What does music therapy look like online?
What does music therapy look like online?
I get asked a lot of questions as a music therapist. One of the most common is usually “what does music therapy look like? What would I actually do in a session?”
This is a great question - and one that I’ve attempted to answer here and here.
And now, after over a year of providing music therapy exclusively through online video sessions, as we all navigate the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the questions have shifted to include “what does music therapy look like online?”
Since each of my therapy sessions are unique to the client I’m working with at the moment, there isn’t a simple answer to this question.
An obvious shift from in-person sessions to video sessions is that we’re not sitting in the same, musical instrument-filled room together.
That actually doesn’t matter as much as you might think.
Having lots of instruments or special equipment is not needed for a meaningful experience in an online music therapy session.
What an online music therapy session can look like
1. A ritual to begin and end
In-person sessions mean traveling from home/work to the office, waiting in the waiting room, walking in, sitting down. All of these are rituals, which can help you slow down and notice things in a different way.
Since the pandemic began we have all lost a sense of rituals in our lives (not just during therapy sessions). So I like to intentionally invite clients to pause at the beginning of a video session -- taking a moment to breathe together, listen to a piece of music, or take a gentle stretch. It’s a way to slow down and really arrive (even if you haven’t moved physically from where you were just working a moment before).
2. Inviting in mindfulness and gentle body awareness
This is something I’ve always done in sessions, but it’s so important after a year of increased screen time and less movement. I believe that in order to change unhelpful patterns, feel less anxious or address childhood trauma that we need to include paying attention to the body - and not just thoughts - in our sessions. This might look like me gently pausing you to notice what’s happening to your breath as you talk about something, noticing when and where tightness arises in your body or making a small physical shift or gesture to connect with a different feeling.
3. Hearing the sound of an instrument I play
I have some instruments in my tele-therapy space (you’ll see them on screen right behind me) and use them to reflect an emotion, to help you slow down, or to help us move out of words and into feelings. (Of course, if you happen to have instruments in your home you’re welcome to use them too!)
4. Using your own body to make music in safe and simple ways
You actually don’t need any instruments to make music. Music is so much more than instruments - we can make music by humming, snapping and so much more. I can show you how to make music this way (and I’ll do it with you) in simple and safe ways.
5. Listening to recorded music together
Recorded music can bring so much richness and depth into our sessions. Whether we’re listening to something that connects you to an internal resource (like feeling grounded or calm), exploring music that holds space for anger or sadness, or doing a Music and Imagery exercise (see the pic above), there are a lot of rich possibilities for how recorded music can be used during a session.
Interested? Reach out!
I hope this post was helpful to some of you who might be curious about online music therapy sessions.
To learn more, you can read more about me and working together or schedule your free 20 minute phone consultation here. I look forward to connecting with you soon!
Warmly,
Maya
Maya is a music therapist and psychotherapist in NYC and online throughout New York State. She specializes in helping women with anxiety, childhood/intergenerational trauma and those who are highly sensitive (HSP) feel good enough, learn how to express their feelings without overwhelm, and show up in calm and confident ways in their work and relationships.
If you’re interested in working with Maya, you can learn more here or schedule your free phone consultation here.
You don’t have to stay stuck - it’s time to reclaim your rhythm.
