[Maura Nicholson]

Hello!
My name is Maura Nicholson and I live in Edgecomb, Maine which is in the mid-coast area. I live with my husband and our almost 1 yr old daughter.

I received an undergraduate degree in Musical Theater from Pace University in 2012 and my graduate degree in Music Therapy from Lesley University in 2016. I worked in Early Intervention out of West Newbury, MA for five years after graduating and then relocated to Maine during the pandemic and have been working as a Director of Sales for weddings and events for a seasonal resort. I took the Sprouting Melodies training in 2020 and I am excited to take it again as I would love to transition back to music therapy-and especially groups! There are no music therapists in my area and the need for music groups is so great!! I look forward to learning from others, getting reinspired and motivated to make this a key part of my life once again.

[Maura Nicholson]

I found it so helpful to revisit the levels of music development. After practicing for several years and feeling a bit plateaued, going through the levels helped me to go back to basics and remind myself of my value as a music therapist. I also found it so helpful to identify ways of explaining these levels and developmental responses to parents. I really enjoyed having the song categories as a model “template” for a Sprouting Melodies as well.
It was so helpful to have this course- especially right now where I have had some struggles staying self-motivated in this new virtual world over the past several months. It was really great to learn new songs and feel inspired again! I notice myself feeling more energized during virtual sessions and being more cognizant about my song choices both during groups and individual sessions. Thinking more about the age specific music experiences has has also really changed my perspective on the way I use music in sessions.
I will actually be relocating to Maine in the next few months so I am excited to explore my options in a new area. I had some concerns about conflict of interest with my current EI agency so that will now resolve itself. Libraries still aren’t offering any programs in that area but I feel like that will give me time to gauge interest on social media and identify other centers or schools where I may be able to offer groups.

[Maura Nicholson]

Thank you Erika!

[Maura Nicholson]

I am such a strong believer on how we use our tone of voice when disciplining little ones. I watch a lot of parents struggle with the word “No”. The more the child hears it, the less effective it becomes. I really like how Elizabeth explained using the word “No” by completely changing your tone of voice because you are no longer singing so it happens quite naturally. Stopping the music completely changes the tone of the room so the behavior is acknowledged, and then we restart the music and move on.
I tend to mostly use redirection as a strategy- specifically redirecting toward the positive. Sometimes, I feel like using no words is effective as well-especially when safety is a concern. So, removing a child from a situation and redirecting to a safer or more positive direction or toward the parent. I also feel like speaking firmly but quietly can be a useful way to gain children’s attention as they need really need to stop and tune in to hear what you are saying.

[Maura Nicholson]

I have always felt most at home in my practice when doing music groups. I feel like this something that comes naturally for me and I am most in my element when engaging a group on little ones. Before going virtual, I was pretty tied to the structure of the Early Intervention play group model where we’d only do a brief section of music time. Since going virtual I have been able to do a true music group and I have fond all of the material from this course especially helpful as I think about expanding my practice into more community based. I love the flexibility that this program provides allowing each music therapist to put his or her own spin on their group while using the basic structure provided in the course. I found having this model as a template to be especially helpful.

I am curious how to go about starting the program purely virtual, which going into the winter months feels like the way to go. I haven’t discussed with my EI agency just yet, but I am concerned that it could be a conflict of interest if I started marketing for a Sprouting Melodies program on social media. Inevitably, current clients or other families enrolled in my EI agency would catch wind of it and I’m just not sure if it would be ethical for me have them in a group since it is a paid service. Any thoughts or experience with that?

[Maura Nicholson]

5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies 3:
Active, Deliberate, personality, accepting, creative

plan for songs and music experiences to use in Sprouting Melodies 3:

Sit down and join my circle-Gather around- moving into bonding songs My Brand new friend and Hold on tight move into using a board book and then I’m glad you’re here today. Next up, instrumental songs giving option to use 2 handed instrument -I can move around & Music is the way. Transition into movement song Will you come? And finally, Time to go and Goodbye.

[Maura Nicholson]

5 words to describe the music experiences in Family Sprouts:
Cooperation, sharing, busy, together, joyful

Plan for songs and music experiences to use in Family Sprouts:
Hey Everybody, and Come on let’s make some music. Move into Wiggly Jiggly car and All of this is me. Ask the older children what instrument song they’d like to do: Dancing in the middle, I like this song. Next for movements song use I really gotta jump and will you follow. Then transition into Music time is over and Goodbye.

[Maura Nicholson]

A few challenged that may arise when providing multi-age music groups could be primarily, assuring that you are able to reach, and make the music or experience connect with every child in the room. I do feel that this would take some practice for sure, especially since you can’t completely plan who the ages that may walk through the door. Choosing songs that involve movements that every age group can participate in in some way is also very important. I could also see how an instance where older children who are being particularly silly may overwhelm younger ones, and make it more difficult for a parent or caregiver to rein in the older child while tending to the younger. The music therapist must be able to read these types of cues and be able to redirect the situation.

[Maura Nicholson]

I would explain how children have very different responses to music at every age. Our groups are a fun and engaging way to watch and experience our little ones’ growth and development through carefully crafted musical experiences. Music therapists are trained to identify the needs of each individual and use music in a way that supports their overall development. We don’t teach music skills, rather, we use music to achieve non-musical goals like bonding, turn taking, meeting a friend, coordinating our body, etc. All of the songs and musical experiences that are facilitated by a music therapist are done so to target and enhance some area of a child’s development.

[Maura Nicholson]

Well, now that I am virtual, I primarily use guitar, egg shakers, a Remo kids rain stick, and I have a Remo floor Tom and set of bongos. Unfortunately, the sound of my drums is a bit harsh so I have been using them less, and I’ve been drumming on container lids instead! I have been bringing out more instruments from when I was seeing clients in person to vary things a bit, so I recently brought back out a cabasa, ocean drum, and xylophone.

[Maura Nicholson]

As Elizabeth and Meredith mentioned in this weeks video, the music therapist must be sensitive to the flow of energy, action, and calm within a group setting. I feel that this relates directly levels of stimulation, and this “flow” can help regulate stimulation during a group. I certainly agree with Zoe’s post above that there is no steadfast rule about how much is enough stimulation. It can be tricky with a group of little ones with various sensory needs. One may be sensitive to the loud sounds of an instrument, and one may need a little extra bouncing before settling down. I believe that the music therapist being able to authentically navigate the the flow of a group, and being cognizant to individual’s needs is actually what makes SM the most unique to any other music group offering.

[Maura Nicholson]

5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies 2.
Playful, energy, balance, authentic, discovery

5 sentences you can use when speaking with parents about musical responses of children in SM 2.
1. If you notice you and your baby
are moving at 2 different speeds, how can you meet in the middle?
2. Don’t worry if your child is just sitting back and observing, there is A LOT going on inside their brain, and you will likely see them singing our songs at home!
3. Babies take in a lot of information from their feet- try tapping the bottom of your baby’s foot to the rhythm of the song.
4. Don’t worry about your baby following the exact instructions in the song, they are learning to explore their own musical choices!
5. Try having your baby face out on your lap this time.

◦ plan for songs and music experiences to use in a Sprouting Melodies 2 session
Allow time for people to enter and get settled start with “Hello Everybody” to engage their attention. If group is newer, Transition to -“Hold on Tight” and “Just like me”, then move into instrumental songs, encouraging children to make a choice out of 2 instruments in the middle of the room-“I like this song”- “Dancing in the middle”, as groups energy appears high and ready to continue moving transition to “March with my baby” & “As big as can be”, and then check-in with parents and sing “Goodbye”.

[Maura Nicholson]

What a special gift you gave your niece! A special connection that you two will always have.

[Maura Nicholson]

I also don’t get referred to many babies of this age. But I have noticed with a lot of younger siblings of clients that they tend to hold their gaze on me during songs from the comfort of their parents arms or in a seat. I have definitely noticed that when I am working with a toddler who is in the control or responsibility developmental level, the infant can startle easily to louder music like a drum or a more abrupt strum of the guitar. I look forward to articulating better to parents of siblings who are at different developmental levels and how their response to music will differ drastically and why.

[Maura Nicholson]

Everyone can benefit from music therapy. There are still so many people who have never heard of music therapy and bringing it to a community-based setting allows music therapists to promote it in such a fun and welcoming way. In many cases, the only exposure families get to music therapy is through a clinical model- a child having a diagnosis or an IEP. The community based model opens up so many opportunities for parents to participate and connect with other parents who may be going through something similar, and for individuals with disabilities to be integrated with their peers.

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