Music Therapy
Music therapy is an interactive and primarily non-verbal form of therapeutic intervention. It provides a process through which children can express themselves, become more aware of their feelings and interact more easily.
Individual sessions are child-led; the therapist will seek to develop a relationship with the child through the use of music and sounds. A range of percussion instruments that are easy to play are available for the child to use and any form of communication is accepted and responded to. Children are referred for a variety of different reasons and aims for the sessions might include:
- Developing early communication skills; shared attention, listening and responding
- Providing emotional support and an outlet for a range of feelings
- Developing self-confidence
The therapist also works with small groups, often run jointly with the speech and language therapy team. These sessions are more structured and use different activities to develop social skills and awareness. Aims for these sessions might include:
- Developing a greater awareness of self and others
- Improving social interaction skills including taking turns, waiting and listening
- Making choices and developing relationships with peers
The music therapist has frequent opportunities to communicate with staff and parents and contributes reports to review meetings.
Our music therapist is Mel Boswell and is employed by Bristol MusicSpace, a music therapy charity. The school buys in this specialist service for one day per week.
To find out more about music therapy and the MusicSpace charity visit www.bristolmusicspace.org
Occupational Therapy and Sensory Integration Therapy
