TME Tuesday - Thinking of a Song as a TME

Today's post for TME Tuesday is a little bit different than my usual Tuesday morning offering...

This is a chart that I use to organize myself into thinking about how I would like to use a song (any song) with my clients.  It allows me to organize my very visual self into something to do in my sessions. (And, I really like flow charts!!)

Start with the treble clef in the upper picture. Choose a song, then move through the steps, following the arrows. When I go through this process, I finish up with a fully fleshed out therapeutic music experience (TME).

Here's an example:

Starting with a song - Stand By Me as sung by Ben E. King
Lyrics - theme is centered around being steadfast, constant, true - love or friendship can be used. The lyrics are appropriate for my population without change, but the verses could be adapted to make them more personal for each of my clients.
Clients - This song would probably work well for my older elementary and adolescent clients. It is familiar to most of them, but not well-known, so we would be able to adapt the song without difficulty.

So, ideas for use during sessions with my clients - fill-in-the-blank songwriting; lyric analysis centering around being a good friend; singing to regulate breathing and to promote group interaction; using musical elements to promote movements (we could use the parachute, the ribbon sticks, or dance).

There's the beginning. Take it away, you creative MTs, you!!