A Parent's View Of Music Therapy
Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy In Scotland helps thousands of children and adults with a wide range of disabilities every year. Here, Wendy Stewart, explains how it has benefitted her daughter Amy.
Amy's Story
“Amy is 8 years old and every day is an uphill struggle for her. Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy In Scotland has enriched Amy’s life by helping her to discover a connection with a world she cannot make sense of. As a family we have reaped the benefits of Amy’s Music Therapy, as over time using music as a medium Amy has learnt that she can express herself and consequently relates better to us and others. We now regularly receive eye contact, smiles and bear hugs from Amy and feel like we have scored a hat trick. Slowly but surely thanks to Music Therapy Amy has become one of us as opposed to someone who lives amongst us.”
Wendy Stewart
Callum?s story
My son Callum is nine years old, and has autism. He is currently in a support class in a local mainstream primary school and receives music therapy on a weekly basis.
Callum?s language skills are delayed and he sometimes has difficulty with communication. He also has difficulty with social concepts such as the ability to understand other people?s emotions, and the reasoning behind social etiquette such as turn taking, good manners and empathising with his peers.
Callum has received music therapy as part of his school week for the past 3 years and he sees it as part of his timetable. During this time, music therapists have worked with him to help address his difficulties through sessions that have been carried out on a 1:1 and group basis. The music therapists work closely with the staff in his support class to ensure that they work to address his changing emotional, social and educational needs.
Careful thought has gone into Callum?s music therapy. A music therapist paired Callum with a younger pupil, which helped him to develop more social awareness of the needs of younger people. Callum responded well to this, developing an almost parental / teaching role toward the younger pupil, which has helped him now that he has a much younger brother.
Recently, Callum has gone through some difficulty with feeling ill at school, which is more than likely due to psychological issues surrounding his move into adolescence and difficulties he has with some of his work. The music therapist, aware of this, has given Callum the space to express these feelings through music in a safe therapeutic environment. After the sessions, Callum told the music therapist that he feels ?much better? and he goes back into the class and works more productively.
It is clear to me that Callum enjoys his music therapy and has benefited greatly from it. The creative and thoughtful way in which the music therapists have worked with him has helped address his changing needs in an appropriate manner.
