Family Music Therapy

Key features of Family music therapy:

Discussion: knowing whether the family members played any instruments before, interested in which genre of music, went to which concerts before, etc

Drumming: Djembe, working together, testing relationships based on who can keep in time. Get parents to play together and keep a regular beat while children keep another. Therapist tries to distract with a different rhythm. Emphasize that when lost, look to each other for references. Other drum circle activities work well too.

Musical instrumental play: get the child to choose which instruments should be allocated to which family member. Improvisations include rock or familiar songs. Allow for solos, where family members can appreciate what the other members can do. 

Drawing on the board: At the start of the session, perhaps get each member of the family to draw or write something on the board indicating how they feel at the moment. At the end of the session, get them to revise what they have drawn. Discuss the difference and reasons.

Improvisation on the piano: Getting each member of the family to come individually to the piano to improvise with the therapist. This shows the different style each member has and perhaps reflects their inner personality, or one that they choose not to show. Discuss differences.

Client solo: If the client plays a musical instrument, encourage that and have them bring in their instruments or play it during the session. Therapist can play along using other instruments such as piano, and parents are invited to join in with the music making experience, ie. on drums or on a completely foreign instrument. Be creative with choice and encourage adventures.

"Play stations": Set up "stations" of instruments, ie. clusters of instruments like percussive, drum kit, handsonic, xylophone, etc. around the room. Have each member at different stations, determine a "theme"- could be chosen by client himself, and improvise around that theme. Move around different stations to have a feel for the different instruments. Discuss the emotions and feelings elicited and whether it developed from the original theme.

More discussions: Do not be afraid and ask questions like "what do you expect out of this family music therapy session?" and have members play their responses rather than to answer verbally. Have other members try to understand the musical response.