All human beings are inherently musical. Everyone naturally responds to music. Music can express feelings which cannot be put into words.
Music is a powerful medium for expression and touches everyone deeply. Making music can be a moving experience, enhancing a sense of identity, connection and belonging. Taking part in Music Therapy helps support positive change and enables people to reach their full potential. It builds confidence and encourages physical, emotional, mental and social wellbeing. Our team of Music Therapists is committed to providing a high quality Music Therapy service which is accessible to all. Our sessions also aim to support the work of parents, carers, teachers, and health and social care professionals.
Our Music Therapists are skilled in enabling anyone to make music by supporting unique forms of expression and unlocking creativity. Our team is experienced in reaching those who are isolated or withdrawn and are finding interpersonal contact and communication difficult. The development of a relationship between client and therapist is central to our approach to Music Therapy. This is facilitated through shared music-making which encourages communication and emotional empathy through a creative exploration of sounds, rhythms, melodies and harmonies.
Aims of the sessions are therapeutic and are tailored to meet the needs of each individual. For more information, please see the FAQ section.
Our services
In-House
We offer both individual and group sessions at our fully equipped studio in Twickenham. Sessions are usually held on a weekly basis for 30-60 minutes at a time. A waiting area for parents, carers and supporting person is available. Our premises is easily accessible by public transport, and we have parking facilities and good access for wheelchair users. More details are available on our contact us page.
Outreach
Our outreach service covers mainstream and special schools, supported homes/day centres for adults and private family homes. Outreach work can be set up as a pilot project or renewed on an annual basis.
Our comprehensive outreach package includes:
- Delivery of weekly individual and/or group sessions at the outreach location
- Regular verbal and written feedback to staff and parents, as appropriate.
- Weekly documentation (clinical notes) of client engagement
- Regular reports summarising engagement, aims and objectives
- Intermittent audio visual progress presentations to staff and family (where consent given)
- Supply (where necessary) of additional equipment
- Travel costs
To explore this option further please contact Andreas Rosenboom.
Home Visits
A home visit can be a helpful starting point for a period of therapy for anyone wanting to engage in Music Therapy, reducing possible anxieties of the client and enabling the therapist to get to know the client in his or her home environment. We are able to arrange home visits to clients on an occasional or ongoing basis if this is considered to be helpful for the therapeutic work.
Workshops and Presentations
We provide information and advice to organisations keen to include Music Therapy as part of their provision. Focused within the fields of Education and Health and Social Care, our sessions are tailored to meet the specific training needs of parents and carers and usually involve a mixture of experiential work, music therapy theory and case studies. To explore this option further please contact Andreas Rosenboom.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the aims of Music Therapy?
The therapist helps the client to strive for his/her full potential by encouraging the client in his/her physical, emotional, social and spiritual development. The therapist will support the client in areas he/she is experiencing difficulties, such as the following areas:
Verbal and non-verbal communication is crucial for personal development and continuing mental health. In Music Therapy clients deepen their ability to listen and experience being listened to, and develop tools with which they communicate. Clients gain confidence in their abilities in order to help build rewarding relationships with others.
Music Therapy sessions promote awareness and tolerance of others. We try to enable clients to relate positively to others and to explore unhelpful behaviour. Group music making gives clients the opportunity to explore sharing, taking turns, being in charge and accepting leadership from others within a safe framework.
Music stimulates emotional response and offers a positive and creative means of expressing and sharing emotions that cannot be put into words. This area of work is particularly important for clients with emotional issues and for those who have experienced bereavement, anxiety or abuse.
Key areas of personal growth including individuality, self-awareness, confidence, initiative, creativity, and choice are addressed as part of the therapeutic process.
Clients can be supported in progressing through various developmental stages including auditory/tactile/visual awareness, reaching/grasping/manipulating instruments, attention and concentration, individuality and separation from parents.
Who benefits from Music Therapy?
Music Therapy is an effective form of therapeutic support for children and adults with a wide range of needs including:
- Emotional/behavioural problems
- Attention Deficit Disorder
- Sensory Problems/Impairment
- Developmental Delay
- Down’s Syndrome
- Autistic Spectrum Conditions
- Communication Disorders
- Learning Disability
- Abuse (physical, emotional, sexual)
- Life-threatening illness (cancer and others)
- Neurological conditions
- Dementia
- Mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, psychosis
- Stress, trauma, bereavement
- Personal growth and self discovery
How does Music Therapy differ from a standard instrumental lesson?
Although the development of musical awareness and instrumental/vocal skills is not the main focus of music therapy, it can occur as a by-product of being engaged in creative music making. In some situations the music therapist may include educational elements into the therapeutic process. The musical learning which takes place in music therapy sometimes creates a desire to engage in more formal instrumental lessons.
What happens in a typical session?
During the session both client and therapist take an active part by playing, singing and listening. Clients are encouraged to use a range of instruments including tuned/un-tuned percussion, string and woodwind instruments, drum kit, piano and the voice. Sessions sometimes include music/recording technology and instruments such as electric guitar and bass.
Sessions are client-centred, allowing each person to explore the world of sound in his or her unique way. By responding musically the therapist encourages this process and supports the expression of the client’s individuality through his/her music. The music played is largely improvised and covers a range of styles according to the client’s individual preferences and needs. Sessions may include the use of pre-composed music, singing songs, song writing or musical games.
During sessions a trusting relationship develops between client and therapist, which enables emotional and developmental themes to emerge and to be explored. Where appropriate, this includes verbal reflection on arising emotional themes stimulated by the shared music making.
How much does Music Therapy cost?
Costs are based on national pay scales for Music Therapists and also take into account associated costs.
Individual in house sessions: £42-£44 per session.
Group sessions (3- 5members): £18.40 per person per session.
The cost of our Outreach Service varies depending on the options you select. Please contact Andreas Rosenboom for further information.
Do you offer assistance with fees?
We give sympathetic consideration to families where financial hardship may prevent a child from accessing our Music Therapy Service. Those in receipt of the benefits listed below may be entitled to receive a 40%-70% reduction in fees:
- Income Support
- Job Seekers Allowance
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Rebate
- Free school meals
If none of the above applies to you, we will endeavour to explore other funding sources, including external charities and public sector funding, which may help cover your fees. In exceptional cases we offer discretionary remission for a fixed period on an individually negotiated basis. Please contact Andreas Rosenboom for further information.
What are your payment terms?
We prefer to receive payment for initial assessments on the same day, but where this is not possible we will invoice you retrospectively.
Following the initial assessment, sessions are billed in monthly or termly intervals.
In order to cover costs we are committed to charging for sessions cancelled by the client. Where a session is cancelled by the therapist no charge applies.
How do I refer someone?
Adults are welcome to refer themselves. Referrals can also be made by parents, carers or any professional working with the client within an educational, health or social care setting. Once we receive your completed form we will contact you to arrange an initial Music Therapy Assessment.
If you would like an informal discussion before making a referral, please contact Andreas Rosenboom.
How long does Music Therapy last?
Once the client has completed the initial assessment, sessions are usually held on a weekly basis for 30-60 minutes at a time. The length of a course of music therapy varies and is dependent on the client’s needs and the reason for referral. In some cases, significant changes take place over a few months of sessions. However, in many cases, clients attend music therapy for one or more years, establishing the weekly Music Therapy session as a supportive routine. This allows the therapeutic relationship to evolve and for long-term changes to take place.
When do sessions take place?
Once the initial assessment is completed, weekly sessions are arranged at a time convenient for the client. In order to ensure continuity for the client we aim to keep to this time each week. Our therapists are able to offer music therapy sessions on weekdays 9-6pm approximately 43 weeks of the year. Children and Young People’s sessions mostly take place during term time.
When does therapy end?
Each client requires a different amount of time in order to bring about changes in his or her capacity for communication and in his or her emotional world and behaviour. It is difficult to predict at the beginning how long a client may benefit from coming to sessions and so progress is regularly reviewed at agreed intervals. In all cases it is important that, as therapy draws to a close, the client is prepared for its end.
If for any reason you need to end your child’s/client’s sessions, it is important that the therapist is given at least four sessions’ notice. Preparing properly for an ending will preserve the progress made and allows the therapist to work with possible emotions evoked by the ending.
Who does RMT work with?
We provide Music Therapy Services to people of all ages and with a wide range of needs. We receive referrals from private individuals, organisations, charities and the public sector (NHS, LEA’s and Social Services). Whilst our work tends to focus within the London Borough of Richmond we also accept referrals and provide services across South West London and Surrey.
How is Music Therapy funded?
Clients who access our Music Therapy Service benefit from funding offered from a wide range of sources:
- Private funding (individuals/families)
- Charities nationwide
- Local Education Authorities
- Mainstream and Special Schools (State sector)
- Independent Schools
- Social Services
- Primary Care Trusts
- Individual Care Budgets
- Residential Homes
How will therapy progress be reviewed?
Evaluation of therapy takes place through careful observation, written session notes and in some cases the intermittent analysis of audio/video recordings (where consent has been given). The therapist builds up a picture of progress and changes that are taking place and summarises these in written reports and at verbal reviews. If you would like to discuss the progress of your child or someone in your care, please let the therapist know so he/she can make arrange a meeting. If you require a report, e.g. for a review meeting, please let us know at least two weeks in advance.
Our therapists use a multi-disciplinary approach, being proactive in liaising with other professionals and services involved with the client. This prevents therapeutic work becoming isolated and ensures that the progress in music therapy can be understood within the context of the client’s life.
What role do parents/carers take?
Except in the case of very young children, the client will be alone with the therapist during sessions. We all need time to ourselves without being observed, praised or judged for what we do by the people closest to us. Music therapy provides such a time for the client. In some circumstances Music Therapy sessions may involve working with a parent-child couple, facilitating communication/play skills and interpersonal contact.
Where appropriate, parents/carers can watch sessions through the viewing window. We like parents/carers to be involved and informed as much as possible throughout the therapy process and will share and discuss important issues as they arise. As it is often inappropriate to discuss issues at the end of the session in front of the client, we prefer to speak on the phone at a mutually convenient time. You are welcome to email or phone us during the week to discuss sessions or inform us of any developments.
Is there research to support the benefits of Music Therapy?
Music Therapists have responded increasingly to the demand for “Clinical Effectiveness’” and “Evidence Based Practice” by conducting studies to research the effectiveness of Music Therapy for specific client groups and conditions.
This research has led to recognition by NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) for Music Therapy as a recommended form of therapy. Music Therapy is now offered as a part of some NHS provision for children with Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASC) and adults with Schizophrenia or Dementia.
Richmond Music Trust contributes to research by undertaking pilot projects and evaluating the effectiveness of Music Therapy for specific client groups.