Case Studies
Richard
Richard attended a day centre for adults with learning disabilities. Although well-meaning, he was described as having difficulties adjusting to sharing and taking other people’s needs into consideration. This often led to frustration and sometimes to violent outbursts. It prevented him from getting the most from his relationships and from the opportunities available to him at the centre.
Richard attended a music therapy group for two years. The sessions were set up to balance opportunities for individuals to introduce their own ideas with periods when they were expected to work within the group framework.
Richard responded well to this approach. Being valued for the particular ideas he bought to the group seemed to enable him to conform more at other times. As Richard became more comfortable in the group, he began to experiment with sounds and styles of playing initiated by other people, and to enjoy the humour in turn-taking activities.
Emphasis was also put on negotiation and democracy. Conflict was avoided by framing requests with, “Do you mind….?” Richard took great pleasure in articulating his consent. He learned that he would always get a turn to have his own choices.
After two years, Richard was happy to take part in activities that others suggested. Outside the group, his keyworker noted how much more comfortably Richard worked within other situations at the centre, and that he appeared more tolerant of others generally.
Oscar
Oscar was a child with learning disabilities and autism. He had many skills, but tended to operate independently. He had difficulties knowing how to play with other people and he never made jokes.
In one-to-one music therapy, Oscar explored all the instruments on his own terms and resisted many of therapist’s attempts to join in. However, over a period of months, simple games developed between Oscar and the therapist.
He began to make jokes, playing unexpected sounds and looking at the therapist, laughing. Oscar was discovering the pleasure of playing music with someone else. In the process he was laying the foundation for making future relationships.
Alison
Alison was a teenager with multiple disabilities. For the first couple of years in her music therapy, Alison developed practical skills such as reaching, grasping and manipulating instruments and using her voice.
Seeing and hearing the effect she was able to have on the therapist’s sounds, and the sounds they made together, was a great incentive for Alison. She enjoyed having control over choices of instruments and the timing of sounds.
As Alison moved into adolescence, she was able to use these skills and the confidence she had gained to experiment with independence. For example, she enjoyed choosing silence for the short periods – smiling broadly when the therapist stopped playing too!
She also began to learn how to use her skills to communicate her feelings. Having no verbal language, she was able to use her music to express a range of feelings, from joy to sadness. Being able to share these with the therapist gave her a valuable outlet at a time of life that is emotionally turbulent for most people.
Explore our Music Therapy Services
For enquiries and referrals, contact Parity on 01252 375581 or info@parityfordisability.org.uk.