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).