Music Therapy
Andrew Neary, MT-BC, NMT-Fellow
Lead Neurologic Music Therapist
Milwaukee Center for Independence (MCFI)
Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Building
2020 West Wells Street
Milwaukee, WI 53233
Direct: 414.937.2045 Fax: 414.937.2021
Andrew.Neary@mcfi.net
www.mcfi.net
Music Therapy
• What is Music Therapy?
– The organized use of music to address therapeutic
goals.
• How is music organized?
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Rhythm
Melody
Harmony
Timbre
Tempo
Instrumentation
Music Therapy
• What is Music Therapy?
– The organized use of music to address therapeutic
goals.
• What are therapeutic goals?
– Things we need to work on to improve…
• Independence
• Quality of life
• Functional skills
– Speech communication
– Cognitive skills
– Physical skills and ROM
Music Therapy
• Types of music therapy
– Experiential
• Nordoff-Robins
• CMT
• HPMT
– Structured
• NMT
• NICU
• ORFF
Take home point – Everyone is different, therapy
should be different as well.
Music Therapy
• Evidence Based Practice
– All practical decisions made should be
• Based on research studies
• Only quantitative research studies are selected.
• Case studies, qualitative, and theoretical studies are
still used to help craft the musical experience, but not
normally used to create therapeutic goals.
Take home point – We take you guys seriously.
Music Therapy
• Goals
– The things we work on
• Cognitive skills
– Client will demonstrate selective attention by providing the
correct musical response when prompted 65% of opportunities
provided by 12-1-15.
• Physical skills
– Client will independently cross midline with right hand 65% of
opportunities provided by 12-1-15.
• Speech communication
– Client will demonstrate a functional part of speech by providing a
correct verbal response when prompted 65% of opportunities
provided by 12-1-15.
Music Therapy
• What does a session look like?
– Hello song
• Orientation to time person place
• Pre-test assessments
– Plan
• What are we going to work on today
– Therapeutic musical experience (TME)
• Goal 1
– Therapeutic musical experience (TME)
• Goal 2
– Review of goals and TMEs
• Post-test assessments
– Goodbye
Music Therapy
• Goal based tasks
– Start big and get specific
• ROM
– left side
» arm
• hand
• fingers
• pincer grasp
• 15 sec
Music Therapy
• Client Example
– Nexday Goal
• Zariyah will look across her mid-line to her right x4 per
TRAC session 85% of all TRAC sessions.
– Music Therapy Goal
• Zariyah will demonstrate, independently, upper body
range of motion tasks when prompted 60% of
opportunities provided by 12-1-14.
– Art Therapy Goal
• Zariyah will tolerate manipulating art materials during
the session three times 60% of the recording period.
Music Therapy
• Brain Injury
–Music Does The Work For You
• Structure
• Organization
• Sequencing
• Emotional Context
• Initiation And Temporal Structuring
Music Therapy
• Brain Injury
– Common goals
• Impulse Control
• Initiation
• Problem Solving
• Communication
• Social Skills
Music Therapy
• Brain Injury
– Direct Application For Skills At Home And At
Work
– A Place To Fail That Has Natural
Consequences
– A Place That Bridges Communication With
Family And Support Team
Music Therapy
• Brain Injury
– What Does It Look Like
• Brian’s Video
• Songwriting Samples
• Speech Examples
• Restoration Project
Music Therapy
• Questions