Music Therapy Online
RMT therapists have developed and launched an Online Music Therapy Service in response to Covid-19 and the significant number of vulnerable children and adults who are unable to access therapeutic support in-person. We have developed an approach that enables us to work remotely with children and adults with a wide variety of needs, both individually and in groups. While online sessions may be structured slightly differently, the fundamental principles of music therapy remain the same, and the aims and goals for each individual continue to guide our therapeutic work.
In Online Music Therapy, music therapists interact with the client via video conferencing software. We mainly use the Zoom app, as we feel it is easy to set up, free to users, and works well for music and video.
Zoom is approved as a safe video platform by a range of professional bodies, for example British Association for Music Therapy, and is compliant with GDPR. Zoom is regularly updated to keep ahead of potential security breaches and our therapists are aware of the required settings to ensure maximum security. In some situations, where there are difficulties using Zoom, it may be possible to use other programmes such as Skype or Facetime, if agreed by the parent/carer and therapist.
“Initially, we wondered whether this would work and whether it would be as effective as in-person sessions. Our experience is so positive that we now feel that online therapy actually offers some distinct advantages over in-person child psychotherapy, particularly to children such as ours, who are easily distracted, hypervigilant and have anxiety issues…..Hence, for the first time in years we notice progress in our children’s willingness to reflect and talk about their feelings and share these thoughts both with the therapist and within the family. The online delivery supports this on many levels. For example, video conferencing reduces our children’s anxiety because they are at home during sessions, in their familiar environment, where they feel safe and in control of their interaction with their therapist who is fully focussed on them, but has not physically entered their safe space.”
“I was pleasantly surprised at the first session when I put down her musical Instrument and with Crystal on the screen. Straight away my daughter started playing the instrument. I have been at every session and it has worked perfectly. I have seen my daughter’s confidence and self-esteem grow over the last few months.”
To enquire about online music therapy, email musictherapy@richmondmusictrust.org.uk or call 020 8744 8097.
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