blueballoon Health Services is a leading provider of individual and group music therapy services for children of all abilities. We provide assessment, treatment and support to children from infancy to young adulthood. Blueballoon Music Therapists are a team of highly skilled professionals, educated extensively in music and its therapeutic effects, dedicated to delivering assessment and therapy services to children, within a family-focused, warm and compassionate atmosphere.

The advantage for parents, in addition to avoiding a lengthy wait list, is that they will get a "state of the art" diagnostic assessment and treatment plan, and if appropriate, can access several treatment modalities at blueballoon. Our multidisciplinary team offers seamless access to needed services with "built-in" high quality case coordination.

blueballoon is very helpful at working with families to determine insurance eligibility or other funding options. 

What is Music Therapy?

Music Therapy
Music therapy is a holistic form of therapy which involves the skillful use of music used as a therapeutic tool to restore, maintain and/or improve a person's physical, emotional, social, cognitive and psychological well-being. Music is a universal language: its unique qualities makes it an effective and distinctive mode of therapy for both children and adults of varying needs, abilities and challenges. Music provides a positive and creative outlet for self-expression and personal growth.

When might your child need Music Therapy?

Music therapy is utilized with many populations. Music therapists work with children with autism, developmental delays, physical challenges, mental health issues such as anxiety and emotional issues, and acquired brain injuries. For non-verbal children, specifically, music often bridges the gap and allows the child a mode of meaningful and immediate communication. The initial stages of pre-speech (imitation, call and response, oral-motor skills) may be addressed and improved through music-based activities. Children experiencing loss, grief, or anxiety may benefit from a creative outlet for difficult emotions. Music may also be utilized to target socio-developmental skills such as taking turns, sharing, and joint attention.  Children with cognitive impairments can gain valuable memory, sequencing, and patterning skills. 

How is Music Therapy used?

An accredited Music Therapist assesses the child and develops an individual treatment plan with specific and tangible goals that can alter over time. Specially selected songs, improvised music, instrumental, and vocal tasks are used to motivate the child to attain clinical outcomes while promoting a successful experience.

Music is a unique mode of therapy that can be can be used for any age, verbal/speech ability, developmental or cognitive level.  Please note it is NOT essential that your child is musical or has training in music, to benefit from involvement in music therapy.

Vocal Sounds: When a client makes a sound, a music therapist can respond to and support that sound, structure it within a musical context, and help shape it into verbal language. Musical dialogue which occurs between the therapist and client provides a meaningful and immediate socially interactive experience. Vocalizing to music can also help release built-up tension, and can promote comfort and relaxation. Sound production stimulates speech and increases cognitive awareness in both verbal and non-verbal clients.

Rhythm: Rhythm and pitch patterns can assist a client in learning the articulation and pronunciation of words, speech rhythms, accents, phrasing and speech inflections. The rhythmic component with movement stimulates further kinesthetic development needed for motor planning and sequencing of physical activities such as walking, jumping and running.

Instrumental Improvisation: Playing an instrument and/or using movement-oriented activities encourages self-expression. It also helps develop fine and gross motor skills and perceptual-motor skills while stimulating auditory, visual and tactile development. The sensory-motor experience encourages and enhances hand-eye coordination.

Movement: Music paired with movement is natural way to encourage a physical response. Music is intrinsically motivating: targeted and/or repetitive movement can be musically represented and cued.

Listening: Listening to music stimulates thoughts, images, feelings, and promotes relaxation.  Children can be taught progressive relaxation skills paired with music.  Art paired with music listening is an effective way to access a child’s inner emotional life and thought processes.

Through purposeful imitation of vocal sounds, engaging rhythmic and instrumental play, a Music Therapist can connect effectively with any child. This connection helps to reassure the child that they are being heard, and gives them a feeling of self-worth, acceptance and validation. A success-oriented experience will bridge and increase essential communication.

 
How can music therapy help my child?

By working directly with parents and caregivers, music therapy clinicians design a customized programme to address the specific needs of the child. The therapeutic process includes tangible goals and objectives in order that progress can be identified and defined for future treatment. Benefits of music therapy are varied and diverse. Music therapy may be used to:

Sessions are conducted by an accredited Music Therapist in either individual or group settings. Music therapists have a degree in music therapy at either a bachelor or masters level of education, possess a high level of musicianship, and have completed a 1,000 hour supervised clinical internship. Blueballoon Music Therapists are all members in good standing with the Canadian Association for Music Therapy.


No doctor referral is necessary. Please complete our Self-Referral Form -Click here.

See music therapy in action, by viewing the video below!

This short documentary featuring Music Therapist Robert Harris illustrates how music therapy can change a child's life.

Click here to view our YouTube Channel.

Jack's Story

By Noreen Donnell, MMT, MTA

He has a beautiful face, rosy cheeks, and bright smile.  He enunciates very clearly, and always has lots of intriguing questions.  Jack is 8 years old and has a diagnosis of ASD and a history of epilepsy.  His mom initially heard about music therapy and started Jack when has was approximately four years of age in individual sessions through Erinoak.  Jack then participated in a small group music and speech programme, called Music Express through blueballoon.  His musicality was evident from a very young age with his uncannily accurate ability to replicate sounds within his environment, and his pitch perfect voice. But Jack struggled in school and social situations – he was unable to learn within a group instruction model, in addition to a lack of understanding of how to handle Jack’s need for order and routine caused Jack to become over-stimulated and anxious.  When he became anxious, he would often regress to repetitive scripting. When Jack began individual music therapy it was very important for mom that Jack experienced tangible success and re-build his damaged self-esteem.  She wanted Jack to improve his interpersonal and social abilities through musical interaction, as well as address his fine motor delays through playing piano.  Routine was critical to keeping Jack’s anxiety to a minimum, so the initial sessions were structured in a series of short activities. For example: Hello song, Instrumental Activity, introductory piano skills, Favourite Song, Goodbye. To reinforce the routine of the session, a visual schedule was used. This gave Jack comfort to know what to expect each session, especially during the first few months.

Jack has come such a long way since he first began. He no longer requires a visual schedule. He accepts (small) changes in his routine with an emotional flexibility and tolerance that was not experienced before.  Through the use of free improvisation, Jack spontaneously creates imagery and stories, and represents these characters through music.  He achieves success by correctly imitating both simple and complex rhythms in his favourite game “Copycat Conga”.  He laughs at me when I (purposely) mix up the words to the musical alphabet song.  And although our session rarely varies from an established routine, there is freedom within the structure.  The structure provides the comfort and lessens the anxiety and the creative freedom allows Jack to explore the unknown and the unexpected within a safe framework.  He has acquired the ability to verbalize and express his feelings.

Probably the biggest change I have seen in Jack is with regards to his interpersonal skills.  He has developed a sense of humour, often laughing at himself and me, and is beginning to venture into social dialogue.  He is also very proud of his musical skills, and is open to learning about instruments other than the piano.  Musicality is a very big part of who Jack is, so to tap into that whole and healthy part is essential for him.

Jack’s mom says:

” Jack is building a peer relationship with you. He is a partner as well as a student in the activities.  (Music therapy) provides an enabling  secure environment in which he feels secure enough to test and show some behaviours – which you were able to address and correct.  He is relaxed and loves his music. I want it to be a part of his life always-building on a natural strength for him, a lifelong gift he can enjoy solo or with others. Music therapy has been great for Jack because it beneficial for his overall well-being – physical, social, and emotional health.”