Music (For Music Therapy With The Developmentally Handicapped)

About The Recording: The purpose of this recording is twofold: (1) to offer a resource of music material and suggested ways to use it as a therapeutic tool, and (2) to promote understanding of music therapy as a treatment modality. It is addressed to professionals, trainees, and students in this and allied fields. For parents, guardians and for all who are seeking the betterment of the developmentally handicapped, it may have implications of a deep personal commitment. Presented are groups whose developmental handicaps vary in root causes, functioning levels, and chronological ages (covering a large span). Their handicaps include lack of coordination, mental deficit, lack of speech for communicative purpose, physical disability, and emotional disturbance. What you hear is indicative of – illustrative of – the use of music as a therapeutic tool, not the music therapy process. It is representative of the variety of music which, in the course of my experience as music therapist, has proved effective with a wide range of clients. The ways in which the music is used and the origin of its selection are diversified inasmuch as music therapy is a creative process of discovery, exploration, and experimentation firmly based in accomplishing music therapy goals. For example, since rhythm is an energizing and integrating force, and, if a music therapy goal is designed to arouse and raise the energy level of a hypoactive or withdrawn person, music that has a strong beat or rhythmic pattern(s) would be an obvious choice. It is, however, the conscious, deliberate, often intuitive, use of this music and its components in an ongoing treatment process that makes the material a therapeutic, functional tool.

Discogs