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What is Music Therapy? Music Therapy is a therapeutic process that harnesses the controlled use of music, musical experiences, and musical elements of music by an accredited music therapist to promote growth, change, wellness or development in partnership with the music therapy participant. Who does Aaron work with? Aaron works with people with a very diverse set of skills and abilities. What they all have in common is the desire to experience self expression, musical development and personal growth through music. Aaron treats all of his participants as individuals and tries to avoid pigeon holing people into labels. However diagnostic labels and terms do provide a useful short hand that is needed when describing previous experience. The majority of Aaron’s Clinical experience has been with: -Adults and children living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder
-High risk youth
-Teenagers and adults in addictions recovery.
-Children with ADHD, learning disabilities, and emotional/ behavioral problems.
-Individuals who have suffered traumatic experiences such as sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and neglect. Additionally, Aaron also has significant experience working with groups and individuals who: -Have developmental delays
-Are recovering from a traumatic brain Injury
-Recovering from mental illness
-Living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias
-Living with severe physical disabilities. Aaron takes referrals from the various children’s aid societies. In these situations music making and /or the process of creating professional quality recordings, is often used with youth to; explore issues related to difficult emotions, gender and identity, family of origin issues, and traumatic experience. Aaron is the music therapist and choir director at She'arim Hebrew Day School (www.shearim.ca ). This is a small Jewish day school for children age 7-14 who have been diagnosed with an attention deficit disorder and/or a specific learning disability, or behavioural challenges. Aaron also works on contract as the music therapist at the Pine River Institute, a therapeutic boarding school for teenagers who are recovering from addictions and other self-destructive behaviours. Aaron is proud to be working with this cutting edge program based on wilderness and family therapy. For more information please visit www.pineriverinstitute.com . Music therapy (particularly when it involves recording their original music), leverages the powerful connection that exists between young people and music to create opportunities for creative expression, development of insight, learning life and skills.
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