what is music therapy?
“My son has had a few different supports to allow him to talk and address his concerns but this has been the only therapy that has helped him become clear about how he feels, ways to process those feelings and to communicate them appropriately” – parent of teenage boy with significant life trauma 2022
Music therapy uses music and sound to enable psychological, social, neurological and physical improvements to health. As a dynamic therapy, it involves a developing interactive relationship which enables the individual’s, family’s or group’s process and pace of change.
The music therapist provides a wide range of instruments which are used to allow freedom of expression within a safe, containing and reflective setting. The sessions usually involve improvised music and sometimes pre-composed music, to offer the potential to creatively interact with the therapist who supports whatever is expressed. Developing this shared language – often formed through musical interaction – allows a genuine relationship to develop.
Sessions may involve vocalising, singing, talking, using movement and periods of silence. It’s not necessary to be able to play an instrument before coming, and you can choose not to play one. As music therapy uses a non-verbal musical language it’s helpful with communication difficulty – with speech & language challenges, expressive & receptive needs, thought processes, conflicts of attention and also distress & self-confidence. Sessions help facilitate awareness of another through the process of listening & hearing and give an outlet for safely externalising unmanageable or painful emotions. It can help to improve self-esteem, creativity, spontaneity and play. Music therapy accesses our capacity to engage where illness or a particular condition (psychological, physical, age-related, neurological) may increase isolation. It connects a sense of meaning with ability, sharing, healing and pleasure.
Well, what exactly is Music Therapy?
how can music therapy help?
“I now know how to find my wife again through music” – partner of a person living with the effects of a stroke 2023
“Before I came here I felt angry, sad, annoyed, little and not listened to. Now I feel big, strong, listened to and happy” – boy aged 9 2023
Music therapy enables a personal and unique process where the music can facilitate healthy change which is relevant to us and our particular set of circumstances. In a group or family context this can happen both at an individual level and also at a level the group itself develops – through its own identity and finding its own shared meaning.
When we are over-burdened, hope can seem unavailable to us and our lives can lack connection and significance. As MusicAbility therapists, it’s our hope that as a result of a meaningfully shared therapeutic experience feelings of inability, stuckness, confusion and despair can become less overwhelming. In a person’s own time-frame a stronger sense of stability, empowerment, resilience and self-worth develops, where other relationships become more constructive and life more valued and enjoyed.
“Our family had not fully anticipated the extent of the attachment difficulties and felt we had all been catapulted into a whirlwind of extreme behaviour and emotions. Our son has now had approximately 2 years of Music Therapy with [a MusicAbility therapist] and without a shadow of a doubt this has transformed our lives” – adoptive parent
“I love music therapy it makes me feel alive. It is great to have the opportunity to play different instruments which match my moods at that time. Music therapy helps me connect with my past, and proud to be me – it’s okay to speak through music!” – person living with the effefcts of stroke 2023
At MusicAbility, we believe that the person is central to therapy, not the diagnosis. However, we are experienced in working in the following areas:
addiction ● autism spectrum ● ADHD ● adult day care ● attachment difficulties ● bereavement ● challenging behaviour ● child protection ● complex needs ● dementia care ● domestic abuse ● developmental problems ● early years ● emotional & behavioural needs● homelessness ● learning difficulty ● mental health ● neuro disability ● palliative care ● parent & child bonding ● physical disability ● school underachievement ● school inclusion ● sound sensitivity & sensory processing needs ● speech & communication difficulties ● trauma ● visual impairment
what is a music therapist?
Music therapists are highly qualified registered Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) working with people with a wide range of needs – with children, families and adults both in groups and individually. They often work in schools, day centres, residential settings, hospitals, in mental health, at children’s centres, hospices, or in the home. Music therapists also work with private clients who may want to engage with support in processing life and personal issues. Their service is commissioned by health and education, supported directly through centres, funded privately or partnered by other charities.
“Therapy, especially for those like me with autism who require consistency in their routines, needs to be more than a 12 week attempt at a magic cure. After almost 3 years of weekly therapy with MusicAbility, I am still making progress in unpacking the triggers of my anxiety and tackling the obstacles associated with the transition into young adulthood which are exacerbated by my unique, “autistic” approach to life. For young people in therapy, recovery is more complex than “returning to your old self”, not least because I cannot remember a time when I did not suffer from trauma and its repercussions. Besides, returning to a former version of myself would indicate a reversion to the thought processes of a younger age, whereas therapy should be about looking to the future. This is why the therapeutic journey for young people is so unique, as whatever diagnosable problems they face that therapy seeks to address are only compounded by the problems presented by their ever-changing mind, body and society, and in this current age, the COVID-19 pandemic. It is necessary that therapy can support a young person throughout this time, as MusicAbility has done for me” – young person 2022
Music Therapists currently qualify at Master’s level, having previously acquired a BA or equivalent in a related field. They are trained to a high level of musicianship and psychotherapeutic skill at one of the 9 accredited institutions (in the UK) and practising music therapists are legally required to register, and maintain registration with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)
In order to stay registered, music therapists must receive regular supervision, abide by the HCPC code of conduct, and provide a detailed record of their continuing professional development. As a registered AHP, a music therapist is highly qualified to deliver a specialist therapeutic service working in a wide range of public health, social care and educational settings and often linked to the work of other professionals such as psychologists, paediatricians, social workers, speech and language therapists, SENDCOs, family support workers and community support teams.
‘Music Therapist’ is a protected title – if you don’t have the required qualifications you must not, by law, use it.
how is a music therapist’s work different from performing music?
These two short recordings were both made in dementia care settings during lockdown.
The first illustrates the way music therapy is being used to enhance communication with a client who has impaired movement and speech due to advanced dementia. Improvised music is playfully inviting dialogue with her by supporting her vocal sounds, physical gestures and expressions – reflecting her own personal way of communicating and responding.
By comparison, the second recording is an example of performed music being used to create an atmosphere – one of reflection and calm. It is moving music that residents can engage meaningfully with, but it is not tailored to each individual in the way music therapy is.
make a referral or talk to us
“I found the music therapy very helpful for me and my parents because now they understand me more and I can reference things that make me scared or uncomfortable and it has helped me understand more about myself and why I get scared or anxious.
As parents, we have seen our son grow in how he is able to communicate his fears and anxieties with us. We now have more empathy and understanding toward him and give him the time and space to be able to work through these fears. It has been really helpful for both of us (parents) to be involved in the process so that our son can build on the relationships individually. Thank you for the time you gave us, it was really valuable to us as a family” – family 2022
If you’d like to make a referral, please email us for further information (referrals@musicabilitycic.uk) and/or complete a referral form here and email or send it to us.
You can talk to us at MusicAbility Centre on: 01736 332861
Our address is MusicAbility CIC, MusicAbility Centre, 10 Parade St, Penzance TR18 4BU
MusicAbility offers music therapy to support:
Individuals, Groups and Families
Health, Social Care and Education
Day centres, Residential settings and Private clients
Practising therapists for clinical supervision (with a registered BAMT supervisor)
Fees in accordance with British Association for Music Therapy
Current DBS, safeguarding, insurance and professional memberships held by all MusicAbility therapists
children and young people
“MusicAbility has been fantastic for this little boy, his mum and us as a school, and I would thoroughly recommend Music Therapy to help reach children with trauma” – SENDco
Children and young people can be referred through school (mainstream and special education), early years providers, mental health workers, parents or carers, health care workers, or by social care. Reasons frequently given include offering children emotional support, often when acute behavioural or conduct issues arise which may be impacting on social or learning development. Music therapy provides a regular time and space each week to express feelings without other demands (including spoken language), and a context to build trust within an immediately interactive, child-led and playful outlet. It enables children to process loss, trauma, isolation and feelings of low self-worth, and can channel and regulate energy creatively without the need for words. The therapist links up with others working with the child, to make sure the young person is fully supported and understood across other contexts.
“I like music therapy because I can make all sorts of musics!” – boy with communication difficulties
“The sessions have improved my feelings and confidence through school and other social things. I’m doing a lot better at school” – teenager
“We feel that the work [MusicAbility’s therapist] has done with G has been so important it has taken him along a much more measured and considered route. If he had not had that chance, we feel it might have been an outcome none of us would wish to imagine. At the end of the day, our job was a lot easier having [them] here to help guide our fragile young man on the path to a much brighter future” – foster parent
“Music therapy provides the child with the opportunity to express outwardly though music their inner world /distress that may be difficult to express in words.It allows time for the child to explore, gain mastery or just let what is in, out safely with a trained therapist’s guidance – with consent from parents and child and without parental presence or influence” – CLIC Sargent nurse
adults
“Enlightening” – young adult referred by social care at severe risk due to self-harm
Group or individual sessions offer support to adults depending on personal preference, recommendation, need and financial considerations. Sessions support quality of life, current life stressors, historic context, develop meaning and often long-term relationship, release creativity and provide a linked-up or connective experience. The therapy provides an outlet for expressing feelings, for reflection and insight, increased social connection and also a route for maximising neurological and physical capacity. Music therapy is also widely known to help adults living with dementia. A positive by-product of some group work is that carers or support workers can be directly engaged in building a more subtle, broader and more rewarding relationship with their clients during and beyond the sessions.
“The time I spent with my Music Therapist has helped me come to a place where I feel like I’ve re-found my feet and have them somewhat back on the ground again. From day one I was welcome and met with calm, which immediately helped me to feel unthreatened. I often felt seen, heard and accepted no matter what was spoken about, as well as validated during and after meeting. I wasn’t met with any impression of urgency, expectation or judgment, despite struggling with this in myself.
I’m beginning to feel more comfortable and able just to be and to express myself now and I feel more open, willing and capable of building a healthier relationship with myself. I will always be really grateful to Music Therapy for the time, guidance and support received” – adult with mental health needs 2021
“I have witnessed a once a week session in 6 week period reach to a resident – the change I can only describe as phenomenal- non communicative character trapped inside of a fairly immobile head hung body transformed to a lady sat up, smiling, engaging with others most importantly speaking odd words to her husband and engaging in banter with appropriate single word comments. Increased food and fluid intakes created by releasing a personality. I believe the music therapy has given the resident a pathway to communicate enabling her to express herself and reminding her of the importance of communication which she carries on with others in her life around her now. I believe the resident has a purpose now to sit up and lift her head and feel a sense of worth. I have learnt so much from feedback sessions myself and only wish more could benefit from such a valuable therapy” – dementia care home manager
families
“It made me and my little boy closer” – pregnant mother
“It’s been a great help and I certainly have seen a difference in my and my son’s communication and in general he seems a lot more happy and able to voice what he’s feeling. I also feel it has helped him to see me in a different light” – father ’22
Family sessions can involve a child with their parent, both parents, a grandparent or siblings. They could involve a flexible approach of sessions with differing family members, a parent or child alone, or whole family sessions, depending on current need or just because it’s the school holidays! Family members are sometimes encouraged to become involved with their child’s individual sessions, to increase the positive impact on family life at home. Families often find that therapy can bring new challenges, new possibilities and offer new strengths to their relationships. Sometimes this process is rewarding, and sometimes challenging as expressions and communications within the family can feel conflicting or confusing. Where relevant, the therapist is often involved with the wider team around the family, for example where there is a child plan, within the child protection process or through feedback at TAC meetings at school alongside parents.
“We adopted our son age 5 years old. He had had 5 foster placements and a previous failed adoptive placement with his birth sister. Not only has he had consistent music therapy sessions funded through his school, but I have also had the opportunity to meet with [the MusicAbility therapist] regularly which has enabled me to voice how I feel too. Today I have said that I am so thankful for the Music Therapy and time that [the therapist] has given us, without this I am not sure where we would be emotionally and physically now. Thank you” – adoptive parent
“Working in CAMHS we constantly find the demand/need to support young children with attachment or early developmental trauma very difficult due to the limitations in the NHS commissioning in this field. Despite acknowledging and recognising children suffering from these difficulties often end up with more complex mental health difficulties later in life and struggle themselves with being a parent. Music Therapy can provide a safe and nurturing environment that loses the mental health stigma we have in CAMHS. It allows the parent and child a way to express themselves in a medium other than verbal language. This puts the parent and child on a level playing field to explore their connections and build on what is going well. As a CAMHS mental health practitioner I value this specific therapy being offered to the children, young people and their families I come across where I have heard about incredible improvements in their relationships after receiving support from [a MusicAbility therapist]. It is also refreshing to have a colleague within the community that can share the ‘attachment’ language when we are having discussions around what is ‘best for the child’ to improve challenging behaviour” – CAMHS Strategic Lead Professional
projects
Currently running: a therapy group at MusicAbility Centre for adults with a learning disability living in the community. Fully funded by Penzance Town Council July ’23 – June ’24.
Please phone MusicAbility landline to enquire: 01736 332861
Leonard Cheshire disability, Long Rock, Penzance provided neurological and psychological support
Young adults with support needs living in the community, in partnership with ‘Choice’, Camborne (became long term)
Children and parents who’ve suffered from domestic violence (ongoing). This is often longer-term involvement with families who are experiencing disruption to their current relationships, complex dynamics within the family, the effects of trauma and sometimes generational cycles of abuse. Other professionals may be supporting the family alongside their music therapy sessions:
“At first I didn’t know what to expect. Now I have found things about myself and daughter that I never thought I would, through music and finding someone that we trust”
Every Child Matters, invovling Penwith cluster primary schools. Sessions are offered to a child and often also with a parent, to support the wider development of the child at home and school. Sometimes attachments have not been able to develop because of other needs or difficulties, and children enjoy and anticipate the dedicated, supported time together with their parent each week. Sometimes the child attends on their own, engaging creatively and playfully in the sessions, whilst expressing what may be underneath their current need to provoke others’ reactions or avoid interacting with others. Parents can begin to build an understanding of their child’s problems and receive emotional support themselves, whilst enjoying having spontaneous fun with their child:
“I have found the sessions helped bring me and my son together. The music helps with my son joining in”
“Music Therapy has enriched the emotional literacy support that we are able to offer our more vulnerable children. It gives another channel for children to explore their feelings and emotions to try to make sense of their experiences under the supervision of a trained therapist. Feedback and compressive reports then help us to support the children with their needs back in the school setting and enables us to build on a positive relationship with the parents. Music Therapy is a valuable resource, supporting our THRIVE approach which enables us to more effectively address any barriers to a child’s learning by looking at the child holistically” – SENDco
Inclusion, Penwith Acorn Provision Academy, Kites ARB Cape Cornwall School (became long term). Sessions provide a consistent and safe place for the students to develop trust, relationship and express social and personal issues dynamically. Often children become less defensive and more relaxed, able to share their subtler qualities with another or others whilst still enjoying their capacity for power and impact:
“Many of the students [the music therapist] has worked with here have now returned to mainstream school, without their music therapy sessions this may not have happened. I feel the skills they gain in these sessions will help them positively in the future” – school exclusion TA
Closed group for young adults with support needs, Poppies Café, Penzance (ongoing). Weekly sessions give opportunity for social awareness, developing listening and attunement to others’ sounds and giving space to gain confidence in self-expression. The emphasis is on just being together, whatever that may be at that time, which allows the group to communicate in its own way.
Adult social care day centre: A long-term closed group for adults with complex needs and disability, John Daniel Centre (ongoing). This group has been going since 2008, and has some original members. It is almost entirely expressed and processed via improvised sound and music, giving a voice, a shared language, an expressive outlet and meaningful context to its regular members:
“We believe that music therapy is a most important activity for our daughter. She is very comfortable and secure with her group. After sessions she always comes home in a relaxed and happy frame of mind. It has given her the confidence to show and share her emotions in other social contexts. Working in the group has helped her to take turns, to share instruments and experiences and to listen to others and have some respect for their feelings”
A second MusicAbility-run group has been taking place at the centre since 2019, supporting verbal people with additional needs including emotional, social and mental health-related.
Expressive music, group music therapy for adults with communication needs at a day care centre (becoming longer term). This group took place in a wonderful day care setting, enabling a supportive and conducive environment for therapy for its group members. It involved people with a range of emotional and sensory needs, offering social and interactive support:
“It has helped him vocalise his feelings”
“His period of engagement has been throughout the whole of the session”
“A wonderful sensory activity. Promotes communication not necessarily verbal, ie visual, listening, touch of instruments. Different sounds and pitches of sound, definition of loud and soft sounds” – support workers
YMCA, working with young people aged 16-25 at risk of homelessness, or homeless. Supporting mental health and life engagement.
Emotional resilience and mental health support at Humphry Davy School, individual sessions for children with emotional, demographic and life-chance challenges, to increase self-esteem and motivation (ongoing). Funds raised through the LocalGiving Foundation DCMS / Community Match Challenge.
workshops
“Very impressive to observe how work is carried out, and even in a short 5 minute improv, I could draw lots of conclusion about myself and others” – BMus student
Music therapy workshops involve educational, informative, theoretical and experiential elements, to give a well-rounded experience of what music therapy offers and how music therapists might and do work. This can also involve case study presentation and discussion. Hands-on response to the musical instruments and awareness techniques give a direct and often stronger impression of what musical improvisation can initiate.
Workshop ‘dynamics, resonance, attunement’ at:
2018 Trainers of GPs conference, Newquay
2019 Forum Counsellors and Psychotherapists countywide network
2019, 2020, ‘remotely’ in 2021, 2022: Workshops/seminars for BA music students at Falmouth University – exploring music as therapy in society and personally, including experiential reflective listening and spontaneous improvisation as well as clinically informative discussion.
We returned to the in-person workshop at Falmouth University in March ’23!
‘Thank you guys for helping people who ask / need it. Keep doing what you’re doing’
‘Inspiring and has opened my eyes to music therapy’
‘Amazing lecture! (heart emoji) I felt refreshed and okay about NOT always being happy and bubbly. A good amount of honesty and seriousness and balance, having a fun time. Amazing!’
‘Session helped me to see that music therapy can reflect our everyday relationships i.e. tying to make an impressive sound while tuning into the ‘observer’ – a balance between managing conflicts and needs’
2016 workshop with Penwith college health & social care and A level psychology students:
‘Thought provoking – Emotional’
‘I found this session really insightful and interesting and something I will look into more’
‘Really enlightening’
‘Powerful and inspiring and meaningful ‘