Music Therapy
Music therapy is really popular with the learners we have referred to us. By the time young people reach us, they have usually had bad experiences at school and are often coping with difficult situations at home. Many have experienced trauma in their early years which has resulted in them not being able to cope with the demands of mainstream education. They don’t want to go back into the classroom as they may have missed so much school and feel embarrassed or as if they hate learning. Music is something almost every person has an interest in, one way or another. From listening to it, or dreaming of wanting to be involved in it and our therapists are able to use music as way of engaging and building relationships with learners.
Our Music Therapy is very unique, it is technologically based so that learners can use key pads and computers to create sound without needing to learn an instrument immediately. This means it can be used by anyone, regardless of their ability or special educational needs. It also means creating music using various already recorded pieces from artists they like, and adding beat sequences to it for example, means it doesn’t take long for them to create something themselves. Therefore giving the learner a sense of achievement and pride, as well as building their confidence. This then spurs learners on and leads to personal growth and development, plus engagement with other things Inclusion Hampshire offer including gaining qualifications.
We have been delivering Music Therapy to our learners for 5 years and in that time we have seen how it reduces anxieties in young people, works to raise mood and lift symptoms of depression. We have had learners be able to use the music as means of expressing themselves when experiencing bereavement or emotional distress. We have also had learners who begin to learn guitar and other instruments because of their growing self belief, plus become motivated about doing well in other subjects.
We have dedicated music therapy rooms at two of our sites and we have a ‘mobile suite’ which we can take into schools, residential care homes for children and even individual homes if necessary.
If you are interested in bringing this provision to your school or you have a learner who you think this would be great for, then call us today on 01256 767800
Case Studies
I first met Carl around two years ago and he immediately showed an interest in learning to play the guitar. In order to ensure he’d get a session every week he chose to stay after school once a week to have a lesson during his own time. Carl had a guitar lesson every week and got an acoustic guitar from his Mum for Christmas after I’d been tutoring him for a couple of months. Each session I’d give him bespoke pieces (according to his musical taste) to practice at home to learn for the following week.
Carl went from complete novice to a guitarist competent enough to sight read tablature (guitar music) leading to him accompanying a singer at a local festival. Carl suffered from social anxiety and also self-harmed however these sessions and learning guitar had a stabilising effect upon him which helped get him through year 10 and 11 finishing his GCSE’s. During the festival, his Grandad came up to me to shake my hand and thank me for helping Carl and spoke glowingly about the positive difference he’d seen in him.
Ben started Music sessions a few months ago, he presented as lacking in self-confidence and having low self worth.
However, in the music sessions we were able to counter these negative self-doubts by engaging him in creating pieces that he really loves. The act of being involved in a process that gives form to ideas to then generate music that sounds great can be such a reaffirming experience.
Ben has been able to download these ideas as mp3’s to his phone and can then play to his Mum. It would be clear to anyone seeing Ben leaving the sessions just what a positive effect they have on his self esteem.
I first met Tom in year 10 and saw him once a week until his finishing year 11. Although at times he could present as aggressive and intimidating this was a costume he’d wear to mask his low self-worth. He’d been diagnosed as suffering from an anxiety condition.
He often found himself being excluded due to his disruptive behaviour and refusal to stay in lessons. He left at the end of year 11 without having taken any exams.
However, he had a fantastic singing voice and would engage in the music sessions recording lots of renditions of famous songs which he made into cd’s and gave to family members; friends/pupils and teachers/staff at the school. Whilst actively engaged in something he enjoyed and was good at Tom would show a really thoughtful, caring side.
School and Tom were not a great fit and he had a difficult time. However, if you were to ask any professionals there to advocate a positive about his time at school they would all point to his engagement and what he achieved in the music sessions. Moreover, it is possible to evidence this by the wonderful recordings he made during them.