What are the needs of the families you work with?

[Meredith Pizzi]

What are the needs of the families you work with? What are the needs of your community? Share with the board how your families and communities might be unique.

[Kristina Rio]

Hi everyone! I just wanted to let you all know that I will be away the next two weeks on my honeymoon, so I will not be checking in those two weeks. Please contact Erika, Meredith, or Beth with any questions you may have, and I look forwards to reading your posts when I return!

[Joanna Calahan]

The region I live in has currently experienced an influx of new clients with ASD or I/DD on the Waiver system in Indiana. With that there has been a general increase for the want of music therapy, as well as music therapy providers. I think a lot of my families are looking for structured and fun ways to encourage their children to increase communication skills, learn and practice appropriate social skills, and increase attending skills. I’ve noticed that with this new waiver release many of the “new” families (those who’ve never received waiver services) are requesting music therapy services because they (the parents) have noticed their child’s enjoyment of music, and because of this are wanting to try music therapy before other types of therapies.

[Dina Breaux]

Currently, I work with 3 one year olds and an 8 month old baby, along with their caregiver in a daycare setting. The parents of these children work full-time so I have not had an opportunity to interact with them. My daughter is a single mom so I have shared some of the songs I am learning in this course to help her with many of the day-to-day challenges of parenthood. She now sings to my granddaughter instead of reprimanding her when she gets into situations that might be dangerous. In most cases, my granddaughter will stop what she’s doing, turn and walk towards her mom, and join her in singing. My daughter has found singing while changing diapers and clothes especially helpful, with my granddaughter usually being compliant!
I would say that more opportunities for families to share music, art, dance, drama and play are essential for a healthy, nurturing community. The library in my city offers a limited amount of music classes for babies and toddlers (8 mo. – 4 yrs.), none of which are focused on younger babies or children with special needs. These classes are offered at only a few of the community centers, though many of these centers are multi-generational. I see a real opportunity to reach out to parents of children with special needs through more community offerings at night and on the weekends. Parents need more flexibility with times and places in order to participate in family-child programs as well as a more specialized approach to help guide them through their child’s early development.

[Gina Greeson]

The community I live in is very rural. I am also 35 minutes from the beach. At the beach, they have a school for children/teens on the autistic spectrum. They will not hire a music therapist for some reason. I am currently not working and did not work with children. There are only two music therapists that work with teens/children in my area. One has a private practice, and works at a music school, and another works at the other school for children with special needs. Kent County has a music therapist but she does not work with children. There are other schools in that county but they hire music teachers with special education certification. There are a lot of stores for infants and children in my area and kent county that would may benefit from these music classes. My schedule is very flexible too, so that would be good. We are just starting to advocate in the area. The school of music hired the other music therapist with a private practice, so I may talk to him about offering these services for his practice. I may even be able to contact the early intervention services and work with families.

[Gina Greeson]

I may even be able to work with the music therapist who has her own private practice in Maryland as I am about 45 away.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you each have found the needs in your area that you can target. Dina thank you for sharing how you have helped your daughter and granddaughter. As a mom of a two year old, I can attest to the fact that being a parent is difficult, triggering, and exhausting and music has saved me on many occasions. I also found it helpful during diaper changes, getting the little one into the car seat, and assisting with preventing food from being thrown everywhere. I use many of Beth’s songs for this. Gina it sounds like there is a lot of potential in your area. Being a mom helped me to connect with other moms and that was one area I gained new clients from for my classes.

[Lauren Klimek]

There is a lot of need for music therapy in my area as I am one of few music therapists practicing on Long Island and the only one I know of in my area working with children. Our local libraries offer some music programs but it’s generally ran by a librarian or outside music teacher. There is a lot of music together classes on Long Island and a few classes I saw in my surrounding area but nothing as unique and effective as music therapy. I have started to network with a few community social media sites and my daughter’s pediatrician had actually asked me to provide her with brochures and business cards as she said she has many patients and families who are dealing with a new diagnosis of ASD. I have plans to offer my services to the local libraries and even at a local play space where I know they already have music but don’t have music therapy. I’ve also targeted some sensory gyms and am in the process of providing a demo group as I met with the owners who are occupational therapists and it’s nice because they understand the value and effectiveness of our work. Although I see numerous music groups, like mommy and me and music together, I have yet to see any other music therapists offering services and that right there tells me there is a need for it 🙂

[Lauren Klimek]

Dina, that’s a good idea to do outreach to the parents on days and times that are more flexible for them. I too have thought about offering an information workshop at the local library in the evening to explain what music therapy is and how it can be used to help their child’s development and growth, while giving them the tools they need to interact with their children at home.

[Megan Calabro]

Hi, all. Here in NJ, we also have a higher number of families with children on the autism spectrum. However, from my experience in and around my own area, there is such a heavy emphasis placed on “only ABA”, which is a huge struggle for me. (Erika – I know you’re relatively close in proximity, and would love to hear your input!!). There is another MT who lives nearby, and has a booming private practice, but she also heavily emphasisizes her incorporation of ABA into her MT sessions, which again is a struggle. While I can understand the need for a behavioral approach at times, I also firmly believe that it needs to be within the context of a developmental approach. Personally, I see such a need for a developmental approach, and I also see a need for parents to have opportunities to engage with their child differently. Actually, all things considered, I see a need for parents to engage with their child period! There are so many families who don’t engage during therapy sessions, because it’s discouraged in the ABA world, and it makes such a tremendous difference when parents engage. Additionally, I’ve also had several parents at work ask me about how to include MT on their child’s IEP, or somehow incorporate it into EI. But, like Gina, the schools won’t hire MTs to provide MT, or really acknowledge MT as something that can be included as part of EI. While much of that is strictly red tape, it’s pretty frustrating. It’s also frustrating to hear how so many parents are paying enormous out of pocket fees for additional services for their child. Finally, I see a need for parent education. Parents need to know that it’s ok to be playful, and have opportunities where they can explore that with their child. And thinking about my own experiences as a parent of a child with ADHD, sensory needs, and an auditory processing disorder, I can appreciate the need to provide educational opportunities where parents can learn how to creatively support their child as they grow and develop.

[Anonymous]

Hi Megan,

I wrote a detailed note on the other question regarding your question here too. I should add that I had forgotten to write that I work from a relationship based/client-centered/developmental approach. Although EI will not hire an MT, I have had a few families seek me out to pay privately for me to work with their young children who were also receiving EI. If you find families that have an attorney or are great advocates, you may actually be able to get on a child’s MT. There are MT’s in NJ who are providing services in the public schools and are on the child’s IEP. I personally am going to be contracting with a private special education program in a Orthodox Jewish Private School System in NJ. Many of their children’s public schools pay for them to be in this program and the private program hired me for 13 hours a week with the hope to grow in the future. They were given money from someone’s will (not sure if it is an endowment or just a grant) to start a music therapy program. So, I would say there is a lot of potential in NJ. PS-I am the private practice chair for the NJAMT, which is where I linked up with the private special ed program. So, there is a lot that comes through that I refer out to our NJ NJAMT member community.

[Elizabeth Schwartz]

Thank you to all for sharing your stories and your expertise and for supporting one another. A number of you have spoken about difficulties with getting music therapy approved in public schools. In a few weeks Meredith and I will be traveling down to Kansas City for the AMTA annual conference. On that Thursday, we will be providing a 5 hour CMTE on IDEA law and regulations as it pertains to music therapy. There is considerable support for music therapy as a related service under IDEA, but it often takes personal contact with a school district to bring this to their attention. I have compiled the important documents in a PDF file and would be happy to send you the link after the conference. Just email me at Elizabeth@RaisingHarmony.com.

[Megan Calabro]

Erika – I’m glad to hear that there is potential!! I’m still hoping that MT someday will magically be recognized as part of EI. I’m hoping to connect with the NJ chapter of the infant mental health association, so there may be some opportunities to educate. Who knows?!

Beth – I’m unable to get to nationals as it falls around my son’s birthday, so thank you for offering to share some of what you’re putting together! I’d love to hear more about it after conference. Cheers!

[Kristina Rio]

Hi everyone. It was so great catching up and reading all of your responses this week. Thank you for your detailed responses and for checking back to engage in the conversations that have started!

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