TME Tuesday: Diving Into the Archive

I am spending some time looking over my therapeutic music experience (TME) collection, trying to isolate everything that includes social skill development and coping skills. Why? Inspiration from conference, of course!

The problem? I have 25+ years of my own TMEs and 23 intern TME collections (there are lots of gems in my compilation of TMEs from all of my interns - their intellectual property, so I use them, but do not share those TMEs outside of my music therapy clinic), and I have no effective way to search for specific skills or goal areas.

I have a dream where I put in a couple of search words and a list of TMEs pop out - with links to sheet music and/or the music in my library. One of these days, I will have this type of database/software program, but I don't have it yet.

So, I am going through my database (currently just an excel database), selecting everything that includes "social interaction" and/or "coping skill development" to put on another page in the database. After that, I will spend some time looking at each TME to determine if the identification in the database is accurate and appropriate for the project that I currently have. 

I enjoy looking at my TME archive. I have years and years of music, TME plans, and memories in that archive. Going through the list of TMEs brings back good memories of interns running sessions, specific clients who responded to specific TMEs, and music therapy moments. 

My list of TMEs starts from the very beginning - the first TMEs I ever wrote during my freshman year. Those TMEs are pretty simple, but they are my foundation.

In the ensuing years, I have changed and expanded the things that I find to be important to include on TMEs. My plans now look very similar to the plans that I wrote those many, many years ago, but I have expanded them and really made them my own.

Do you keep a compendium of your TME ideas? 

Mine has saved my therapeutic life more times than not. When I am sitting down to put together my session strategies, I use that database to select TMEs that support client goals and objectives as well as to remind me about TMEs that we haven't done a while.

One of the things that I ask my interns to do is to start their own TME files. My internship director asked me to do my own, and I've continued the tradition. I encourage them to use my file and then contribute their own ideas into their own. I'm not sure how many of them have used their TME files outside of their internships, but I know that I've used their files for many years.

When I review their TME collections, I can tell where they came in my own music therapy evolution. Some interns had to do music element charts. Others did not. Some did detailed procedure descriptions, others didn't. I love going back through these files. That's why I keep my archive. 

Here's what I think about when I'm writing my TMEs. Enjoy!!

How to Write TMEs

Mary Jane Landaker, MME, MT-BC

This is not intended to replace any information that you have learned in your coursework, but it is intended to clarify some of the elements of TME design that you may either not be familiar with or that will make implementation a bit easier on you.

Components of Therapeutic Music Experiences (TMEs)

TMEs are comprised of several parts, all of which need to be planned prior to the session. These components include the purpose, the desired outcome, materials, the environment, the client, the therapist, the music, and the therapeutic relationship. Each component is as important as the others.

TME Plans: Plans define the process of the TME, provide a framework for the therapist, and illustrate the use of music and the influence of music on the client.

Purpose: This is the goal portion of the TME. Why would you use this TME in a session? Is it for a specific purpose? Does the TME serve to indicate the start of a session? How does this TME address impulse control? Does it also encourage motor development, communication, social interaction, emotional development? What domain does the TME address (motor, social, emotional, communication, academic, cognitive, behavioral, musical)?

• List all of the domains that are addressed by the TME under the purpose statement
• Goals are the big picture – umbrella topics
• Be specific with your purpose statements – “To increase motor development” is not as complete as “To increase upper extremity range of motion” or “To increase fine motor pincer grasp.”
  This is where you identify all of the therapeutic skills and elements that you will be addressing. (e. g., To increase eye contact; name recognition; peer identification; fine motor control; entrainment; impulse control) This needs to be a complete list.

Desired Outcome: This is the objective portion of the TME. Why would you want to use this TME with a client? What skill will the client be able to demonstrate when this TME is completed? Why is this skill important for the client? Is this skill important for the client? If not, then why are you bothering using the TME in treatment? Goals are the large picture, while objectives are specific for each client and are designed to change over time.

• Target behavior to determine when the client has completed the task – “Clients will demonstrate pincer grasp and release pattern four times during the TME.”
• There may be several outcomes depending on the number of purposes that you have identified in the first section. This will allow you to use the same TME in groups allowing you to address many goals simultaneously.

The Client: What type of client will be able to complete this TME? Will many different clients be able to participate the way the TME is designed? Will some clients find this TME too difficult? Too easy? How can you change the TME to accommodate many different clients? How can you change the TME to accommodate different learning styles and interest levels? How much of the TME will be decided and directed by the client?

The Therapist: What do you need to do before you can run the TME? Where do you need to be located during the TME? Will you need to move around the room? Will you be able to remain in a chair? What music do you need to have memorized? Where will you need to place materials so you can access them during the TME? What alternative TMEs or materials do you need to have prepared just in case? What tasks do you have to do during the TME (data collection, preparation for the next TME, switching CDs)? Where is your focus? When will it be important for you to encourage the client to make decisions? When will it be important for you to make decisions for the client?

Source:       This is where you cite the source of the application. You need to completely reproduce all information about the composer, the lyricist, and the person that first presented the application to you. Make an effort to find the original composers of all songs – look songs up on the internet for potential source material. If the application/song is your original work, then protect yourself by affixing a copyright symbol to the music that you compose. Include a date. This does not offer much protection, but it could offer something to you if you are ever in doubt about your intellectual property.

Materials:       List all of the things that you (or future therapists who are replicating this application) will need during the session. Do not forget accompanying instruments, specific CD titles and track numbers as well as CD players, electricity, etc.

Song/Chant/Words: Insert a picture of your music manuscript. If you cannot insert your manuscript, then add a hyperlink to the file so it is easily accessed by others. Also, if you cannot add your manuscript, include the lyrics and the chords to the song. If the work is someone else’s add a link to where the music can be found.

Music: What music will be used during the TME? Is it original music? Is it prerecorded music? What CD, what track, and what performers? Where did you get the music? Where did you learn the music? If someone else composed it, include all the details – who, what, when, and where you can locate the original. If you composed the music, include all of the information located above with a copyright symbol © with the date of composition.

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

1. This is the section where you perform a task analysis of the application.
2. You need to think through all of the steps that you will take, that the client will complete, and the possible responses that you will have as options.
3. Write them down.
4. Most procedures are very long.
5. Include times that you will provide reinforcements and times when you will provide redirections

Therapeutic Function of Music:       Describe why you would use music to accomplish the tasks/purposes identified at the start of the TME. What elements of the music itself assist you in completing the skill development of clients? What elements of the music have to remain constant in order to be effective in accomplishing the goals? What elements of music can change to accommodate the ways clients interact with you and with the music? Can this TME be used with different forms/musical pieces? If so, what are the criteria for choosing music for this TME?

In the chart below, make note of the different elements of the music that you are using. For example, is the melody repetitive? Does it move in a scalar pattern or does it skip? What else can you say about the melody? Do this for each of the elements listed below.

If an element can be adapted to suit your client’s needs, note that in the box. For example, if you are providing live music, you can change many of these elements to help your clients participate and engage in the TME. As the therapist, you can change the pitch, rhythm, dynamics, harmony, form, tempo, timbre, style, and/or lyrics.

Melody	Pitch	Rhythm	Dynamics	Harmony

Form	Tempo	Timbre	Style	Lyrics

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: What could you, as the therapist, do to make this TME work with different populations? If a client enters the session on his/her first day, what can you do to make sure that the client is successful? How do you need to change the TME so all of your clients are able to complete the tasks?

Extensions: Imagine that the clients are able to complete all of the tasks that you have identified in this TME in two minutes, and you still have 30 minutes left of the session. How could you change the TME to provide more practice without boring the client? What is the next step in skill development? What would be a natural “next step” to the TME. Are there any TMEs that would follow this one logically? Write them down.

I'm off to figure out what TMEs fit my search criteria - social development and coping skill development - to help me finish up my current project. Still dreaming about some new software that would allow me to accomplish my end goal - lightning fast lists of TMEs for my music therapy strategies...

Happy Tuesday!