Jasmine's Final Blog Post

It’s so hard to believe that my time as a music therapy intern at Therabeat Inc. has come to an end. Time really does fly when you’re having fun! This internship has challenged me in ways that I never knew were possible. However, it has rewarded me in ways that I couldn’t have imagined. I started this internship feeling like a deer caught in the headlights. I’m leaving this internship as a new professional with the skill set to serve as an excellent music therapist.

I have learned so many skills, interventions, and songs throughout my internship experience. However, the most beneficial skill I learned was the ability to be flexible. COVID-19 affected my internship in ways that I couldn’t even have imagined beforehand. A lot of in-person sessions were moved to telehealth sessions, which challenged my session planning abilities. Even though this wasn’t a smooth transition, I believed that these months of telehealth sessions caused me to grow tremendously in so many ways. 

I’m so glad to be wrapping up my internship with the resuming of in-person sessions. Although I am grateful for learning how to navigate music therapy through telehealth options, it truly makes me happy to have the opportunity to see clients in person and continue to address their individualized goals. I’m also grateful for music therapy groups that have resumed at the clinic, such as Little Beats and Harmony Tots. Each individual client and group that I have had the opportunity to make connections with has impacted me for the better. I truly believe that these experiences have caused me to become even more invested in the field of music therapy and caused me to flourish and become a better music therapist.

I cannot thank Therabeat enough for this amazing, surreal internship experience. I plan to spend the next few weeks preparing to take my board certification exam so that I have the opportunity to affect my future clients as my supervisors affect theirs. I am so ready to start my journey as a music therapist and I am excited for what lies ahead!

Yours Truly, 

Jasmine Bailey, Music Therapy Intern

Meet Ms. Amanda

My name is Amanda Brennen and I am so excited to be interning at Therabeat! Serving the community and music have always been two very big passions of mine. Having grown up in Roswell, GA, I’ve been lucky enough to see the positive impact that Music Therapy has made on my hometown. My primary instruments are voice and piano, but I also love to play guitar and ukulele. Sometimes I will even pick up an accordion or keytar and play around! I will be graduating in December 2020 from Georgia College & State University. Go Bobcats! I was very involved on campus, and I loved connecting with so many people and making a difference in Milledgeville.

GCSU provided me with the opportunity to work with many different populations in different settings. One of my favorite experiences was working in a Pre-K class with 20 children between the ages of 3 and 5. Working with this classroom for an entire school year was a treat, and it was so exciting to look at the progress that was made during that time. I was even able to go on a few field trips with them! Another great experience I had was working in a nursing home with a woman who had her own poetry book. Through music therapy interventions, we transformed her beautiful compositions into music! This process was very rewarding. I also was given the opportunity to be a guest lecturer at GCSU and present my research about music therapy and PTSD. GSCU and the Milledgeville community will always have a special place in my heart. My biggest takeaway from my collegiate experience is that we are all “More alike than different”.

My first visit to Therabeat was when the Woodstock location opened and I was very drawn to the welcoming environment. Therabeat is unique because the therapists are able to co-treat with the physical therapists, speech and language pathologists, and occupational therapists. This appeals to me because one day in the future, I would like to open up my own private practice and possibly integrate co-treating. Therabeat also gives me the opportunity to work in different settings with different populations. Therabeat is a place I know I will grow into a well-equipped professional. I am so excited to learn from such a talented group of music therapists.

Sometimes change can be scary, and my first week at Therabeat was definitely not what I expected – it was bigger and better than what I could have imagined! The music therapists are so helpful with any and all questions that pop up. They even come to the rescue when you accidentally set off the building’s alarm! The entire team wants you to succeed, and will make sure you are being pushed to become the best music therapist you can be. This week I helped with summer camp and was able to observe many different sessions. Week one also reminded me that as a music therapist, you have to be very “go with the flow” because things can and do change very often. I know I am going to learn and grow both professionally and personally so much over the next few months. I am so excited for the adventure ahead!

-Be kind to one another. Until next time!

Amanda Brennen, Music Therapy Intern

Meet Ms. Sara

Hello, My name is Sara Demlow! I am one of the newest music therapy interns here at Therabeat, inc. In college, my primary instrument was voice, but I have also played clarinet since middle school and enjoy playing guitar, ukulele, and piano. My favorite music to listen to is musical theatre and this is largely due to the influence my brother had on me as a kid, and even still now. Since I was young, he has been giving me new cast albums to listen to and we have been able to connect with each other through them. This was one of the many things that sparked my love of music that still grows and grows every single day.

I discovered the music therapy profession in high school and since then, I have known that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. My parents helped me search for colleges in the state that offered the degree and when I researched Georgia College, I knew that it was the school I wanted to go to. With my parents' support and encouragement, I made it to GCSU, and now I finally am working on the last puzzle piece to finish my degree.

Within my first week here at InHarmony, I can already tell how much of an amazing place it is and how much of an impact this facility has on the clients they serve. Not only will I get the opportunity to learn from the fantastic music therapists on staff, but I will also get to learn from the other therapists at the clinic (PT, OT, ST) and see how this facility works together to create the best possible plan of care for each of their clients. I am so excited to continue my journey of learning and look forward to the rest of my time here.

Making Social Connections among Adults with Disabilities

Humans have an innate need for social connections with other individuals. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, humans prioritize feelings of love and belongingness immediately after satisfying physiological needs and safety (McLeod, S.A., 2020, para. 2). Social groups provide us with an important part of our identity, and assist us in relating to our peers (McLeod, S.A., 2020, para. 1). Adequate social connections also benefit our health and quality of life. Social relationships have been found to boost mental health by reducing levels of stress, improving self-worth, and improving perceived confidence (McLeod, S.A., 2020, para. 2). 

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities often struggle with forming personal relationships with others due to their environment and how they are viewed in society. These individuals may feel frustrated due to lack of social interactions and personal connections, as well the inability to express themselves and be understood. Additionally, lack of meaningful connections may lead to a negative self-image and a further decline in social and communicative skills. 

Music therapy group sessions provide clients with opportunities to make meaningful connections with each other and develop prosocial behaviors, such as initiating conversations, participating in reciprocal dialogues, and expressing emotions (Baumgarten & Wheeler, 2016, p. 120). Music therapy interventions can facilitate motivation, communication skills, and social interactions in a non-judgemental, non-threatening environment (Baumgarten & Wheeler, 2016, p.119).  A 2016 study measured the ability of group music therapy sessions to increase initiation of conversations, reciprocal turn taking, and the ability to express an increased range of emotions among adult clients with various intellectual and developmental disabilities (Baumgarten & Wheeler, 2016, p. 120). Music therapy methods used in this study included listening to music, music assisted relaxation, improvisational music therapy activities, and re-creative music therapy activities such as songwriting and musical song-games (Baumgarten & Wheeler, 2016, p. 121). Results of this study showed that the clients were able to form trusting relationships with other group members. This contributed to an enhancement of prosocial behaviors, such as engaging in conversations, turn taking, and supporting emotional expression. Additionally, the clients displayed a reduction in antisocial behaviors, such as starting fights, teasing other group members, and being disruptive during the music therapy sessions (Baumgarten & Wheeler, 2016, p. 125). 

Current government guidelines set in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have altered how we as a society interact with each other. A lot of organizations and individuals in the community understand the need to continue social interactions during this trying time. Before the practice of social distancing was established and enforced, music therapists at Therabeat Inc. partnered with Empower Cherokee to provide in-person opportunities for adult clients with disabilities to interact with each other and express themselves in a non-threatening environment. Luckily, these clients are still able to meet and engage with each other during online music therapy sessions via zoom. 

A popular intervention used in virtual music therapy with clients from Empower is songwriting. This intervention has been used in sessions to address the current changes in daily life and the development of social skills. Additionally, this intervention provides opportunities for the clients to get to know each other better by relating to the personal responses of others. In the picture shown, the music therapy intern and clients worked together to write a song discussing things that make them happy using the tune “A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. This intervention allowed the clients to express their individual preferences as well as learning what their peers like as well. 

Maintaining meaningful social connections is more important now than ever. With the uncertainty of society today, it is essential to have opportunities to engage with others and express ourselves. Individuals with intellectual and social disabilities need the opportunity to continue to develop their social skills and manage their emotions by engaging with their peers. As Empower states on their website, “physical distance, not social isolation.” (no author, 2020).

References

Baumgarten, H.R., & Wheeler, B.L. (2016). The influence of music therapy on prosocial behavior of adults with disabilities. Music & Medicine, 8(3), 118-127. 

McLeod, S.A. (2020). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Retrieved May 28, 2020, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

No author (2020). The importance of social connection. Retrieved May 28, 2020, from https://www.mindwise.org/blog/uncategorized/the-importance-of-social-connection/

No author (2020). Empower cherokee. Retrieved May 28, 2020, from https://www.empowercherokee.org/

Pavlicevic, M., O’Neil, N., Powell, H., Jones, O., & Sampathianaki, E. (2014). Making music, making friends: Long-term music therapy with young adults with severe learning disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 18(1), 5-19.

A Music and Art Program to Promote Emotional Health in Elementary School Children: A Review

While music therapy is considered to be an allied health profession, it is also a creative art therapy as well. Other creative art therapies include dance-movement therapy, drama therapy, and art therapy. Music therapy and art therapy often coincide, especially when helping those individuals who have endured some type of trauma (Payne II et. al, 2018, para. 1). Common benefits to music and art therapy include stress management, improving communication, increasing expression, and aiding physical rehabilitation (Payne II et. al, 2018, para. 2). 

This article review seeks to highlight the importance of creative art therapies, specifically music therapy and art therapy. While In-Harmony does not provide art therapy, crafting incorporates many of the motor skills and cognitive skills addressed in other therapies such as OT, PT, ST, and MT. For this reason, a crafting section has been incorporated in each day’s activities during Therabeat’s Virtual Summer Camp. More information about online summer camp and material kits can be found HERE.

Giles et. al’s  1991 study of the role of music and art programs in school examined the effects on how music and art could help the emotional health of elementary school children. The subjects were 255 first and second grade students from northern Virginia schools (Giles, 1991, pg. 138). There were 11 classes from 5 schools. At the beginning of the day, children would select either a happy face or sad face to color (baseline emotion). After recess–when researchers believed students would be at their peak energetic or agitated state–  the students would come into their homeroom and then listen to 3 excerpts (classical, Walt Disney soundtrack, and new age) totaling 5 minutes (Giles, 1991, pg. 138&139).  After the listening, students would select a new happy or sad face to color. This process continued for 11 days, with 9 days of treatment and 2 days of no treatment (control). Art therapists were consulted to analyze the drawings for signs of distress, anxiety, anger, aggression, and depression. 

       A significant difference was found between the before/after of the treatment each day. Additionally, art therapists discovered through the baseline happy/sad data that 44 children were sad at least 8/11 times in the beginning, which equates to roughly 73% of the time (Giles et. al, 1991, pg. 139). They considered this to be excessive and alarming. Coincidentally, these children were less responsive to the music treatment. The researchers remarked that these children “may require more positive reinforcement more often and for longer periods of time” to help alter mood (Giles et. al, 1991, pg. 146). 

     The researchers concluded the following from their study (Giles et. al, 1991, pg. 147): 

Children who may be at risk for emotional or behavioral disorder may need more exposure to such a program of music and art for longer periods of time, since the study showed that they were more resistant to mood change….It is incumbent upon the schools to find models to help children cope with their stresses, build self-esteem, and foster emotional health. 

The researchers also note that both music and art are “trusted allies” to children (Giles et. al, 1991, pg. 147), allowing therapeutic relationships to exist more organically. Giles et. al also mention that both activities are frequently woven into day-to-day schedules for primary school children, yet many states and districts undergo yearly budget cuts  that often lead to the discontinuing of fine arts and performing arts. During a time when childhood depression and anxiety is increasing, providing as many positive creative outlets as possible to children is essential.  

References:

Giles, M. M., Cogan, D., & Cox, C. (1991). A Music and Art Program to Promote Emotional Health in Elementary School Children. Journal of Music Therapy, 28(3), 135-148.