Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Music therapy’s benefits are perhaps most well known throughout this population. Both children and adults with a wide range of abilities seem to flourish in music therapy settings. We believe this is because sessions are tailored to be success oriented according to their needs and abilities. Who doesn’t feel motivated when they have opportunities to succeed and be challenged? Therapeutic outcomes include:
- Increased language/communication skills
- Increased social skills
- Increased emotional regulation
- Behavior modification
- Increased gross/fine motor skills
- Increased cognitive/academic skills
Early Childhood Development
Research has continuously shown that play is essential in learning for young children, encouraging development of cognitive, emotional, social, language, and physical skills. Music therapy can support this “learning through play” by increasing intrinsic motivation, encouraging imagination, active engagement, allowing free choice, and most importantly, having fun! Ultimately, we want to cultivate a culture of excitement and joy while fostering growth.
Schools and Special Education
Preschools
Our therapists engage students’ natural love of songs, instruments, and movement, while reinforcing academic skills and introducing early music concepts. Music therapy supports all learning and helps enhance language development of preschool aged children. Our session are designed to encourage creativity, improve listening skills, and provide opportunity for emotional expression. In addition to providing music therapy activities that work toward developmental milestones, our music therapists work with each facilities curriculum to reinforce skills taught in the classroom.
Special Education
Music therapy sessions in contained special education classrooms or inclusive classrooms are facilitated with an increased emphasis on:
- Socialization
- Gross and fine motor skills and coordination
- Relaxation and coping skills
- Self-esteem and confidence
- Communication and language development
- Emotional expression
- Cognitive development
- Sensory stimulation
School Systems
Our music therapists work with school systems, preK through 12, to develop cognitive/academic skills and social/emotional skills. Through singing, drumming, instrument playing, music listening, and age-appropriate music games students are given the opportunity to increase group cohesion, emotional regulation, and self-confidence.
Older Adults and Memory Care
Assisted Living
VBMT provides 45 minute weekly or bi weekly sessions in your assisted living facility. Music often remains a connecting point to the world around us as we age. Music therapy can be a way for older adults to engage, reconnect, participate in physical activity, and elicit memories. These sessions use singing, listening, movement, instrument playing, and appropriate music games to increase the skills required for daily living.
Memory Care
Music Therapy sessions for older adults may include singing as a respiratory exercise, chair dancing as physical activity, musical games to cognitively engage the group, and discussion and reminiscence. Music therapy gives older adults the opportunity to make choices, follow directions, and engage socially with their peers. Our person centered approach helps to build a foundation of respect and rapport which can support non musical goals, but add a special emphasis on increasing reality orientation, memory recall, executive functioning, and reminiscence.
Alzheimer’s/ Dementia and other related diseases
Music therapy is a person centered, non-invasive approach to improve quality of live and address the unique needs of people with Alzheimer’s and related diseases. Music therapy can benefit your current programming by:
- reducing isolation,
- increasing social engagement
- increasing physical activity
- fostering reminiscence
- increase motor strength
- vocal maintenance
- speech intelligibility
- autonomy
- mood
Music and Literacy
Music therapy can be used to enhance literacy skills in the following ways:
Exposure: By exposing children to diverse cultural images, music, and reading texts that reflect historical perspectives, students are allowed to make connections to the current sociopolitical climate.
Writing component: Creative writing outlets such as songwriting interventions that speak to the mentor texts that they are exposed to and the themes that students extract from them.
Promote agency: By publishing the children’s music products, an artifact is born which is something that children can share with their families and communities. It also serves as an avenue in which their thoughts and lived experiences can be affirmed and celebrated.
Village concept: Having children perform their songs for their families and friends also increases their literacy performance skills, thus completing the trifecta of literacy (reading, writing, speaking/singing).
Community Services
Drum Circles
VBMT facilitates community drum circles which are:
Multicultural lessons and coping skill exploration in educational settings.
Stress-relief, communication styles & team building exercises in corporate settings.
Relaxation purposes & recreation for medical and healthcare settings.
Self-expression outlet, group cohesion and connectivity for community organizations.
Wellness
Research has continuously shown the benefits of music therapy within group and individual settings. Though it is frequently used with populations who have disabilities or illnesses, the benefits of music therapy can be seen by all ages and abilities. VBMT provides group and individual sessions for local organizations, business retreats, and meetings to improve overall health outcomes including:
- enhanced awareness of self and others through group drumming and improvisation
- development of alternative coping and relaxation skills through music discussion
- positive changes in identifying and expressing mood and emotional states through songwriting
- Decreased feelings of stress and anxiety through music relaxation.
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Services
Group and individual music therapy sessions for people with mental health diagnoses use instrument playing, music listening, singing, guided imagery, and discussions about song lyrics to address:
- Coping skills
- Reality Orientation
- Social skills
- Relaxation skills
- Spirituality
Physical Rehabilitation
In group or individual sessions designed for rehab settings, participants engage in drumming, instrument playing, singing, and movement to preferred music to increase:
- Fine Motor skills
- Gross Motor skills
- Range of Motion
- Head Orientation
- Strengthening
- Gait Training
- Endurance
Telehealth Sessions
Telehealth is a HIPAA compliant virtual option for music therapy sessions for individuals that are unable to
attend in person. It is a real-time session held over a video format in which two-way communication can take place.
Each session is customized to fit the client’s strengths and areas for growth, as well as continue addressing client goals and objectives.