[Nicole Sanabria]

Majority of the families I work with are looking for someone to understand their situation, and to have a little guidance in order to provide their child with experiences that will expand the child’s development and growth. It seems like on some level they are in need of answers and look to various professionals to provide that and at times much more. I also feel like on some level, they want to understand where their child is coming from more so, from a different stand point rather than as a parent. I feel overall they are looking for a place to be accepted and to be normalized and be seen as a parent that has an awesome kid no matter how you slice it.

[Nicole Sanabria]

We as music therapist’s bring an open door full of endless opportunities that encourage the child to explore who they are and the world around them. We don’t rely on a recipe to reach our clients. We adapt to certain changes to meet our clients, empathize, then move forward to support their internal and external growth, all through the power of music. Some other professionals may have a strong background in only counseling, biology, or developmental psychology. Yet, music therapist’s professional background encompasses all of those things, plus being diverse musicians that can use any style of music to create interactive/authentic music experiences that enable the clients to truly enjoy the experience whole heartedly, while accepting who they are as a person, or learning more about what they are capable of accomplishing.

[Nicole Sanabria]

I utilize all four music experiences in my work with young children with various developmental delays. I like to think that each music experience be it, singing, instrument playing, movement, or listening provides an opportunity to celebrate a child’s new found sense of self, and/or strengthen a child’s area of need. Each music experience will influence a child in a different way; but all in all will provide a vehicle to explore, experience, and bring understanding to the world around them. Movement experiences I feel are the most vital of all music experiences. A child’s sensory system made up of sound, vision, touch, proprioception, and vestibular is how they are able to receive information to engage in musical-play. Sustaining levels of attention, sensory processing, organization of thought, and awareness while releasing internal and external energy are some areas that are influenced by music and movement. I have found that a child without many words will articulate their needs through the under responsiveness and over responsiveness that is exhibited in sessions through movement motivated by musical stimuli. In using movement in music, we are really working from the outside to the inside. Singing experiences I utilize to enhance vocalizations, allowing the child to be aware of what their voices have the opportunity to sound like. Instrument playing allows the child to understand what their bodies are capable of doing (shaking, striking, beating, etc). They begin to develop an understanding of their actions, that if I do this, then this is the outcome. With instrument playing, I feel as though listening co-exists. The change of tempo, dynamics, stop then go, the direction of playing is a listening experience as much as it is an instrumental music experience.

[Nicole Sanabria]

Singing (Awareness) – Child will demonstrate islands of engagement by vocalizing a nonspecific pitch in response to musical stimulation from a familiar song, (Trust) – Vocalizes in tonality of the song, (Independence) – Babble using melodic intonation, (Control) – Coordinate breathing and vocalization to sustain a tone, (Responsibility) – Sing familiar songs using melodic contour

Playing Instruments (Awareness) – Child will demonstrate facial attention by turning toward the source of sound, (Trust) – Play or strike instrument with internal rhythmic beat, (Independence) – Use hands to move strings on guitar, (Control) – Child will play with a variety of dynamic levels, (Responsibility) – Child will play rhythm patterns on on a resonator bell to close a circle of communication during a musical experience

Moving (Awareness) – Child will make repetitive, rhythmical movements with body, (Trust) – Move body parts with internal rhythmic beat, (Independence) – Alter momvement in response to change in music, (Control) – Isolate body parts to move rhythmically, (Responsibility) – Move with a peer during a musical experience

Listening (Awareness) – Tolerate different types of music, (Trust) – Display affect changes in response to emotional content of music, (Independence) – Enjoy changes in dynamics, tempo, and timbre, (Control) – Tolerate changes in musical experiences, (Responsibility) – Adjust quality of playing to blend with the group

[Nicole Sanabria]

I have used many of Beth’s songs in my work with young children. I appreciate the time she spent explaining how to use each song effectively.The song that I thought would allow me to receive insight into my client’s world, while also receiving insight into my work as well was “A Car on My Knee.” I have been working with a 7 year old boy with Angelman Syndrome. He has global developmental delays, but most importantly his ability to communicate is developing very slowly. He will use his own sign language/gestures to let his mother, nanny, and I know what he wants/needs. Yet at times, those signs are not consistent. In my recent work with him, I have asked myself “is this my need in music? or his?” He thrives in his environment, and I felt as though if I limit him by only allowing music to be in his wheelchair, and out of his wheelchair when we walk to and from the guitar to play, or cymbal to crash, in some way im limiting his development. Who knew using toys could be part of the musical intervention? I felt as though this was the first time he acknowledged his own body, true reciprocal communication, and seeing me for the first time, not as the music lady but a person that is enjoying the experience as much as him. As I began to run the match box car up and down his legs, he began to laugh with excitement, signing more. He began to touch his toes and knees something that I’ve been working on for months. I took a plastic cup and sung in the cup “It’s ready to goooo.” The best part was he began to imitate the sound of “go” as his mother held the cup to his mouth. Instead of taking the child out of his world, or where he feels most comfortable, I can now see that musical interventions can happen anywhere, only if we allow ourselves to go to that place.

[Nicole Sanabria]

Since I relocated to Hartford, CT several months ago, I must admit that it is difficult to call it “home” just yet. I’m becoming more accustomed to the way of life here. Being from New York, nothing is quite like the city there where musical expression is given so much life from the various cultures and traditions. The music is rich, and tells stories. From the perspective of my work with various populations in CT, the aspect of music telling stories remains true. Majority of the older clients I work with prefer American folk music, Jazz standards, rhythm and blues, and 1950’s rock and roll. At times, during sessions we will we speak briefly about the lyrical content of certain songs, which leads to the group reminiscing about their past experiences. For the clients that cannot reminisce verbally, it seems as though when these songs are played in an interactive manner, they begin to exhibit awareness, and express the joy that various songs bring to them by either physically moving parts of their bodies, smiling, and or course singing. Either way, they are acknowledging a part of their musical history, which is certainly a part of how they identify themselves socially and culturally as a person.

[Nicole Sanabria]

Currently I’m working with a group of preschool children ages 2 1/2-4 that have autism spectrum disorders and/or display developmental delays. Most of the children in the group are in the awareness/trust stage, where they reach toward the source of sound, or demonstrate islands of joint attention, explore instruments, and will vocalize in response to musical stimuli. I use songs in a repititive fashion, however, not ignoring the emotional/sensory needs that the children need at various times. During these moments, I will use music creatively but with structure for the intent of exploring, and to just be in music. Recently, I recall during a musical experience where I utilized a natural minor scale to sing to support/encourage the children to acknowledge/explore a drum to beat or a cymbal to play. A 2 1/2 year old boy (the youngest in the group) was engaging in isolated behaviors (hand flapping). As I began to sing, I demonstrated how to beat the drum and crash the cymbal. Once I played the cymbal, his eyes looked up toward the me and the cymbal. As I went around the group to have each child explore the sound of both, once I offered him the mallet, he closed a circle of communication as I held the cymbal up high above our heads, creating a glissando with my voice, as I came to the highest peak of that glissando, I offered him the cymbal. His eyes were widely opened, as he smiled from ear to ear, he played the cymbal with much intent. It was the first time I have seen him more toward a sound source of music with purpose, to create his own music. Very powerful moment for him, as well as myself to have witnessed him take that step.

[Nicole Sanabria]

After viewing this weeks material regarding the phases of childhood development, it allowed me to understand more thoroughly the child’s experience within the world around him/her. More over, on a personal level, the musical experiences that I’m offering as a music therapist and the expectations for progress. Many of the developmental milestones I felt happen naturally. Yet, its the impact that the caregivers and other service providers have that essentially shape and influence the childs world and overall experience from day to day to thrive in their environment. By doing my part as a music therapist and providing services for these youngsters, I’m allowing for a positive, fullfilling, nurturing, and understanding atmosphere to assist these children to climb the developmental ladder. How exciting is it that I get to be part of something so beautiful and unique? By undertanding what is happening developmentally, rather then by chronicogical age, it will help assist me in creating various musical interventions better suited for the individual differences the child may have. By providing appropriate musical interventions as a music therapist, I will be able to observe true progress, and set real expectations on the child, while providing the necessary support sought from the childs caregivers. If I am able to understand where the child is developmentally, I will be able to communicate more thoroughly with the families and speak from a place of knowledge and experience, rather then “Well, this is what most music therapist’s do for this issue your child is having.” It allows us as music therapists to be accurate and authentic in how we will achieve such a goal musically. This weeks information also reminded me to have fun! I feel as though so much focus is on how we will help the child reach a goal, that we lose sight of the process, and pay so much attention to the end product. Progress takes time, so if time is what we have, we need to enjoy it as much as possible! Thank you Beth and Meredith 🙂

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