Category: Music Therapy Students

Books You Can Sing!

Posted on by Favor Chujor

As clinicians, adding novelty to our repertoire is key to promoting a healthy and engaging therapeutic relationship with our clients. One way to do this, that may not always be thought of, is through using books! For clinicians, caregivers, and teachers alike, books that can be sung are a great way to practice reading, reinforce learning, and embed other goal areas into one story.

Singable Books

Head to Toe by Eric Carle

This book doesn’t have a specific melody, but this is the perfect opportunity to flex your songwriting skills! “Head to Toe” is fantastic for animal identification, body awareness, and so easy to incorporate movement into. Did someone say it’s time to stomp like an elephant? Or slither like alligator?

 

 

 

It’s Okay To Be Different by Todd Parr

Parr’s books are classics in the world of early childhood literature. The bright color scheme and childlike illustrations are just some of the benefits of opening up a Todd Parr book. This is another book without a fixed melody, but again, gives you the opportunity to create a memorable melody with your client, child, or student! Within each page, you can embed different objectives or experiences. Let’s count how many teeth are in his mouth! What animal do you see on the page? What planet is this? Parr’s books are visually stimulating and inclusive to everyone.

 

 

The Animal Boogie by Debbie Harter

“The Animal Boogie” is a book with a pre-established melody (yay!). What’s cool about this book is that you can incorporate the movements of each animal into a little dance party on each page! With a pre-established melody, you can spend more time on reading fluency, since the structure is already created for you. Plus, it’s a blast to sing boogie oogie oogie during each chorus!

 

 

Here are a few more books based off popular songs!

Good Vibrations: A Children’s Picture Book – The Beach Boys

Octopus’s Garden – Ringo Starr of The Beatles

Respect: A Children’s Picture Book – Otis Redding (Did you know he wrote the original song?)

Happy! – Pharrell Williams

Every Little Thing – Bob Marley

Sweet Child o’ Mine – Guns N’ Roses

Happy singing and reading!

Digital Technology in Music Therapy CMTE

Posted on by Roman Music Therapy

There’s an App for That

It is almost impossible to find a space in modern life that is void of digital technology or its influence, and that is especially true of music. Not only has new technology changed the delivery of music and the way it is made, but it is changing how people interact with music. In the age of the ‘app’, many people can manipulate and create their own music, opening up a whole new way of expression. Integrating digital music technology in to your music therapy practice can allow you to provide clients with a new way of creating identity and discovering potential.

From Apps to Application

Join like-minded colleagues as we explore how tech and music based apps can bring your practice to the next level. We will warm up with improvisations on traditional and digital instruments, than move onto tutorials of various composition apps, such as GarageBand, GrooveMaker, LoopPacks, etc. The course will wrap up with the creation and sharing of a multimedia project. This course is a great way to turn your Smart phone, tablet or computer into another therapeutic tool at your disposal!

 

Course Schedule and Format

Registration and check in will be from 2pm-2:15pm, then we will dive into the work! Annette Whitehead-Pleaux, MA, MT-BS and Amadee Castenell III, MT-BC will instruct this 6 hour course, taking participants through facilitation, composition, creation and performance within some of the most popular music apps. Dinner will be provided.

Learn more and register online or call the office!

Music Therapy, AMTA and Belonging

Posted on by Roman Music Therapy

-by Annette Whitehead-Pleaux, MA, MT-BC

AMTA as a community

As with most allied health professions, music therapy has a professional organization, the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA).  The purpose of AMTA “is to advance public awareness of the benefits of music therapy and increase access to quality music therapy services in a rapidly changing world” (AMTA, 2017).  This advocacy of AMTA includes educating government officials (including national senators and representatives, governors, and state legislators), organizations (including Veteran’s Affairs Administration, National Institute of Health,  and Remo Drums), and the general public.

I have been a member of AMTA since I was a music therapy student, maintaining my membership throughout my career because of the many benefits it has given me. The organization not only works on a therapist’s behalf to increase our visibility, it also increases client access to our services.

Here are some of the other great things about AMTA membership:

  •  Two high quality journals created to keep therapists informed of the latest research and clinical practices within music therapy
  • A forum for music therapists to come together and share knowledge, experience, questions, and music
  • A way for music therapists to share their voices and ideas, as well as an opportunity to shape the field of music therapy as it grows and develops
  • Volunteer members and staff who are working to protect the field of music therapy through countless hours of dedicated service
  • National and regional groups that create and support the growth of music therapy in underdeveloped and new areas
  • Resources, documents, and knowledge that deepen my practices as a music therapist, a music therapist supervisor, and a music therapy educator
  • Opportunities to develop skills outside of clinical music therapy, by taking on leadership roles, conducting research and writing scholarly materials

AMTA as an advocate

For our stakeholders, those who receive our services and those who hire us to provide music therapy services, AMTA works on your behalf as well.  AMTA has been involved in developing and modifying legislation and regulations to make music therapy more readily available to those who need our services.  AMTA works to educate the public about music therapy. Finally, AMTA serves to connect those interested in music therapy services with music therapists in their area.

If you are a music therapist or music therapy student, you can learn more about joining AMTA here!