who require more support, parents want to “compensate” their needs.
3) They want affordable interventions.
4) They want to see the results of the interventions.

Music can meet the needs of the community:
1) By providing a safe environment and joyful activities. Moments of happiness and music can facilitate recovery from emotional traumas. Music can be used as a coping strategy.
2) Music facilitates the development and acquisition of new skills, so it’s always beneficial for children’s and families’ needs.
3) The therapist can provide parents with ideas of interaction with children through music-making. Practicing songs at home is affordable and therapeutic.
4) Therapists can point a caregiver’s attention to any progress their children make that may help parents see the effectiveness of music-based interventions.

[Erika (TeamRH)]

Hi Elmira,

Thank you so much for sharing with us about the work you are doing and the needs of the families and communities where you work. It sounds like you are a vital source to help through very scary and challenging times. We truly appreciate the your time in sharing your insights.

[Amy Calderon]

I agree Elmira. Music can provide so much joy and happiness, especially during challenging times.

[Lydia Westle]

Elmira,

Thank you so much for sharing! Many of the concepts you shared are also applicable to my work setting of a pediatric medical hospital and I appreciate how you broke then down in such a detailed way!

When I think about the families I work with at CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) especially on my primary units of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Cardiac Unit and Surgery / Trauma Unit, many of them are facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives and experiencing significant psychosocial trauma. My caregivers are often making so many sacrifices with the hopes of finding their child treatment – whether that’s being far away from their homes, putting jobs on hold, being away from other family members / other children to stay with their hospitalized (if possible, though not always the case), or navigating “caregiver guilt” in NOT being able to remain at the hospital due to many other responsibilities at home. Many caregivers feel very overwhelmed with the amount of medical equipment on their child, overwhelmed with not having answers and overwhelmed with the many unknowns, overwhelmed with a new diagnosis / injury OR a chronic illness and understandably worried as they navigate potentially life-limiting or terminal illnesses. Oftentimes these moments can feel incredibly isolating for families, although I tend to think of CHOP as a community and often find that these similar feelings and experiences are shared amongst almost of the families I work with, even if the exact specifics of the medical circumstance varies. In this way, I find that the needs of families and the needs of my community are intertwined – as I see them both connected, with a lot of overlap.

Similar to the sentiments that Elmira shared, music can help families experience beauty and meaningful moments, even simultaneously, as they navigate some of the most challenging, and sometimes devastating, experiences of their lives. To this day, I still find it incredibly humbling, as well as an honor, to be able to witness families connecting with their child through music, especially in times when they felt so disconnected in some many ways – whether it’s creating a personalized lullaby for their child, helping their child to explore an instrument or even holding their child’s hand while listening receptively to a meaningful song. Especially in circumstances where families are living in the hospital for extended stays (even over a year), music can help to humanize the experience, help caregivers feel empowered with what they can do for their child and help patients / families to create special memories. Additionally, many of the patients I work with are experiencing all of their milestones within the hospital (birthdays, holidays, etc) – and music can help add moments of normalcy, as well as support opportunities for legacy building, throughout a family’s journey. My hope is always that music can help provide moments of comfort and foster opportunities for inner- resilience, even in some of the most trying moments.

[Maura Nicholson]

Lydia- I really loved how you pointed out how children connect with their families through music when they can feel so disconnected on so many other levels. I think that truly speaks to the epitome of what we do and why we do it!

[Lydia Westle]

Yes, I very much agree! It’s always really special to witness and experience!

[Camryn Gallagher]

Lydia, I LOVE how you describe the work as “humbling” and an honor. Working in pediatrics is truly special and I miss it every day! Hospitalization comes with a lot of trauma that doesn’t often get talked about, because it’s just impossible to really understand without experiencing it yourself. But it sounds like you’re doing so much to help families stay connected and create positive memories in a space that can otherwise feel so challenging and dark. I’ve always felt that our backgrounds allow us to provide something to families that other providers cannot, and that alone is so valuable!

[Lydia Westle]

Thanks so much! It really is quite special and I still am kind of “in aw” of the strength and resilience we get to see daily! Prior to working in peds, I had worked in adult inpatient psych for 6 years, so it was definitely an adjustment of feeling confident / comfortable with how I could support during those moments. However, I continue to learn every day!

[MacKenzie Lyons]

In terms of the families that I am currently working with, many of them are in search of anything that will promote the development of their child. I often hear conversations between caregivers talking about where their child is developmentally and asking for/giving advice. I have found that many parents find it reassuring to hear that what their child is experiencing is not uncommon. I also think that many of the families that I work with find the sense of community to be comforting. The way that music can help meet these needs is by making the concept of development more accessible. I have found that parents can easily see their child’s progression from session to session, which contributes to their feeling of reassurance when it comes to their child’s development. Being in a group with other caregivers and children also promotes the feeling of community that many parents need.

In terms of the needs of my community, many of the people that I work with benefit greatly from more individualized attention. Many of my clients are constantly a part of a group and or are in a situation where all of their needs cannot be met. This is where music really comes in. Music is extremely adaptable, therefore, you can reach people who are at different levels of need. Within music, each person can have a sense of individuality while also maintaining their community.

[Camryn Gallagher]

I agree that individualized attention is highly needed in a lot of communities! I do think that some of these needs can be met within a group setting, but I personally find myself struggling to accommodate this. I’m still a pretty new clinician and sometimes just feel so overwhelmed by the duties of leading a group that I end up worrying about certain families feeling left behind or unheard. Maybe this just comes with developing my own confidence and comfort with group-leading, but I also feel inspired to do more check-ins with families throughout a group now – because you’re right, it’s hard to feel like you’re welcome as a member of a group/community if your own sense of individuality isn’t being honored! I like how Meredith shared in one of the videos that she often will ask parents if they have any requests or songs they need to hear again to remember how they go, and will definitely be incorporating that and similar methods of reaching out to caregivers in the future.

[Courtney McDonald]

In the school setting, I do not come in contact with many of the families. I have generally only met them at Open House. Instead of speculating to their needs, I will address the needs of the teachers/staff that work with the students every day.

The adults in the classroom are looking for new and engaging experiences for the students. I provide an opportunity to learn and play within a different environment. They use songs in their circle time but see the difference and value of live music with the students. Both the adults in the classroom and the families that I have spoken with are happy to have their child participating in a normalized school activities such as participating with typical students in performance opportunities. I have students with severe disabilities who are in a self-contained classroom. For me and I believe the teachers, it is all about deepening and expanding their experiences. The student’s disabilities are severely limiting their vertical growth.

As for community needs, I agree with MacKenzie. My students are constantly within a group setting, even for many types of therapy. Within my small groups of 6-8, the functioning levels are very disperate. Music can help the students move from music next to someone else to music together.

[Maura Nicholson]

I live in a seasonal community that is booming with tourists in the summer but what the winter hits, the population essentially splits in half and lots of stores and attractions shut down. The winter can be exceptionally isolating for some families. The center that I will be starting music groups at is an indoor plays space and has the potential to be a wonderful resource for children and caregivers to come and meet others. I know of some new moms who have expressed feeling isolated in our area and my primary goal is to provide an inviting space and help them feel excited to come and meet other caregivers and for their children to meet peers. Sharing music experiences with other children and caregivers can help “break the ice” for some caregivers who may not necessarily feel comfortable striking up a conversation with another parent or caregiver. Like many places, childcare is expensive and hard to come by for many families, so the music group provides vital socialization for both children and caregivers.

Having just started getting back into music therapy, Meredith talking about believing in the value of what we do really resonated with me. I need to get comfortable putting myself out there again because I am confident that once families understand what it is I am providing, they will be encouraged to attend. Something I need to work on!

[Lydia Westle]

It sounds like you have so many valuable things to offer your community and the new moms / caregivers in it! They are so lucky to have you! I really agree with what you wrote regarding Meredith’s sentiments about believing in the value of what we do. It can be so hard to put ourselves out there, but so worth it! You got this! 🙂

[Camryn Gallagher]

Working in EI in central MA has shown me how much families need accessible community-based programming for child/caregivers… affordable, scheduled for times other than M-F 9-5 to accommodate working parents, developmentally enriching, and led by providers open to neurodiversity. I work with a lot of families who struggle to feel bonded/connected to their child, as well as lacking a support system of friends/community members who understand what it’s like to be a parent to a young child. Music could absolutely meet all of these needs by providing a space for these families to feel included, to learn about their child and themselves, and to feel like a valuable participant in their own communities, all while being held by the safe and familiar agent of music. I also have noticed plenty of ableism, even from clinicians in my own organization, towards Autistic children in particular. Sometimes just from a lack of spaces that are safe and welcoming of children who are not “typical,” and at worse it entails their deliberate exclusion from activities. This is something I actively want to change by creating a space that IS safe for all means of exploration and recognizes all the different ways that children listen and learn. Music provides a space where there is no “wrong” way to play, as long as no one is getting hurt.

[Daniel DeLucia]

The needs of the families and communities that I work with (at least within the school district) more or less include finding a sense of belonging and support, especially among groups that are within pre-teen/teen age range or who are within transition programs and are transitioning into employment out in the community. With this one group that I work with in which the members are usually 12-14 years old, many of the experiences that I do with them are meant to address their developmental needs of forming identity and shared interpersonal relationships. Music experiences, in particular activities which involve song sharing and song writing, seem to uniquely address these needs as they promote autonomy and encourage them to lead the session and clinical process. </p>
<p>Families within the NICU however are slightly different. The needs are often revolved around bonding with their infant, a reassurance of steady transition out of the NICU. Based on my observations of an MT at the NICU I will be working in, music seemed to address these needs by reducing stress cues through gentle lullabies on the guitar as well as incorporating the parent’s names into the music experiences to facilitate bonding. </p>
<p>Within both of these contexts, the overall need is a promotion of steady and healthy development within different areas of a person’s life. Music, just by it’s intrinsic nature of being an phenomenon that humans find aesthetically pleasing as well as having innate connections that it can foster between others, addresses these developmental needs in ways that differ from other modalities.

[Olivia Todd]

Similar to Courtney, I do not come in contact with many families of the students I work with. The teachers and paraprofessionals that are with the students daily are often looking for ways for the students to expand socialization and communication. Many of the students that I see are in their first year of school and do not know what to expect, or how to interact within a group setting. In general, they are also looking for new experiences for their students to learn but also play and be children.
In the NICU, many of the families are in need of a time and space for bonding. Having an infant in the NICU can be incredibly stressful, anxiety provoking, and scary. Like Lydia said, there are so many other things going on in the family’s lives that they cannot put on hold, and sometimes they feel caregiver’s guilt. Just last week I spoke to a mother that had been with her infant for 5 hours and felt guilty leaving to take a shower and eat something for the first time that day. As we talked a little bit more about music therapy, she stated she felt a little better leaving her infant knowing that she was going to be receiving music therapy as she left.

Music therapy in the school setting can provide new and exciting ways to engage with students and for the students to engage with their peers. For the new students, an entire day of spoken instructions can be overwhelming, and the many elements of music can provide a different way of communication. Music therapy also provides a safe space for the students to move around, or be a little loud, and to play with their peers. I like the way that Lydia put it that music can help humanize the experience of being in a hospital. There are so many things to keep track of, so many sounds that can be alarming, but music therapy provides a safe and comfortable space for the parent to just be with their baby and hopefully let go of the worry for a little while.

[Kate Jihye Choi]

Working with many Autistic children, I often found that music is the parent’s last hope. They respond to music, although they don’t respond to their name. They interact with MT, although they don’t seem to recognize others. They make eye contact, laugh, and smile to music. Parents want to know what happens and how to use music daily. I often share music and strategies to help with building stronger parent/child relationships. Because I found in many cases, they have some bonding issues due to a lack of interaction. Music can provide the family with a safe environment to freely be themselves and have fun.

The community I’m working with comprises many immigrants from other countries with various cultural backgrounds. Frequently, they are isolated from the community, although they live in central MA, lacking resources and support as they don’t have any other families nearby. Coming to the music group is one of the great ways of absorbing into the community. They experience new things, meet new people, and make friends in a safe environment. Music breaks the wall between different backgrounds, languages, and appearances. In the music group, everyone is someone else’s parents or caregivers.

[Erika (TeamRH)]

What a wonderful service you are providing. Music is also a wonderful place to show how autistic and other neurodivergent cultural social norms can be met through music.

This enables parents to understand that making eye contact goes against the cultural norms of autistic people and the lack of connection is from parents not understanding autistic and neurodivergent social norms and customs. Music helps that cultural gap between neurotypical and neurodivergent and can help NT and unknowing ND parents become adjusted to autistic and neuroaffirming socialization.

I also find that those that came to the US as an immigrant are usually trying to “blend in” and or “assimilate” to the US society and that can be challenging when it is not affirming of their own cultural backgrounds. This on top of having a lack of education about neurodiversity and neurodivergence can be so challenging and isolating for families.

What a wonderful sense of community they can experience coming into music with you.

[Amy Calderon]

The needs of my families I work with are positive experiences, normalization, stimulation, developmental growth, bonding, and autonomy. I work in a children’s hospital, so a lot of the children I work with are needing medical care and some are there for months. They need to have stimulation and psitive experiences while they are in a difficult time in their lives. Prolonged stays can also slow down development, so it is important that we support them with that.

My community needs someone who is knowledgeable in development and that provide experiences and opportunites for them to bond with their children. Parents are not always knowledgeable about development, so they do not know or understand that there are certain things that happen in development that are normal. Others may not be aware when a child might be falling behind, but we can be here to support and show them how to help their child and when it might be necessary to get more help.

Music is unique in that it can help with all areas of development through movement, language, and socialization. It also provides a positive experience and can give children a sense of autonomy. It also allows families to bond together.

[Jessica Solimini]

I think that, particularly post covid, that communities in general have a need for increased opportunities for community-building. So many services that were paused during the pandemic have not bounced back to their pre-pandemic levels. There is also a whole cohort of young/new parents and small children who did not get to experience a lot of community-based programming. My niece, for example, was born a couple of months before the pandemic so essentially, she did not leave the house for the first year of her life. There were no library programs or play groups my sister could take her to. Music programs like Sprouting Melodies meet this need by providing a safe and nurturing environment for the participants to build community together.

[Mark Dunford]

Often when I speak with parents of children with IDD I work with they just say they want their child to simply be able to participate in a regular activity that they find joyful. There aren’t that many recreational options for children with IDD, developmental delays and Autism so parents are happy with a regular activity their children can thrive in and look forward to. Of course, we know MT is addressing this need for a regular activity but it’s also fostering development, social skills, and many other positive benefits. I also work with older people with dementia, cognitive decline, and schizophrenia who are definitely socially isolated and are in need of social bonding, shared joy, and opportunities to connect musically and socially with other people. Music therapy is also a great resource to reinforce academic and cognitive goals that may be related to school based sessions as well as emotional regulation and stimulation.

[Erika (TeamRH)]

This question is great for assessing how you can meet the needs of your community and be a unique service for their needs.

[Billie Junget]

Many needs of my clients are for shared joy and engagement in a leisure activity. Building community is part of that as well. Some of the newer mothers in one of my sessions have been exchanging numbers, that’s a need of the community. Staff in my sessions experience their residents in another avenue with the music, and we get to facilitate that. Music serves the families and community by bringing people together and engaging with one another in a creative way.

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