Disability Services

How does music therapy support individuals with

Intellectual / developmental disabilities

Music Therapy is recognized as a primary support for many children, adolescents, and adults with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD). It has been shown to provide engaging and motivating conditions for interacting with others for persons who experience increased difficulty in their socializations. Neurologic Music Therapy has proven to help clients improve functionality of gross motor movement.  Learning how to read music or play an instrument has been seen to enhance the academic process of pupils in areas such as reading and mathematics. 

As Segue Expressive Therapies, our focus is on supporting the emotional wellbeing of our clients. This includes promoting expression of all emotions in a safe and beneficial manner, and allows opportunity for education within our sessions about healthy coping skills. We support our clients through their most difficult moments of grief and loss, and help them process their emotional reactions to stressful circumstances that they face. 

Emotional Support

Music therapy is a natural emotional support for many persons with intellectual disabilities. It creates a space for validation and building self-esteem. Our sessions provide psychoeducational opportunities as emotions are modeled, normalized, and explored.  

Communication Support

Music therapy supports persons who need extra support in their receptive or expressive language. It also provides opportunities for an individual to successfully utilize non-verbal communication as they express feelings, ideas, and preferences through the musical experience. 

Social Support

Music therapy groups are a great opportunity for peers to bond with each other in a shared experience. For neurodivergent individuals who have increased difficulty in social situations, it provides a structured way for them to contribute to a group experience through music.

MOTOR DEVELOPMENT & REHABILITATION

For individuals with physical disabilities, instrument playing and movement to music is a major benefit of music therapy.  Our sessions provide engaging and motivating experiences for motor engagement and regulation.