[Amy Myers]

• There have been so many takeaways for me throughout this course! Music therapy within family contexts is something that has really interested me in the past few years, and I have felt more and more drawn to the fact that music therapy can connect people in meaningful ways. I just couldn’t quite figure out how to put all the pieces together. I knew I love working with children, and I wanted to branch out into working with family contexts, but I wasn’t quite sure how to go about offering this type of service. The developmental framework presented in this course makes so much sense to me as a music therapist and has provided me with a much more solid foundation I can build upon as I start offering these programs in the future. The songs presented throughout the course helped give me a better idea of appropriate musical elements for different developmental stages and painted a clearer picture of what a session might look like. Overall, I feel much more prepared to support families in music therapy and feel as though the puzzle pieces I have been sitting with for two years are finally starting to connect and make sense. Thank you for an amazing course!

[Amy Myers]

I am excited to dive into connecting with the people in my new community and hopefully helping them build meaningful connections with others as well. I think that a program like this holds so much potential to do exactly that. I am interested to see which organizations in my area I might be able to partner with to provide more equitable access to programs like this for all members of the community. The developmental framework is something I definitely resonate with as a music therapist, so I am excited to bring that into my work. The parent/caregiver education component is certainly something that stood out to me throughout this training, and I think it is such an important piece in community programs. I feel much more prepared to support families in connecting with their children in different developmental levels.

[Amy Myers]

One of my favorite ways to bring children back to the music (especially if the group is getting a little crazy) is using a really quiet voice, sitting in my seat, singing “If you can hear my voice…” (to the tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It), and including and modeling a bunch of quiet actions (tap your toes, touch your nose, stretch up high, take a breath). It typically triggers a domino effect of each child realizing what is happening and wanting to participate in it, and it can totally change the tone in the room to a much calmer and organized one. I also find that dimming the lights during a cooldown song before singing goodbye can be really helpful in providing an organizing and predictable structure during the transition out of the session.

In situations where a child is engaging in unsafe behavior, I find the phrase “Please stop, think, and make a better/safer choice” can be really effective. Most of the kids I work with just need a proactive reminder to make safe choices during moments of frustration, so if I can catch it as soon as I see signs that it could lead into an aggressive or other unsafe behavior, this phrase can be really helpful.

[Amy Myers]

5 words: (1) Support (2) Sharing (3) Cooperation (4) Joyful (5) Connection

Session Plan: Gathering (Come and Join the Circle); Bonding Song (Hold on Tight); Song About Me (All of this is Me); Instrument Song (I Like This Song); Movement Song (I Can Move Around); Goodbye Song

[Amy Myers]

5 words: (1) Active (2) Deliberate (3) Strong (4) Welcoming (5) Creative

Session Plan: Gathering/Greeting (Gather Round); Bonding Song (My Brand New Friend); Song About Me (Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb); Instrument Song (Music is the Way, with resonator bells); Movement Song (The Leaves Fall Down, with scarves); Goodbye Song

[Amy Myers]

While the parallels between this work and other community music programs are certainly there, I think the main distinction comes down to our aims, training, and ability to respond in a flexible way. I love that this is not a “boxed curriculum,” as others have also pointed out. As music therapists, we are able to recognize the needs presented by an individual or a group and respond in an adaptive way that allows us to better meet these ever-changing needs. I don’t know that I can say other music programs allow for that flexibility. Along these same lines, music therapists are trained to continuously assess group dynamics, which I can imagine is a hugely important piece in working with family units and the relationships within them.

[Amy Myers]

When I think of multi-age groupings, I think of a wide range of developmental levels. Although most of my kiddos on my current caseload (all diagnosed with ASD) are grouped together in their classrooms with other kids who are somewhat close in age, I find that the developmental levels are all over the place in each of my groups. The biggest challenge I have faced in these groups is managing each child’s sensory needs while still providing opportunities for self-expression, self-determination, and an overall appropriately stimulating and engaging experience/environment. That being said, I think that speaks to one of our greatest strengths as music therapists, as we are trained to recognize these needs and adapt in the moment.

[Amy Myers]

5 words: (1) Playful (2) Energizing (3) Spontaneous (4) Increasingly Varied (5) Anticipation

5 sentences: (1) It’s okay to let your baby move away from you and around the room! Freedom of movement and exploration is a really important piece at this stage. (2) Your baby is taking it all in right now. He’ll sing and play along here with the group when he is ready. (3) Your baby can learn a lot about the environment through his feet. You can grab his feet by the top and help him move his feet. Be careful to get the flat part on the floor, not just the heel! (4) It’s okay if your baby puts the maraca in his mouth. It’s just another way he is exploring the instrument and the world around him. (5) Your baby might not be able to clap quite yet. You can help him learn by placing him facing outward on your lap and by positioning your arms under his to guide his movements.

Session Plan: Greeting/Gathering Song (Hello, Everybody); Bonding Song (Wiggly Jiggly Car; emphasize maintaining a safe and secure base while allowing freedom to move and explore); Song About Me (All of this is Me); Instrument Song (Sit With Me and Shake; include some variations in tempo, include pauses in the music, include some elements of surprise); Movement (March with My Baby); Goodbye Song, followed by a Thank You Song

[Amy Myers]

I love using mini maracas with my little ones! I find that they are much safer to give children than egg shakers, especially if the child is in a developmental stage where mouthing instruments is common. I also really like nesting drums/frame drums because there is enough variability in the sizes to make sure you can find one that is appropriate for each child/developmental level, and because they are fairly easy to wipe down. For drums, I am a big fan of Remo. Their products typically hold up well, and they have some great products for individuals with auditory sensitivities (Not So Loud drums and mallets).

[Amy Myers]

I think this question really points to the importance of knowing the individuals you are working with. The level of stimulation that is appropriate truly varies from child to child. With this in mind, I would think that the type of stimulation would be an important consideration as well. Most of my work thus far has been with children with ASD and sensory processing disorders, so I see a really wide range of sensory needs. Some children might seek much more sensory input than others. I have also see that certain combinations of types of sensory input (e.g., auditory input AND kinesthetic input) might be jarring in some cases, so that is also an important consideration.

[Amy Myers]

My experience in music therapy with children of this age and level has been fairly limited! My current clients are 5 years old, at the youngest. Most of my experience with this age range comes from watching a few of my friends’ children grow. Parent-infant bonding is something that I became really interested in during my graduate work, so I researched it quite a bit, but I haven’t had the chance to explore this in a clinical setting yet. I did, however, just start a new job, where I will have several babies and their families on my caseload, so I am super excited about this!

[Amy Myers]

Five words: (1) Gentle (2) Warm (3) Consistent (4) Warm (5) Swaying

Five sentences: (1) Notice how your baby is following the scarf with his eyes. Keep it nice and slow as you continue to move it. (2) I hear (baby’s name) cooing! Do you hear how he is vocalizing with the music? (3) If you place your baby on your bent knees so he is facing you (model if needed), you will be at the perfect distance for him to see your face as you sing. (4) You can gently rub the handle of the maraca in your baby’s palm; this will help him grasp it so he can play. (5) I see your baby is really moving those legs; try standing him up, he might like that!

Session plan: Gentle recorded music plays as children and caregivers enter the group space. Caregivers have time to create their space and converse with others while the babies acclimate to the space. After everyone settles in, sing a hello/gathering song, greeting each child by name. Caregivers are encouraged to provide a gentle touch on their babies’ chests to let them know that the group is singing hello to them. A gentle lap ride song, like “Row Your Boat/Row It Faster” is sung to promote bonding. Maracas with a warm timbre are then used for an instrument song, like “In My Little Hand.” To further promote trust between the baby and caregiver, a movement song like “As Big as Can Be” is sung. Scarves are then paired with a gentle song for a cool down before the Goodbye song concludes the session.

[Amy Myers]

Community music therapy-based programs within this context can provide unique experiences and a means of connection with others for young children and their families. I have seen musicians and music educators running community groups over the years, but I think that music therapists can offer a much more flexible and in-the-moment experience for families, tailoring the experiences to each child’s level of development and each family’s unique needs. While I love working within a clinical context, I can see how community-based programs might be much more accessible. If we view music as a resource within community-based contexts (rather than only viewing music in a clinical and 1:1 manner), we can potentially reach more families, help people build meaningful connections with others, and provide a stimulating and accessible health/wellness resource.

[Amy Myers]

I am going to be relocating in the next few months to Western Massachusetts, so I have been working to get a better idea of where the needs lie in my new community. I recently discovered that there is very very limited access to music therapy in this entire side of the state, so I am excited to get things rolling here so people can actually access music therapy services! Prior to everything shutting down, I had connected with a few organizations/schools/facilities in the area that serve children and families. From what I have gathered, there is an interesting gap in regard to resources in different pockets of this area. There are areas of town where families are extremely wealthy and have seemingly infinite access to things that will set their children up for success as they grow. On the other hand, there are also areas of town where families live at or below the poverty line. Based on conversations I’ve had with school adjustment counselors in the area, these areas are typically where children experience greater risk of trauma, neglect, and abuse; they are also the areas where families do not have access to the resources they need.

With all of that being said, I see a need for community programming with equitable accessibility for families. This is something that is really important to me as I start to develop programs and connect with organizations in the area. I think music therapy can provide, first and foremost, a safe and supportive environment for families in this area. I also think that the flexibility music therapy offers in regard to families’ various and unique needs will also be an important addition in my community.

[Amy Myers]

Music therapy offers young families a way to foster development in a joyful, natural, and personally meaningful way. While our scope of music therapists is quite broad (encompassing our ability to work with individuals of all ages and ability level), I think that our ability to respond reflexively in the moment and in the music is what really speaks to our value and what we can offer to young families. In doing so, we are able to provide enriching opportunities for engagement and development (for the children and the adults involved!) while offering support for the families in whatever way is needed.

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