Music Therapy Story of the Week

Back at Chapman, one of our professors would tell us a music therapy story of the week from all of her work.

Here are a couple from yesterday:

In my late afternoon session on a locked dementia unit, I was playing a familiar song the piano and trying to encourage the clients to sing and play along. in the meantime, this woman (We'll Call her GN), who has observed a few sessions (she's getting her advanced degree in gerontology), was interacting with on the clients. And I got this story from GN after the session.

So GN was interacting with one of the clients. They were kind of moving across the room. This particular client was not interested in sitting down much, but she loved moving around the room with GN by her side. I guess this client was talking with GN, except that it was a string of absolutely incoherent thoughts. In the middle of one of these random strings, the client started singing along to the music with everyone else. She had snapped back into the here and now, into the current reality, and discontinued her thoughts and began actively participating. GN was stunned.... and so was I to tell you the truth. The dynamic of the session is unlike any session I'd done before... so it can be hard for me to gauge what's going on for each person. GN was amazed at the way the music brought this person back.

I thought that was pretty darned amazing.

There are some characters in that particular group.. including my new boyfriend. He's probably 85 or so. But he sits in the session pretending he won't participate (even though he sings along quietly to every song and plays the drums quietly so that no one will see him), but he totally does. And he looks like he enjoys it. I went to collect his instruments after the session and instead he took my hand, gave me a wink, and told me how great it was. There's also another woman who is sooo sassy. She told me I "was the greatest thing she's ever done." Which I took to mean that she enjoyed the music immensely. She kept complimenting my piano playing. Tomato- Tomahto. This same woman came to sit on the couch next to the piano. So I moved my big bag of boomwhackers so she could sit down. She told me that I should never have to move any of my stuff for anyone.... and that I should have someone else do it for me.... which I took to mean that I should find a nice man that will move my big bag of boomwhackers so that I don't have to??? Its hard to tell. But the sentiment is there. She cracks me up.

Anyhow, I meet a lot of characters.

In the early afternoon session, I do a huge drumming group at a day program for older adults. They have a large group of retired nuns there. I was starting out with "You Are My Sunshine" which I find, most everyone likes. This nun came into the session. I gave her a drum and invited her to sing and play along thinking that "she's a nun. Nuns are great." This woman looked me in the eye and said, "Well I will, but not to this song," in a very saucy manner. Hilarious.

I love the people I get to work with.