What To Do Next? A Time Filler TME!!

I have a bunch of Therapeutic Music Experiences (TMEs) that I use as time fillers. You know the kind of TME I'm talking about. The ones that are always available, easily expanded or shortened to fit the time left, and ones that everyone knows or can learn in a very short period of time. These are the TMEs that I pull out when everything in my session plan has been finished and I still have time left. Some are songs, some are games, some are completely improvised, and some include relaxation techniques.

What I've found, over the years, is that session plans never go exactly as planned. Sometimes, one TME lasts much longer than planned. Sometimes, you go through every idea that you have plus some and still have time left over. So, I have time fillers.

(I've learned that session plans aren't really plans at all but more like strategies or possibilities.

No matter what I, the therapist, sit in my office and plan, my clients change what happens during the actual session. Each client brings his or her own expectations, responses, and preferences into the session, and I can't always predict what will happen during our time together. That's one of the good things about music therapy. Each session can take it's own path.

I've also found, that when I try to force a client's responses into my idea of what the session should be, the session is not as effective as it is when I combine their ideas with my own.

For me, that's what therapy is; taking my ideas and the ideas of my clients and melding them into a shared experience that benefits their therapeutic progress.)

Time filler TMEs include quick singing games (fill-in-the-blank or sequence songs), large group games (Look Around the Circle and Who Do You See?, Elimination, or other games that include acknowledging others in the room), and/or silly songs (I Like To Eat, Boom-Chicka-Boom). There's always dancing to fall back on if nothing else will fit into the time left over.

One of the things that I do on a regular basis is sit down with my idea box and database to brainstorm all the ways I can use a song, or an item, or an idea. When I do this, I write down ALL ideas, no matter how ludicrous they seem at the time. There is NO WRONG answer or idea. When I decide to take something out of the cabinet to use, I go back to the idea list and remind myself of all of the ideas that I had about using the item. Then, during sessions, I have a fresh list of things to do and have the option of many different time fillers.

My strategy sheet for an item/instrument/material/visual aid/etc. includes thinking through things and options using all of the treatment domains that I have used over the years (How can I use this in a way that promotes motor development? How can I use this in a way that supports academic/cognitive development? Social/communication? Emotional/behavioral? Musical?) Then I brainstorm the songs that can go with those things to do. I often do the same thing starting with a song and leading the other way around.

This week, as I go into my sessions with my strategy mapped out, I'll be looking at ways I can include different elements of what we've already done into our sessions. I don't have many things that I'm using this week, so most of my time filler ideas will be sung rather than instrument-based. I abhor halting therapy while I root around in the cabinet to get something out, so I try to make sure that I don't have to do that...ever. What I've got out is what I will use in my session.

Some of my groups will take all of the session time without needing anything to fill time. Other groups will need time fillers, and yet other groups will not fit any of the plans that I have in my head but will make me find a completely new plan.

Whatever happens, I think I'm ready.

Have a great week, all.

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