Individual Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) Sessions
The core service NMTSA offers are individualized NMT sessions. Most often these are weekly, hour-long, one-on-one sessions with the client's regular NMTSA therapist. A new client will begin the process through an assessment after which the therapist will create a specialized treatment plan complete with therapeutic goals derived from the assessment session as well as parent/caregiver input. Regular sessions will then commence and the treatment plan is updated and evaluated on a regular basis.

To inquire about receiving NMT services through NMTSA, please fill out our Online Referral Form.

Click a link below for a description of each step of the process:

• Assessment
  The first meeting between therapist and client is in the form of an assessment. The assessment provides and detailed evaluation of the client in three major areas: Sensorimotor (ability to walk, start and stop movement, control of arms and legs), Speech and Language (level of communication, speech ability), and Cognition (concentration, hearing, level of interactivity). A copy of the assessment is provided to the client's family/caregivers as well as an explanation from the therapist.
• Treatment Plan
  After the assessment process, the therapist will create an individualized treatment plan for the client based on the results of the assessment as well as parent/caregiver input. The treatment plan outlines client goals that will be worked on during weekly therapy sessions. Every six months, an review is completed to update the treatment plan with accomplished goals, set new goals and report on client progress.
• Weekly Sesssions
  During each session, the therapist will use various NMT interventions to help their client work toward the goals outlined in the treatment plan. For a description of what NMT methods are used for specific neurologic conditions, please visit our "Who We Serve" page. The final 5-10 minutes of each session is reserved for the therapist to update the parent/caregiver on what was worked on, the client's progress toward goals, as well as strategies and techniques to use at home during the week to help continue therapeutic progress.

NMT Peer Interaction Groups
During one session per month, clients at NMTSA will have the opportunity to interact with peers in a group NMT setting. Each client is accompanied by their own therapist, maintaining the one-on-one relationship, but the participation is in the group activity and focuses on following instructions, communicating with others, actively interacting with the group and supporting peers. These group experiences are contingent on each therapist determining if participating in the group will be consistent with their client's therapeutic goals and objectives.

Competency-Based Communication Groups
Many of the clients served by NMTSA do not communicate verbally and therefore NMTSA strives to identify and incorporate a functional communication method for each client. Facilitated Communication (FC) has proven to be a highly effective means of expression for some individuals with labels of autism and other disabilities who do not communicate verbally at their age-level. FC involves learning to communicate by typing on a keyboard or pointing at letters, images, or other symbols to represent messages. NMTSA therapists are trained on FC techniques in keeping with methods taught by the Institute on Communication and Inclusion (website).

NMTSA's Competency-Based Communication Groups offer clients who use FC to gather with their peers and interact socially while being assisted in their communcation by trained FC staff. Ask your therapist about participating in one of these groups.