What is Neurologic Music Therapy and DIRFloortime
The Sea of Approaches
When the child we love and care for receives a diagnosis or deviates from the expected developmental path, we all think “What should I do?” Figuring out the first steps and determining a direction to go can feel daunting, but thankfully, we have knowledgeable medical professionals to walk us through that question (and the million other questions we have). Often this journey leads us to therapies and supports that are designed to meet the needs of the child. Not only are there diverse therapy professions (Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy, Music Therapy, Art Therapy, etc.) but there are numerous variations to the approach within each therapy profession (Behavioral, Developmental, Medical, etc.). Access to an abundance of therapy and support options empowers a caregiver to pursue a high quality of life, and at the same time, the vast number of options can be stressful and may make it difficult to determine what direction to take. While recommendations from professionals (and sometimes well meaning strangers) can help navigate this choice, the power to choose what is best for the child belongs to the guardian. Though our team here at Loop Therapies are not able to speak to all of the options for therapy and support that exist, we want to help bring a little more clarity to the services we provide and approach we use.
What is DIR?
DIR is the Developmental, Individual Differences, and Relationship-based model developed by Dr. Stanley Greenspan. It is a foundational framework for understanding human development and how each person individually perceives and interacts with the world. Based on the science of social-emotional development, DIR emphasizes the power of relationships and emotional connections to support healthy development. Rather than focusing exclusively on skills and isolated behaviors, DIR looks to understand and support the underlying needs of the individual. Because interactions are client-led and follow the individual’s natural interests, the individual is empowered with intrinsic motivation that allows them to become a catalyst for change in their life and community. DIR is an inside out approach, meaning that we join the individual in their world and expand their world from the inside out. It is more than just a model for therapy, but a compassionate and insightful lens that provides guidance for interactions with anyone, anywhere.
What is Floortime?
The International Council on Development and Learning defines Floortime as the application of the DIR model into practice. Floortime is the in-the-moment interaction between two or more people within the context of play. It begins by following the child’s lead, and then inviting them into a shared world in order to help them master each of their developmental capacities— how to focus and attend, relate to others, be purposeful and take initiative, and problem-solve. Floortime involves the push and pull of following the child’s lead and challenging them to master new milestones within the context of a safe relationship. To do this, we honor the child’s individual differences by providing supports and adjusting our affect, pacing, language, gestures, and tone of voice to meet their needs. Floortime techniques develop the individual’s internal motivation, empathy, and emotional growth.
What is Neurologic Music Therapy?
A Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC) has completed their bachelors degree in music therapy at an accredited university, completed a 1,200 hour clinical internship, and passed the Certification Board for Music Therapists board exam. These allied healthcare professionals can also receive an additional affiliation from The Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy to practice Neurologic Music Therapy. At Loop Therapies, Neurologic Music Therapy is provided by a Board Certified Music Therapist.
Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) is the therapeutic application of music consisting of standardized treatment techniques. It is led by neuroscience and utilizes specific elements of music such as rhythm, melody, dynamics, and tempo to address speech/language, cognitive, and motor goals. NMT techniques use the understanding of what is happening in our brains when we listen to music and when we make music to affect non-musical brain and behavior functions.
How it comes together at Loop Therapies
Supporting our client’s social-emotional development is like building a house. The Floortime and NMT techniques are like the tools we use to build the house, e.g. hammers, saws, drill, etc. These tools are used for the benefit of our client’s development, but they don’t tell us HOW to build the house. The DIR philosophical framework provides the blueprint for how to build the house– guiding our decision making process for goals/objectives that should be addressed and when and why the tools should be used. Building a house is a big and continuous job. It takes a team of people who work together to apply the blueprint and use the tools they are trained to use. We are all part of this team for a given child’s development– the individual, their family and loved ones, and their therapists, clinicians, and teachers.
We want our clients to grow into emotional giants– healthy adults who are empathetic, relationally connected, and resilient no matter their physiological abilities, sensory differences, or preferred form of communication. This is why we love DIR Floortime and NMT- we have the blueprint and the tools to address motor, cognitive, and language needs with the larger view of how it supports social-emotional development.
