TME Tuesday: A Sick Day Lament

There is something just frustrating about September for me, and it comes in the form of being sick. As a result, I have written songs about allergies, and about not feeling good, and about the ugh that comes with the month of September. I tend to spend at least some of my valuable sick time during this month. We have significantly high ragweed pollen in the air right now with very high temperatures outside and someone is pumping out essential oils in fragrances that make me stop breathing, so things are just prime for me to get sick.

Enough self-pity.

Here is the Allergy Song... (For the record, if I was writing this today, I would significantly expand the procedure section...)

The Allergy Song

Therapeutic Music Experience

Mary Jane Landaker, MME, MT-BC

Purpose: To discuss health implications of being outside in nature; to provide humorous point of view to allergies.

 Source: Original song and lyrics. © 2016 by Mary Jane Landaker, MME, MT-BC. All rights reserved.

Materials: Accompanying Instrument

 Environment: Group members within hearing distance of group leader.

Song/Chant/Words:

I                                                            IV           V7         I

Nature is wonderful. Nature is grand. Nature is just all around!

I                                                         IV           V7              I

Nature is beautiful. Nature is great! Nature is plain everywhere!

V7                 I                          V7             I

I love nature, oh yes, I do, but nature just doesn’t like me!

V7                 I                V/V                               V7

Every time I go outside, nature plain makes me sneeze!!

       I                          IV       V7       I                                                     V7             

Oh, I have allergies. Yes, I do. Oh, I have allergies, that’s why nature just ain’t for

I

me! 

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

1.      C=start singing the song without explanation

2.      A=assess whether group members show attention behaviors

3.      R=reinforce all attention behaviors

4.      C=continue the accompaniment pattern and ask group members about the song:

a.       What is going on with the person singing?

b.      Do you have any allergies?

5.      C=as appropriate for group members, change the lyrics to match some of the answers that they provide during the discussion

Therapeutic Function of Music:

The music is the primary format for expressing information. The pitch, dynamics, tempo, timbre, and lyrics can be adapted and adjusted to accommodate client needs and preferences. The melody line is predictable which encourages client engagement and interaction. The music contains the information to spur discussion or songwriting about situations that many people go through.

Melody	Pitch	Rhythm	Dynamics	Harmony
Pattern varies throughout the song; melody is simple	Variable based on client need and preference; Tessitura – one octave	6/8 meter with most notes on the beat; limited syncopation	Variable based on client need and preference	Major tonality: I, IV, V7, V/V7

 

Form	Tempo	Timbre	Style	Lyrics
Strophic	Variable based on client need and preference	Variable based on client need and preference	Folk	Variable based on client need, preference, and contributions

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:

·         Use pictures of various allergens and people sneezing to enhance group members’ understanding of the concept

Extensions:

• Ask group members to write new words to the song in order to reflect their own experiences with allergies and allergens.