INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC THERAPY WORKSHOP
In
November Robin and Deborah ran a Music Therapy Workshop day in
Chacewater Village Hall. This included students, headteachers,
special needs teachers, Music Services from other counties, teaching
assistants, those considering further training in music therapy,
carers, plus colleagues from schools and centres where music therapy
has been established. The objective of the day was to come and learn
about the core principles of the work, to raise discussion about why
music therapy requires a regular, separate, consistent space for
clients and why it is important to protect this therapy space from
interruptions. Questions raised included ‘Why do you sometimes use
activity songs?’, ‘What does a psychotherapeutic approach offer as
opposed to other forms of music therapy, and how can this be used
effectively alongside education and medical health systems?’ This
was an opportunity to present case stories, and explain what we do
through musical and psychological interventions, and why.
The day also gave opportunity to each participant to explore their own ideas creatively in an experiential musical improvisation group. These improvisations ranged in style, and featured some lucid periods of togetherness through the use of strong rhythmic baselines, and also some vulnerable sections where uncomfortable silence dominated or a risk was taken by someone to try something new. This was followed with discussion about personal explorations and approaches to music making – elements that are natural, uncomfortable, inspirational. Memories were shared. Many of the participants had never tried this group improvisation approach before, and were struck by the personal impact of music for highlighting issues such as non-verbal communication, creativity, emotional impact, personal challenges with leading others, or being led… all this emerging from creating a SPACE, allowing TIME, with a range of people and instruments. All this reflected back on the clinical work that is occurring around Cornwall, and the importance of providing clinically trained therapists. We covered a lot of ground in a very short day. What struck me most in my observations was how in the group dynamic of musical interaction, positions of leadership and differences in life stages of participants were altered, stripped, challenged, and most of all, personalised.
WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS
A music therapy workshop/liaison group was run at the Curnow
School, Redruth on 27 November, for parents both of children
receiving music therapy and those with an interest. It gave parents
an opportunity to see the music therapy room, try out the
instruments and quiz the music therapist about the work, as well as
having an informal chat over tea and biscuits. It functioned also as
a two-way mirror and gave the therapist the opportunity to find out
what the children were like at home - always helpful in enabling
therapeutic insights.
MUSIC THERAPY WORKSHOP PARKINSON’S DISEASE
Vigorous, unbridled music-making was a feature of two music therapy workshops held at the Education Day of the Mid Cornwall Branch of the Parkinson’s Disease Society at East Taphouse in October.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative condition and, as well as symptoms of tremors, bradykinesia and rigidity, psychiatric problems can develop such as depression and dementia. Music therapy can offer a way of processing these often unbearable feelings.
Trish Kent, secretary of the mid-Cornwall branch of the Society, asked the team with a view to offering an experience of music therapy to around 25 people with the condition, plus their partners and helpers.
Robin took a carload of instruments and an electric piano, gave a short introductory talk and invited all to pick an instrument and play. This was followed after each workshop by a brief discussion of the feelings which arose during the music.
Trish Kent, now a member of our User Group, later commented on how EVERYONE took part - a significant achievement in itself.
Whilst packing up the instruments, Robin was approached by a man who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease nine years previously; he had also just begun to learn the guitar. After the diagnosis he had put the guitar in the attic but said that after the impact of the music therapy group, he was going back home to get it down again.
PREMISES
Finding
suitable premises has always been a problem but we now have
identified space at Chacewater Village Hall as suitable for training
events and the delivery of music therapy. We also anticipate having
additional dedicated space in Redruth in the near future use of a
sensory room in Camborne and a number of other options across the
County
LULLABY RESEARCH
Inspired by research carried out at the School of Music at the University of Queensland, Australia, Robin is hoping to begin work soon on a lullaby workshop project. Researchers have looked at how infants' development is affected by the singing of lullabies - one of many mothers' coping and survival tools used when soothing a distressed baby. A lullaby can intensify the bond between baby and mother (or father) and in newborn babies, music has been found to positively affect stress behaviours. Lullabies are usually sung by mothers, rarely by fathers - and Robin would be particularly interested in hearing from any fathers about their experience of singing lullabies to their children. He plans to run a lullaby workshop which will look at a selection of lullabies and ways parents can sing them in order to soothe and attune to their babies' feelings.
ENGAGING COMMUNITIES