The Therapeutic Relationship

Yesterday was a good day for therapeutic relationship building. It is a nice thing when my nonverbal clients with diagnoses on the Autism Spectrum start to associate me with what I do.

Yesterday, 15 minutes before we were going to dismiss students to the residences, I took a student back to her classroom after her individual session. We had spent the time singing with the microphones, and she appeared to enjoy the session. We danced back to her classroom down the hallway and entered her room. One of her classmates (the "Q" from before) walked up to me, looked at me, and then walked over to the nearest picture schedule, found the "music" card, and handed it to me.

This is the same "Q" who, 9 months ago, did not display ANY communicative or interactive behaviors at all...with anyone.

I couldn't take him to the music room right then to reinforce the communicative behavior. There was no time before shift change, but I did spend some time with him in his classroom. We jumped, whistled, and made sounds for 15 minutes. He followed me around the room, holding my hands, and vocalizing. We quickly established that an upward slide whistle was a signal to jump up and a descending whistle was a signal to crouch down and get ready to jump. We played. We had fun. When he left to get his kazoo that he made in art, I left the classroom as well.

The things that "Q" has taught me over the past three months are very valuable to me as a therapist. He has shown me that individual music therapy sessions are more effective in accomplishing many therapeutic goals for children with severe autistic involvement. Group therapy has its place, but individual therapy also has value. This continues to provide justification for the big switch from group focus to increased individual focus at my facility.

"Q" has also taught me lots of other things. It is wonderful to know that a child with an abysmal history of abuse and neglect can and will thrive once in a place that can offer security, frequent and regular meals, and patient care giving. The importance of treatment in general is exemplified in the progress of this young man.

"Q" also reminds me that learning is fun, behavior is communication, and communication is a form of behavior.

It is now time to go back to work. "Q" will come to music twice today - once as a member of his classroom group, and once on his own. I wonder what he will teach me today...

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