Lose Yourself in the Music :)

This week was an a great session of music therapy that incorporated, singing, dancing, rhythm, and instruments. We got to learn everyone's name and got comfortable with each other with the help of music therapy intertwined with ice breaker activities. We utilized all types of instruments including, our voices, shakers, clackers, clinkers and drums. Specifically we learned how to play the Jamba drum! To end a successful session, we danced to online "Just Dance" videos.
First of all, I learned a new way to learn peoples names by creating the circles and forcing everyone to hear and repeat the names and how simply adding a gesture adds another sense to help speed the pace of memorability of the names!
I learned that drumming is a great tool for group unity and togetherness. It requires listening to one another as well as yourself. It allows one to really get lost in the beat due to the loudness and the rhythm patterns that can be created.
I learned that you can alter the rules to adapt to skill level. Through my TR/OT perspective, I found drumming to be a very dynamic activity that can be utilized for different settings and populations and needs of a client. Whether it be a "call and response" activity for memory improvement for development or rehabilitation or an outlet for behavior/mental/emotional issues.
I found out that I am somewhat of a follower as brought to my attention by the guest speaker. She would stop drumming only to find that we would stop as well. I realized that it took listening to others and confidence in myself to continue the rhythm patterns as well as change the rhythm if I wanted to. Most of all, I learned that I really enjoy playing the drums!!
In retrospect, I was very proud of myself and my performance in the music therapy session. I believe I really put myself out there and that really enjoyed myself. I felt myself put forth the effort and actually gain the immediate benefits. At one point, I knew I probably looked silly by singing out loud and drumming but when we combined a beat and my favorite music. I just lost it :)) I was belting out lyrics with my voice and my hands and quite literally, losing myself in the music.