SAN ANGELO, Texas — There are numerous types of therapy available, each one serves different benefits. Music therapy is one form, which people have the opportunity to develop skills using melodies.
“Music therapy is the strategic use of music to address a non-music goal. So we are working with our clients and our patients to figure out what the needs are, so we start with that. What are the needs, how can we use music to address it,” Sing Your Way Home Music Therapy and Education Services Certified Music Therapist, Amy Rogers, said.
Rogers said once the needs are assessed, an individualized treatment plan is created which the client will work on, using music.
“I work with children and adults with a variety of developmental or mental health needs, developmentally delayed, intellectually disabled, children and adults with autism, other related disabilities,” Rogers said.
Eight-year-old Aiden Andrew Lopez is one of Roger’s students. His interest in music sparked when he began creating melodies with his caterpillar toy piano.
“He was playing the songs himself and so I was like hmm and so then we got him that and even on his tablets he would pull up the piano by itself and play the piano parts,” Kristina Honnoll said.
Playing music is what Aiden enjoyed the most, creating music on his own. But, unexpected news would later lead him closer to his passion.
“He was diagnosed at 18 months because he started talking a little bit but then he just stopped and then I was like okay something is not right. I didn't expect autism just because I didn't learn about autism correctly in school. I learned autistic kids responded to their parents like they were strangers, they weren't very emotional and he was all the opposite,” Honnoll said.
After diagnosis, Honnoll sought out several forms of therapy.
“I had him in so many therapies but I didn't want to stop Mrs. Amy, so that’s when I told her you know what, let's take Aiden from doing therapy to just doing piano lessons and he just took off with her,” Honnoll said.
“He wouldn't have come so far without Mrs. Amy.. music wise. I really think she really helped him with his speech,”
Music spoke for itself and served as a form of communication between the two. Aiden has already performed two recitals and will continue seeing Mrs. Amy this fall semester.
For more information on music therapy visit musictherapy.org. To learn more about ‘Sing Your Way Home Music Therapy and Education Services’, visit singyourwayhome.com