TME Tuesday - I Resolve

Today's Therapeutic Music Experience (TME) is an idea that I've used now several times. It's interesting how some of my students can complete this and others just simply do not understand what I am asking them to do.

I'll sing the song for Song Switch Sunday, and I'll put the sheet music on the website today so you can see it. (The hyperlink here leads to the Ideas and Experiences page on my website!)

Purpose: To engage group members in personal goal setting; executive function; creative expression; emotional awareness; fine motor (if writing) skill development; social interaction

Source: Words, music, and therapeutic procedure © August 11, 2014, by Mary Jane Landaker, MME, MT-BC.

Materials: OPTIONAL: dry erase board and marker or prepared lyric sheets and writing utensils for group members to use to write their responses

Environment: All group members within hearing distance of the leader; provide writing surfaces if needed.

Song/Chant/Words: I Resolve.pdf

I resolve to eat my vegetables.

I resolve to make my be-ed.

I resolve to make new fri-ends.

I resolve to listen to others in this brand new year.

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

1.      C=start accompaniment pattern of repetitive bass line – D T L S, moving when the melody moves.

2.      A=assess if clients start to show entrainment behaviors (such as moving body parts to the beat or speaking in rhythm)

3.      R=reinforce group members who start to entrain through embedding their names into sung patterns

4.      C= start to talk or sing about resolutions. Ask group members the following questions:

a.       “what is a resolution?”

b.      “why do people make resolutions?”

c.       “what are your goals for yourself this (year/month/week/day/music therapy session)?”

5.      A=assess whether group members are able to answer the questions without additional explanation

6.      R=reinforce correct responses and redirect incorrect responses to the first two questions. Reinforce all responses to the third question

7.      C= while continuing the musical stimulus, ask a group member to either sing or write down his/her resolutions for the year

8.      A=assess whether group member is able to complete the task

9.      R=reinforce all attempts to complete the task

10.  C=provide additional assistance if group member appears unable to complete the task

11.  C=sing sentence completion of group member for entire group to hear

12.  R=reinforce group member’s lyrics

13.  Repeat steps 7-12 until all group members have had a turn, group members appear to be bored, or until time runs out

Therapeutic Function of Music:

The repetitive nature of the music emphasizes the lyrics as the dynamic part of the TME. The predictable melody allows for persons with limited musicality to engage in a simple melodic line. The rhythmic figure focuses on the macrobeat as the primary rhythmic pulse, but the rhythm of the pattern may be shifted to accommodate different lyric patterns as appropriate for client responses. The pitch, tempo, dynamics, and timbre are all variable to accommodate the preferences or instrumentation available for the group.

Melody	Pitch	Rhythm	Dynamics	Harmony
Downward melody with limited skips	Variable to accommodate client needs or preferences	Set pattern on macrobeat. Predictable motion	Variable to accommodate client needs or preferences	Limited harmony – this TME can be accompanied by a bass line doubling the melody line

Form	Tempo	Timbre	Style	Lyrics
Strophic	Variable to accommodate client needs or preferences	Variable to accommodate client needs or preferences	March	Variable to accommodate client needs or responses

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:

·         Make one resolution per person/group. Track progress towards goal.

Extensions:

Give specific parameters to the resolutions – e.g., first one – personal hygiene skill; second one – relationship with family member; third one – relationship with peer in group; fourth one – personal academic goal