Treatment
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“Research regarding children and
adolescents with autism reveals that all use of music in treatment with this
population has a relatively high effect” (Whipple,2004).
In designing a client’s treatment plan curriculum, a music therapy focus is as individual to the population and the particular needs of the client you are working with as other forms of therapy. It is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of the client’s background before a therapist begins to try to formulate a plan. This means having a clear understanding of the client’s diagnosis, limitations and abilities. The initial session typically begins with assessments to determine the client’s strengths and needs and to gauge how the client responds to and reacts to music. The second step for the therapist is to use that information and generate goals with the client, their family and other treatment professionals. It is vital that the goals are attainable for the client and manageable within the time frame of treatment. The resulting treatment plan will then include possible strategies to meet treatment goals which may include identifying if individual sessions, family sessions, group sessions or a combination of these are indicated. Periodic evaluations will be needed and factored into the treatment plan to ensure that goals are being met and adjustments are being made if barriers to meeting goals, present themselves.
Music therapy can take place in a variety of settings. These settings can vary from a clinical office, in-patient hospital, home setting, and even in the community, if appropriate. Depending on the abilities and treatment objectives of the client or group it may be possible to perform music for others or attend musical events.
The various tools of the music therapist can be as varied and personalized to the client as the treatment objectives. Music therapists have been known to use any of the following: “cello, flute, guitar, keyboard, QChord, violin and voice–for chanting, singing, and toning, non-musician-proof instruments belonging to percussion and rhythm categories and Compact disc recordings”(musicworxinc.com,2014). As “the ability to respond to music is completely natural within every person” there is no need to have music experience or ability to access the range of benefits that result from participation in music therapy (Temple.edu, 2014).
In designing a client’s treatment plan curriculum, a music therapy focus is as individual to the population and the particular needs of the client you are working with as other forms of therapy. It is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of the client’s background before a therapist begins to try to formulate a plan. This means having a clear understanding of the client’s diagnosis, limitations and abilities. The initial session typically begins with assessments to determine the client’s strengths and needs and to gauge how the client responds to and reacts to music. The second step for the therapist is to use that information and generate goals with the client, their family and other treatment professionals. It is vital that the goals are attainable for the client and manageable within the time frame of treatment. The resulting treatment plan will then include possible strategies to meet treatment goals which may include identifying if individual sessions, family sessions, group sessions or a combination of these are indicated. Periodic evaluations will be needed and factored into the treatment plan to ensure that goals are being met and adjustments are being made if barriers to meeting goals, present themselves.
Music therapy can take place in a variety of settings. These settings can vary from a clinical office, in-patient hospital, home setting, and even in the community, if appropriate. Depending on the abilities and treatment objectives of the client or group it may be possible to perform music for others or attend musical events.
The various tools of the music therapist can be as varied and personalized to the client as the treatment objectives. Music therapists have been known to use any of the following: “cello, flute, guitar, keyboard, QChord, violin and voice–for chanting, singing, and toning, non-musician-proof instruments belonging to percussion and rhythm categories and Compact disc recordings”(musicworxinc.com,2014). As “the ability to respond to music is completely natural within every person” there is no need to have music experience or ability to access the range of benefits that result from participation in music therapy (Temple.edu, 2014).