HOW CAN MUSIC THERAPY HELP?

How does music therapy help with autism? Music therapy has been shown to be beneficial for people with autism and can help them in a number of areas. Interacting with others is often a challenge for people with autism but through music and musical interactions meaningful connections can be made.

Relationship building can be challenging for people with autism and often attempts by others to socially connect are rejected or ignored. People with autism will often show interest in music and musical instruments and this can provide the initial engagement and point of contact in music therapy. From there a meaningful relationship can develop and music therapy can be used to work on many different goals.

Social skills – Many social skills can be encouraged and practiced during music therapy. These may include eye contact, sharing, listening, responding, turn taking, being listened to, following instructions, seeking interactions, and leading interactions. Music is a social activity and expressing yourself through music allows for connection with others.

Communication – both verbal and non-verbal communication can be practiced and developed through music therapy. The music therapist can respond to behaviours in a communicative way, usually through improvised music, that is guided by the person’s actions and vocalisations. Although it may take time, the person with autism will start to recognise the connections between their own actions and the music, and in turn the communicative relationship being formed with the therapist. The awareness of this ‘cause and effect’ relationship is the beginning of a connection that can then be developed to work on more complex communication skills.

Sensory Integration – Music provides lots of sensory input. Obviously there is the sound of the music which provides auditory stimulation, but there is also the feel and look of the instruments being used, which provides visual and tactile input. The ordering of auditory stimuli in music can help organise and make sense of the sounds being heard. The structured, predictable nature of music can be used to help people with autism with sensory integration.

Music therapy is used with people of all ages from pre-school to late age with all types of disability. Accredited, trained music therapists work with adults and children with disabilities to help them achieve non-musical goals. Music therapy isn’t about learning an instrument, it’s about using music with an accredited therapist to help with communication, cognition, physical development and emotional development.

Benefits from music therapy for people with disabilities can include:

• An increase in fine and gross motor function
• Improvements in communication, verbal and non-verbal
• Improved muscle strength
• The opportunity to relax in a controlled environment
• Self-expression and social interaction, particularly in groups
• Improvements in confidence, self-worth and independence.

Music therapy sessions take different approaches depending on the person and the goals. In individual sessions they’re tailored to the client while in groups we retain a spontaneous approach but always have specific goals in mind, depending on the needs and type of the group.

Musical instruments can help with non-verbal communication; they can help build hand grasp strength; and can help to give the individual a sense of place and worth within a group or in an individual session. Singing can help with breathing control, learning speech and with pronunciation while song-writing encourages self expression and can lead to sharing experiences and thoughts.

Music is a naturally communicative mode of expression, whether words are used or not. Music therapy can not only motivate people to communicate and express themselves, but offers a creative outlet for their feelings, thoughts and ideas that may be difficult to express otherwise.

For those who are non-verbal, music can provide a communication tool through instruments and sounds. In music therapy this is supported and facilitated by the music therapist through improvisation and providing access to familiar music and positive musical experiences. Communication skills such as learning to listen and respond, to present new ideas, to echo someone else’s ideas, to express your emotions, to question, to understand another’s perspective, to feel heard and understood, all these can be practiced and developed in music therapy.

Vocalising and singing can provide another avenue for those who can vocalise or are verbal. Both improvised and familiar music is used to find the best means of communication. This may be used just in that moment, or something that is then worked on over a period of time to create music that can be shared with others. 

For those still learning to speak or struggling with certain aspects of their speech, they can use music therapy to work on producing specific sounds, words and phrases. The music therapist can use both familiar and original songs to help practice sounds, and to learn how to use words and phrases appropriately. In these cases, the music therapist would usually collaborate with your speech therapist to ensure an integrated approach.

Song writing is another powerful tool for those wanting to express themselves using words, which is supported and facilitated by the music therapist.