5:38 am - Therapeutic Music Experience Time

Interested in learning more about therapeutic music experience development? Check out our webinars at www.musictherapyworks.com. We are also starting a monthly swap shop for music therapists and students. Join us!

EMOTION INSTRUMENTS

Purpose: To provide concrete expression of emotional response to sung situations; to increase awareness of physical experiences associated with specific emotions; problem-solving; expression of emotion

Source: Original idea. © 2012 by Mary Jane Landaker, MME, MT-BC. Used with permission by www.musictherapyworks.com

Materials: Emotion cards – one set of three for each group member; Variety of rhythm instruments; OPTIONAL: guitar or other accompanying instrument

Environment: Group members sitting within ear shot of therapist

Song/Chant/Words:

Improvised music using variable lyrics to fit group members and their responses to different situations.

Procedure: R = Reinforcement opportunities; C = Redirection/Cue opportunities; A = Assessment

1. C=display rhythm instruments and ask each group member to choose three instruments
2. A=assess whether group members are able to comply with request
3. R=reinforce all group members who complete task of choosing three instruments
4. C=pass out a set of emotion cards to each group member.
5. C=ask group members to put one instrument on each emotion card and wait
6. R=reinforce group members who complete the task and redirect those who require more assistance
7. C=start singing situations, improvising lyrics and music to illustrate emotion within situation
8. C=model playing the corresponding instrument that goes with the indicated emotion expressed in the situation
9. A=assess whether group members complete the task of playing their instruments as indicated by the emotion cards
10. R=reinforce group members who complete the task and redirect those who require more assistance
11. C=ask group members to explain their decision for the emotion card/instrument chosen
12. R=reinforce all responses, even if they do not appear to be logical – remember, emotion is not always logical
13. Repeat steps 7-121 changing the situations to indicate different emotional responses
14. R=continue to reinforce and redirect group members as needed
15. Continue to repeat steps 7-14 until group members show s/s of boredom and/or time is finished

Therapeutic Function of Music: The music provides the cue for the expression of emotion of group members. As the music is improvised, all elements of the music can be adapted and used as a tool to assist group members in interpreting the verbal information presented. The music can also illustrate the desired emotion through changes in tempo, meter, mode, and harmony. As group members become more accustomed to the concept of the TME, the changes in the music can decrease, increasing the requirement for focus on the verbal discussion rather than the musical elements.

Melody	Pitch	Rhythm	Dynamics	Harmony
Variable	Variable	Variable	Variable	Variable

Form	Tempo	Timbre	Style	Lyrics
Variable	Variable	Variable	Variable	Variable

Chart adapted from Hanson-Abromeit, D. (2010). A Closer Look at the Therapeutic Function of Music. Presentation at 2010 American Music Therapy Association National Conference: Cleveland, OH.

Adaptations:

• Increase or decrease the number of emotions presented
•  Allow group members to choose their own emotions from larger field of choices

Extensions:

• Ask group members to improvise emotional situations musically and verbally
• Use emotion cards to indicate how a particular piece of music sounds emotionally