Music Therapy Treatment Planning 

Identified Population:

Adults with Parkinson’s Disease. 

Goal for the treatment: 

To provide more openness in the joints of the body through stretches supported by music 

Objective: 

Through a period of 8-10 sessions the clients will have less physical restriction and more openness in their bodies. They will be able to follow the progression of the exercises.  

Music based experience: 

The clients will be supported by improvised music throughout the session, either on the piano or guitar. This clinician will be using the piano.  

Initially the clients will be seated and will be asked to close their eyes and breathe. The MT will then speak them through a body scan (Music supported body awareness). They are asked to notice places they feel pain or feel blocked and to breathe into these places.  

Second step: MT continues to play and asks clients to stretch (as they are able) individual appendages (reaching R arm up, L arm up, extend R leg, extend L leg). In subsequent sessions this will be repeated by embellished by stretching both arms together, then legs together, opposite arms and legs together, opposite arms together.   

Third step: The group is then asked to follow the MT in a very simple movement phrase to the music. For Example: with both arms reach forward and then open arms to the side, back to forward and return to their laps (a ballet port de bras).  The musical support must copy the phrasing to the exercise (for example to a count of 8 for each movement). In subsequent lessons this will be expanded to reaching forward, open, arms up over the head and then reverse. Eventually the head can be added to look up to the hands when they are overhead.  

This exercise could be expanded, depending upon the physical abilities of the clients, to possibly doing the arm exercise standing up. They could do the exercise standing and facing different directions and with the addition of bending the knees when they return the arms. If not able, clients can remain seated .If able to stand up, clients might expand the return of the arms to a rounding of the upper back before returning to sitting up straight. 

Note: the entire experience is supported by improvised music on the piano live or recorded improvised music. It is important for the MT to be present and participate in the exercises, initially doing them along with the clients until they become comfortable to do them independently.