Music Therapy for Self - Expression: Opening the Lines of Communication

1. Music Therapy for Self-Expression: Opening the Lines ofCommunication Presented By: Chrissy Cetnar, MS, MT-BC

2. Introductions • Chrissy’s involvement with BIA & Background: family involvement • Show of hands • Clinician? • Brain injury survivor? • Family member? • Caregiver?

3. ICE BREAKER Health Rhythms: Musical Game Shake Your Shaker!!! Listen to the beat, play however you want! “Everybody just like” “Back to your own thing”

4. What are some skills we just used? Listening Paying attention Concentrating Imitating others Taking Turns Physical stimulation Cognitive Stimulation

5. What is Music Therapy? “Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.” “Music Therapy is an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals.” American Music Therapy Association, 2014

6. What is Music Therapy? “After assessing the strengths and needs of each client, the qualified music therapist provides the indicated treatment including creating, singing, moving to, and/or listening to music.” “Through musical involvement in the therapeutic context, clients' abilities are strengthened and transferred to other areas of their lives.” “Music therapy also provides avenues for communication that can be helpful to those who find it difficult to express themselves in words.” “Research in music therapy supports its effectiveness in many areas such as: overall physical rehabilitation and facilitating movement, increasing people's motivation to become engaged in their treatment, providing emotional support for clients and their families, and providing an outlet for expression of feelings.” American Music Therapy Association, 2014

7. How can music therapy be helpful during the recovery process? Provide motivation Distraction Assist in physical rehabilitation goals Facilitate cognitive stimulation/development Facilitate self-expression Assist in strengthening communication between patient and family/friends Facilitate social skill development Facilitate communication skill development Provide an avenue for developing relaxation skills/coping mechanisms

8. Types of Interventions Singing Music and Movement Playing Instruments Drumming Lyric Analysis Song-Writing Music Assisted Relaxation Music and Imagery Improvisation

9. Why is expressing ourselves difficult at times? Some things to think about…. What are we afraid of? Are we comfortable with our audience? Music can provide us with the vehicle we need to use to get our point acrossand open the lines of communication!

10. Lyric Analysis for Self-Expression This intervention uses the meaning behind song lyrics as a means of facilitating communication. An example of how this might be used, is if a family and a patient are having a hard time communicating with each other the music therapist may ask each member to choose a song that represents how they are feeling about the recovery process. In the next session, the therapist and family members would listen to the songs and if the individual is comfortable, provide them an opportunity to describe what the song means to them in their own words, or allow a different family member to try to interpret what they are trying to get across. Sometimes just identifying a song that represents how someone is feeling is enough to get communication started.

11. Which interventions work well for self-expression? Music and Imagery Drumming Song-writing There are many more effective interventions for facilitating self-expression. We will try the ones mentioned above today!!

12. Music and Imagery Sometimes a good first step is to visualize what we want to communicate to our family member, care giver, or loved one. No volunteers for this one- the whole room can participate. Safety first- if at any time you feel uncomfortable open your eyes and discontinue participation Seashell Imagery: Sam Colon, Anna Maria College music therapy intern

13. Drumming for Self-Expression:Inspirational Beats This drumming activity is adapted from the HealthRhythms protocol developed by Dr. Barry Bittman and music therapist Christine Stevens. It is meant to be used as part of a step-by-step protocol, but for purposes of this presentation we will use this one step of the process.

14. Inspirational Beats(adapted) How hard has the recovery process been for you? Play it on your instrument Would you like to put that into words? Can anyone relate? What would you like to say to someone who supported you through the recovery process? Play it on your instrument Would you like to put that into words? Can anyone relate?

15. Song-Writing for Self-Expression Volunteers Christina Aguilera- Beautiful Everyone may take a worksheet.

16. Thank you! ~ Chrissy Cetnar “Music can lift us out of depression or move us to tears - it is a remedy, a tonic, orange juice for the ear. But for many of my neurological patients, music is even more - it can provide access, even when no medication can, to movement, to speech, to life. For them, music is not a luxury, but a necessity.” ― Oliver Sacks Please consider incorporating music and music therapy into your life and throughout your recovery process either individually, or with others going through this journey with you.

17. Questions?