Music Note Bokeh

Image by all that improbable blue via Flickr

If you’re in the autism community long enough, you start to recognize some of the buzz words. Neurotypical and Autistic (or neurodiverse, depending on who you are speaking to) are two of the ‘labels’ frequently used to differentiate children who are or are not on the spectrum.

In my post on Tuesday, I used the word ‘typical’ to describe the children I work with who do not have special needs, but the word stuck in my throat. I found myself wondering what typical is in music therapy anyway. Is one better than the other in music therapy?

So much of music therapy’s effectiveness hinges on the fact that we all respond to it. It’s a part of all of our lives, even to the function of each atom in our body. It influences us emotional and physically. With music being so universal, is there a ‘typical’ and a ‘diverse’?

My thoughts:

‘Typical’ participants deal with more insecurity. This is not a blanket statement, but in my experience, those that are not on the spectrum are much more hesitant about involving themselves in music than those that are. Music doesn’t judge, but often the performer does. That’s not to say I don’t have a few ‘diverse’ clients who are hesitant and self-conscious.

We all play the same. We are each of us individuals, but typical and otherwise, we still create music. We still respond. The fact that we interact and respond the same is music’s most powerful social tool.

Music is experienced differently by each of us. Our ears focus on different sounds, we react in different ways, and different memories arise. Regardless of where we fall on the ‘typical’ scale, none of us has the same musical experience.

Based on my thoughts, I see music as a great equalizer. What are your thoughts? Share in the comments!

Enhanced by Zemanta