This one-stop practical book guides you to run a wide range of music therapy groups with pre-school and primary aged children with additional needs. Gain understanding on how to adapt and improvise to ensure that the group meets the individual child's needs, from simple tweaks - such as selecting easier to use instruments and adjusting table heights - to improvising on a single line instrument while dancing around the room. This book includes specific guidance on how to structure sessions ...

In Interactive Music Therapy - A Positive Approach, Amelia Oldfield explains how her approach to music therapy sessions establishes a constructive musical dialogue with children that emphasises positive experiences - these establish trust and allow feelings to be expressed through music.Describing the general benefits of this approach, the author also details its application for specific clinical groups including children with autistic spectrum disorders, relationship difficulties o...

This practical book outlines and explains the rationale for using music therapy in child and family psychiatry. Amelia Oldfield reflects on current research methodology and describes characteristics of her own approach to therapy sessions, including how to start and end the session, how to motivate children and establish a positive musical dialogue with them, and how to include parents in the session.Individual chapters focus on the results of the author's research investigations w...

This comprehensive and groundbreaking book describes the effective use of songwriting in music therapy with a variety of client populations, from children with cancer and adolescents in secondary school to people with traumatic brain injury and mental health problems.The authors explain the specific considerations to bear in mind when working with particular client groups to achieve the best clinical outcomes. All the contributors are experienced music therapy clinicians and resear...

Music therapists are trained to use their first study instrument in clinical practice, yet existing literature focuses almost exclusively on the use of piano, basic percussion and voice.This illuminating book brings together international music therapists who use a diverse range of musical instruments in their clinical work: the clarinet, the piano accordion, the flute, the cello, the trumpet and flugelhorn, the bassoon, the violin, the viola, the harp, the guitar, lower brass instr...

This comprehensive book describes well-defined models of music therapy for working with families in different clinical areas, ranging from families with special needs children or dying family members through to families in psychiatric or paediatric hospital settings.International contributors explain the theoretical background and practice of their specific approach, including an overview of research and illustrative case examples. Particular emphasis is placed on connecting theory...

The strain of caring for children struggling with severe and complex mental health needs affects the entire family. The staff at the innovative Croft Child and Family Unit have developed a unique approach of working intensively with the whole family, and encouraging them to share their experiences with other families, to instigate a complete change that will benefit all family members.Using detailed case studies to illustrate the model, the book focuses on the needs of children wit...

In the past, music therapy work with children typically took place in special schools without the family being present. More recently, music therapy has become a widespread practice, and this book reflects the variety of settings within which music therapists are now working with children together with their families.The contributors are music therapists with experience of working with children and their families in a range of different environments, such as schools, hospices, psyc...

The majority of music therapy work with children takes place in schools. This book documents the wealth and diversity of work that music therapists are doing in educational settings across the UK. It shows how, in recent years, music therapy has changed and grown as a profession, and it provides an insight into the trends that are emerging in this area in the 21st century.Collating the experiences of a range of music therapists from both mainstream and special education backgrounds...

In this insightful book, Oldfield and Carr draw together persuasive arguments for combining aspects of music therapy and dramatherapy, whilst retaining their unique facets.Building on the many links between music and drama and the compatibility between the two disciplines, the authors explore how artistic aspects of each therapy can be drawn on to create fresh ways of working. This approach enriches the practice of professionals working to support people with special needs, people ...