|
|
The MetroWest
Daily News
By Celia Taylor
September 22, 2000
Benefiting
from the magic of sweet melodies
Shawn Colvin wrote a beautiful song about the power of music that
remains one of my very favorites. It's called, "I Don't Know
Why" and speaks of her love for a person I've always interpreted
as someone with special needs. In the song, she is unsure of so much
in relation to how to connect with this person, and sings, "But
if there were no music / then I would not get through / I don't know
why / I know these things / but I do." She reaches him through
music. Watching my own son come alive as he listens to his music,
I know what magic there is in melody and rhythm.
That's why he has three Walkmans, a ton of cassette tapes and enough
"AA" batteries in the junk drawer to crowd out the pencils,
old key rings and Post-it notes. It is also why he has a music therapist
come to school every Thursday morning and another music therapy class
every Wednesday after school. I have seen first-hand how it has enriched
and enhanced his life and we wouldn't give it up for anything.
In the special needs arena, music is therapeutic and healing. In fact,
music therapy is a helath profession similar to occupational and physical
therapy. More and more individualized education plans, or IEPs, list
music therapy as a related service in the education of a speical learner.
According to the American Music Therapy Associaton, music therapy
"consists of using music therapeutically to address physical,
psychological, cognitive, behavioral and/or social functioning."
I first heard of the Boston Institue for
Arts Therapy while attending the Massachusetts Down Syndrome
Congress conference three years ago. BIAT collaborates with special
education parent groups, ARCs, city recreation departments, group
homes and community agencies in order to offer music therapy for different
age groups. Their CHAMPS
(Children and Adults Have Arts and Music Programs) music
and art groups are currently run in 12 towns. In the Metrowest area
they are run in the town of Norfolk and a new group is forming in
Natick. Each site has three or four music groups for different agest
starting from age 3 up to adults. They take place after school hours
and run thorughout the year in 10 to 12-week sessions.
BIAT states the three most prominent goals for their creative arts
therapy groups as "engagement, communication and socialization."
For Sarah Dillaway, mother of preschool-age Mary Bridget, those goals
translate into fun. She first learned of one of BIAT's music therapists,
Allison Macy, when she attended a workshop on the benefits of music
therapy. That day, Allison led a second workshop for teens with special
needs where everyone rocked and rolled and had a great time. Since
then, Sarah has spread the word about the new Natick-based site slated
to begin at the end of September.
The group size for music sessions tends to be small-from four to eight
people-so that there is optimum learning and participation and so
that no one becomes overwhelmed. The programs are geared to people
who "need greater support to realize their strengths, require
opportunities that increase attention, and/or need practice in building
peer relationships." Those who join the class may also benefit
from using music to communicate throughs and feelings."
Having been to many music therapy groups, I could speak with some
authority about what exactly happens during a class, but as Allison
would point out, each session is different: there is no such thing
as a typical session. There are designed to fit those who come. If
you are curious to find out if music therapy might benefit your child
or someone else you know, you can call the Boston Institute for Arts
Therapy at 617-288-5858. Allison will be leading the new
groups in Natick (site to be announced) and is also looking for an
assistant, preferably someone outgoing and enthusiastic with an interest
in music who doesn't mind dancing around a little and joining in the
singing.
Tonight I plan to accompany my son to the first teen music therapy
session for the fall 2000 in Norfolk. This particular group was formed
by word of mouth, my mouth mostly, because I believe so strongly in
music therapy.
Allison will be there, guitar in hand, to make magic with five kids
who are going to have a blast.
To reach Celia Taylor:
508-520-1398 or email at
taylors22@prodigy.net
Creative Arts Therapy
Programs...
Visual Art * Music * Dance * Drama
...That Can Make a World of Difference!
Boston Institute for
Arts Therapy
"Drawing out the
best in people since 1982"
|