can change a life

WORDS SUZY JARRATT

It was the reaction of a frail young boy that inspired Sarah Fisher Dobbin to take a very special musical path.

‘In Year 10 I was doing work experience at Yarran, an early intervention service for children with developmental disabilities. I was playing the violin for them one Christmas and across the room was a little boy whose muscle tone was so weak it was an effort for him to move at all. When he heard the sounds, he turned his head.

‘‘That’s amazing,’ his surprised teacher said. ‘Go over and play to him’. Again he turned towards the music. It seems such a small thing, but being able to make that small but also very significant difference was when I knew what I wanted to do with my life.’

Today, Sarah has a master’s degree in education and in music, plays for the Gosford Musical Society and leads the second violins at Symphony Central Coast. She is one of just 500 music therapists in Australia.

‘In the past I’ve done mainstream teaching but this is what I love,’ says Sarah, who founded Central Coast Music Therapy (CCMT) 10 years ago. ‘I get to make a difference in the lives of my clients, and I’ve never given up on any of them.’

Scientific studies have shown that music crosses multiple regions of the brain, creating neural pathways that can benefit those with developmental delays, speech and language problems, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual, physical or emotional disabilities. Many clients, who range from toddlers to the elderly, fit these categories, and at CCMT each undergoes individualised sessions conducted by Sarah or another dedicated therapist. In recent years, Kayoka, Elaine, Tiffany and Ria have joined this ever-expanding practice, all working with children and adults to achieve specific goals.

Sometimes they concentrate on eye contact, listening skills or turn-taking. They sing, use colours and sounds, play guitars and violins — whatever is effective.

Trudi, the mother of 10-year-old Inika, explained to COAST magazine the effect music therapy has on her daughter.

‘She has a rare genetic condition, is developmentally delayed and is non-verbal. Not mute, but she doesn’t speak. The music allows her to communicate in ways she wouldn’t be able to do otherwise.

‘When we arrive, she’s so excited she jumps out of the car and runs inside. Afterwards, she comes back singing and humming — no words but she has the rhythm and beat of the tunes. She also loves creating her own tones on the xylophone and enjoys the feedback in her hands from its vibrations.

‘I’m sure it’s the best part of Inika’s week. She achieves more in that hour than in any traditional therapy session.’

Then there’s 17-year-old Maison. As a youngster, she was diagnosed as having high-functioning autism. ‘When you have a child who’s on the spectrum, you do almost anything to find out where they might excel,’ her father Warren says. ‘Maison focused on music.’ He took her to CCMT.

Sarah introduced her to the violin and over the years, Maison’s finger strength and coordination greatly improved. She began to flourish. Maison also attends regular sessions at the Happy Tappers, a dance class for people with special needs. At a recent Central Coast Rotary dinner, she gave a brief violin recital ‘which was a wonderful confidence booster,’ Warren says. ‘She was so proud to do something many others can’t.

‘Her skills are always improving. She’s learning to read music, and she practises regularly, which also calms her. We’ve been going now for eight years and have never looked back.’