Individualized Music Therapy for Children and Young Adults
Individualized Music Therapy for Children and Young Adults
We work with clients and their families to determine individualized goals for music therapy based on a client’s individual strengths, needs and preferences. In an initial intake and assessment session, the music therapist will gather information about your child or young adult’s individual strengths and needs, diagnostic information, and musical preferences and interests, and utilize a variety of music therapy interventions to assess your child’s functioning in communication, social skills, emotional regulation, sensorimotor skills, cognitive and/or academic skills. The music therapist will create a treatment plan to address your child or young adult’s individual needs, strengths and personal preferences using engaging and motivating music activities.
Music therapy sessions are strengths-based, success-oriented and create a supportive and safe space for clients to learn and grow. Sessions are client-lead, giving your child or young adult as much autonomy and control to make choices as possible in the session. Through fun, motivating and engaging music activities, the music therapist works with clients on improving skills in communication, social skills, sensorimotor functioning, emotional regulation and awareness, life skills and routines, academic concepts, musical skills and other goals.
What may a typical music therapy session look like?
Engaging in singing preferred and motivating songs
Singing helps to increase vocalization and develop language skills in individuals with communication challenges. Singing also increases self-expression and confidence and improves mood. Clients are encouraged to choose preferred and motivating songs to sing with the music therapist. Songs which teach specific concepts or skills such as social skills, emotional awareness or academic skills such as counting and phonics may also be sung in music therapy.
Playing a variety of instruments
Playing instruments helps to improve motor functioning, improve listening skills and attention, develop social skills, and increase self-expression and confidence. Clients may engage in playing a variety of percussion instruments such as shakers and drums and/or melodic instruments such as a xylophone or keyboard in playful improvisation or call-and-response activities. Clients may learn to play instruments such as the keyboard, guitar and ukulele through learning adaptive methods to learning music theory and playing instruments, including using color notation for the keyboard, adaptive devices for the guitar, and a slower-paced learning model.
Expressive Movement
Movement to music improves motor functioning, increases body awareness and self-regulation, facilitates self-expression, and improves mood. Clients may engage in expressive movement and dance to preferred songs, learn sign-language/motions to accompany singing songs, or engage in clapping and body percussion to establish rhythm.
Please contact us today to request information about our services and rates
We currently accept private pay. Please ask us about requesting a superbill to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.