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In Spring 2011, we had the pleasure here in St. John of God Kerry Services to avail of the input from Music therapy Ireland. The programme was tailored to support individuals in the severe/profound category of intellectual disability. It far exceeded our expectations with individuals receiving tremendous enjoyment and value from their weekly session with therapists Eli & Jess.
It was wonderful to see their joy and reaction to sampling all the different musical instruments. The ocean drum and keyboard were a big hit! Our residents participated both in group and one to one sessions. We found the therapy of particular benefit to some of our people who present with behaviour that challenges and others who have a visual impairment.
Overall the music therapy was a great success.
Facility: St. John of God, Kerry
I believe music therapy has helped my son Dara who has Aspergers Syndrome enormously. He has been availing of music therapy for the last three years and I noticed a change in him straight after our first session. He sat and chatted to me for ages in the kitchen that evening and he had never really spoken to me in that way before and I noticed every week that he was calmer and more relaxed by the music therapy session.
Before Dara began music therapy he had never shown any interest in music and had never really sang, but now he loves music particularly rock and metal and I am so happy for him because I believe music is an invaluable tool to have to cheer yourself up or to have as an interest or hobby and when Dara has a bad day where school is getting him down or life isn’t going the way he wanted it to he can listen to music and calm himself down.
I have been told by his music therapist that Dara has amazing rhythm and a great ear for music and he loves drumming, all of this we would never have had a chance to discover if music therapy hadn’t unlocked the part of Dara’s mind that is musical.
I would highly recommend to anybody with a child on the autistic spectrum to give music therapy a try as the results we have had have helped produce the wonderful boy we have today.
Jackie
