Broadcast Yourself: Music Therapy and Early Childhood on YouTube Rose Fienman, MT-BC Sacramento, California
The Internet can be a great resource for music therapists, though the sheer number of websites, blogs, podcasts, and social media can be difficult to sift through to find high quality materials. YouTube offers individuals the opportunity to selfpublish short video clips. Over the past decade, many music therapists have taken advantage of this platform to showcase their work with clients. Lately, several news broadcasting companies around the world have spotlighted the profession and archived it on YouTube as well. The following list includes both YouTube videos by music therapists sharing their work with young children as well as outstanding news broadcasts. YouTube: Self-broadcasted by Music Therapists Music Therapy with Young Children. This clip shows four music therapy experiences with three different children plus one small group. Text appears on the screen which explains the diagnosis and goal areas for each experience. The narration further describes the music therapy process in each scene. Paige's Music Program: Music Therapy at Children's. A nine-minute segment, this video is a great introduction to early childhood music therapy in a medical setting. There are interviews with music therapists, hospital personnel, and parents interspersed with clips of music therapy with several children. It also gives a solid definition and background of music therapy. Music Therapy Session at Joyful Music and Dance. The camera follows a young girl through her music therapy session, showing brief moments of her singing “hello” to the music therapist, playing the keyboard, and playing a drum. Watch a Music Therapy Session with Flynn. This clip shows a young boy with breathing difficulties participating in various music therapy activities, including singing, playing the guitar, and reaching for instruments. According to the description, music therapy was an important part of his recovery process from major surgery.
imagine 3(1), 2012
The Magic of the Music Therapy Program. This short, yet touching video shows a young boy at Children’s Hospital Boston. According to the onscreen text, he does not speak often. The audience is treated to his strumming along with the music therapist and singing a few short phrases. YouTube: News Broadcasting BBC Children in Need of Music Therapy. This archived BBC news broadcast describes a music therapy group for parents and young children, with a focus on a 16-month old boy with Down Syndrome. It features a short interview with the boy’s mother, as well as clips of various music experiences. PBS The Healing Power of Music. Though this video does not focus exclusively on early childhood, it is a wonderful example of a news broadcast featuring music therapy. It speaks extensively about the research supporting the profession and shows scenes of music therapists and music therapy students working with a wide variety of client populations. These online resources are a great means to educate music therapists and the public about music therapy practice with young children. However, music therapists must also consider the ethical principles regarding client privacy and confidentiality. To this end, the Research and Ethics Commission of the World Federation of Music Therapy (WFMT) offers recommendations for Reporting on Music Therapy Clients on the Internet and Privacy Issues, a valuable document for contemporary music therapists. About the Author Rose Fienman, MT-BC is very excited to have joined the imagine editorial team in January 2012. She has previously served as Executive Assistant of the World Federation of Music Therapy and as President of AMTAS. Currently, she is in the process of moving to Los Angeles to pursue her Master of Social Work. Contact: rose.fienman@gmail.com
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