TME Tuesday: First Day Back and A Student-Inspired Song

Yesterday was the first day back after a week off, and when I walked into my music therapy room, there was a problem.

It was 58 degrees F in there. Way too cold!! So, I popped off an email to my supervisor (who is VERY tired of the temperature complaints, I am sure!), and another one to the teachers of the classrooms that I see on Mondays about the temperature situation. After that, I attempted to figure out what I would do with the clients on the schedule. This is Country of the Month week, but I am tired of doing the same thing every week, so I went for something different from the Country of the Month presentation - songwriting!

It was nothing spectacular or complicated. We wrote a song about our favorite things to do in the summer. I distributed some of my summer rhythm cards for inspiration, and then, off we went. 

I did the same thing with all of the groups that we welcomed into the music therapy room. Some of my students selected one of the cards for their contribution to the song. Others verbally expressed their selections. Still others wrote their names on the board and then had the choice to either write the rest of their sentence or have my intern write it for them. I was able to keep the music going as they wrote. One of my students became a bit fixated on the starfish picture and insisted that I write a song about starfish, so I improvised a story song in the moment.

The student then insisted that I sing it again - I had to say goodbye to the class at the time, but I did sit down and transcribe what I remembered about what I sang. I will be able to replicate the song during the next session. I enjoy these moments - when clients want me to be musical, and I can assist them with that request.

I feel fortunate to have remembered the song that I improvised long enough to transcribe it onto an index card. I don't often remember improvised songs outside of the moment - when I go to set it down on paper, I can't remember what I performed. I have learned to let those songs go, but it still stings a bit when I have to do so.

In addition to writing a song about summer, I also offered some of my older TMEs during our sessions. It was fun to see new clients respond to very old songs. One was a piggy-back song and the other was an original song-game that we have played for many years. It was fun to watch them fall in love with the TMEs that I have used for a long time now. There is just something about those songs that is interesting and engaging for my students. I figure, if something works, then use it!

There are reasons that seasoned music therapists use therapeutic music experiences (TMEs) that are old - they work! There is no reason to abandon a TME just because it is 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 years old. If clients respond, then it is a valid experience, even if it is older. Clients don't change all that much. I am working with my clients on the same therapeutic outcomes that I did when I started this job. How I do music therapy has changed a bit in those 27 years, but the goals have not changed.

I have some time today to finish the Country of the Month bulletin board that has been woefully neglected recently. We are learning about Canada, which is pretty cool since I will be in Canada this month. After that, my intern will lead the beginning of three groups, and I will lead the other two groups. We will do some musicking - I think I might do some instrument play with the group that we saw yesterday. They are our smallest kids, and it is hard to engage them in much, so communal instrument playing is a go-to TME. I think I will make a box of diverse instruments and see what is selected and used.

Happy Tuesday.