Music, Art, and Drama Therapy

By: Billy Travis

Where Are We Going?• Music Therapy

• Art Therapy

• Drama Therapy

• Activity

http://youtu.be/y3L9-45Uq9A?t=1m1s

Dear Diary,Hmm, what do I want to say?

I can’t think of the right words…

It’s like, you know what I’m saying, right?

Alright, good talk.

-Billy

Art, Music, and Drama Therapy are used to facilitate personal growth and promote

mental health.

What does it improve?

• Communication

• Movement

• Empower

• Reward

• Inspire

How does it work?

• http://youtu.be/wXcmWwSQGI4?t=5s

Music Therapy

The Champion Centre• In New Zealand & has been using Music Therapy since 1993 (Wylie and Foster-

Cohen, 2013)

• Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Autistic – Students have at least two areas of significant delay

• Individual lessons bring students and adults together – beat, rhythm, pitch

• Group lessons encourages collaboration, leadership, communication

• Structured lessons start with a “hello” song and end with a “good-bye” song

• Songs about daily routines help students e.g. a song about brushing your teeth

• Musical instruments designed for kids with different abilities

The Champion Centre• 4 year old boy with Down Syndrome with low energy levels and floppy muscle-

tone

• Trouble with motor skills

• Worked on a song about getting ready, standing up, and sitting down (pop goes the weasel)

• Saw improved standing and sitting as well as increased energy level

• Used the song with others and the boy was “delighted” to be the leader

Art Therapy• Less talking, and no laying on a couch and explaining

• Allows students to draw a picture, comic strip, or make a collage

• Visual responses come more naturally for children than verbal responses

• Students explain the meaning of their artwork, therapists/teachers refrain from interpreting artwork (Riley, 2001)

Art Therapy and Autism• Great for students on the Autism Spectrum because they tend to be visual,

concrete thinkers (Epp, 2008)

• “Acceptable” activity for working on social skills

• Allows for self-expression and self-soothing

• Artwork/Comic strips easier to follow than discussions and less threatening than role playing

• During creation, students gain insight through their own artistic eye

Drama Therapy and Autism • More sustained learning from socially competent peers, less dependence on

adults (Weiss and Harris, 2001)

• Practicing new behaviors, learning to play with others

• Using verbal and facial responses to situations (excited, laughing, sympathy)

• Use of scripts, leads to increased improvisation and interaction

• Action! Instead of talking

Art

• Draw how you got to be here in this classroom. What lead you to be in your seat today?

Music

• Find a song that is a representation for how you got here today. What song, music, lyrics tells a part of your story?

Activity

ReferencesClarridge, C. (2009, October 28). Drama-therapy program helps mental patients work

toward healing. The Seattle Times.Duffy, B., & Fuller, R. (2000). Role of music therapy in social skills development in children

with moderate intellectual disability. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 13(2), 77-89.

Epp, K. M. (2008). Outcome-based evaluation of a social skills program using art therapy and group therapy for children on the autism spectrum. Children & Schools, 30(1), 27-36.

Judd, R. (2013). How Does Music Therapy Benefit Children with Special Needs? [Video].Morris, R. V. (2001). Drama and authentic assessment in a social studies classroom. The

Social Studies, 92(1).Riley, S. (2001). Art therapy with adolescents. Western Journal of Medicie, 54-57.Weiss, M., & Harris, S. L. (2001). Teaching social skills to people with autism. Behavior

Modification, 25(5), 785-802.Wylie, J., & Foster-Cohen, S. (2013). Musical play as therapy in an early intervention

programme. Approaches, 5(1).