Does My Child Need Music Therapy With Certified Music Therapist Alyssa Taylor

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https://www.abilityinnovations.com/therapyunmaskedland

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Hey Everyone!

Here are some details about music Therapy! 

What is Music Therapy?

1. Evidence-Based & Led by a Certified Professional Music therapy is a research-based healthcare profession, led by a Board-Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC), that uses music to support individuals of all ages—including children and families—in achieving non-musical goals like improving communication, motor skills, feeding, behavior, and emotional development. 

2. Personalized for Each Child Music therapy is never one-size-fits-all. Interventions are designed to match your child’s specific interests, strengths, and developmental needs—whether that’s through songs, instruments, movement, or structured play.

How Can Music Therapy Help My Child?

1. Encourages Communication and Language- Music can encourage vocalizations, improve speech clarity, expand vocabulary, and increase engagement in communication.

2. Promotes Emotional Expression and Regulation- Music offers a safe and playful way for children to express and understand their feelings while learning calming and coping strategies.

3. Improves Social Skills and Peer Interaction- Group music experiences promote positive social connection—like taking turns, following group routines, and building friendships through shared music-making.

4. Boosts Motor Skills and Body Awareness- Playing instruments, moving to music, and participating in rhythm activities help build coordination and support goals often addressed in OT and PT.

5. Supports Feeding Therapy Through Positive Associations- Music therapy creates enjoyable, calming experiences to reduce mealtime anxiety, encourage trying new foods, and build positive associations and routines around mealtime.

6. Increases Motivation and Participation- Music makes therapy fun! It helps children stay engaged, reduces resistance, and often helps kids make faster progress toward their goals. 

7. Works In Individual, Group, or Co-Treatment Settings- Music therapy can stand alone or be added to your child's current plan, with sessions offered individually, in small groups, or alongside OT, PT, feeding, or speech therapists. 

At Ability Innovations, we’re always looking for new, innovative ways to help kids thrive — and one exciting addition we’re exploring is music therapy. In a recent episode of our Therapy Unmasked podcast, we welcomed Alissa, a board-certified music therapist with a passion for helping children unlock their full potential through music.

While we already offer occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and feeding therapy, music therapy adds something truly special. As Alissa explains, music therapy is not about learning to play an instrument or performing in front of an audience. Instead, it uses music as a powerful therapeutic tool to support everything from motor development to emotional regulation and family bonding.

What makes music therapy especially impactful is how seamlessly it can blend with other therapies or stand on its own. For example, Alissa shared how she worked with a 10-year-old girl undergoing cancer treatment who was reluctant to participate in traditional physical therapy. Through culturally meaningful activities like belly dancing, they were able to support her physical therapy goals in a way that felt fun, empowering, and deeply personal.

Music therapy also offers unique benefits for children with autism or sensory processing needs. For these kids, music provides a nonverbal way to expr