The use of family music therapy in the ecological approach with families of special children

Abstract: This thesis examines the integration of music therapy techniques with an ecological family systems approach serving special children and their families. The musical and non-musical functions of the music therapist explored, together with the advantage and role of music to serve within this approach. Supporting case history material is offered of the use of music with an autistic child living on Kibbutz whose family made the decision to integrate the child with his normal peers on Kibbutz rather than turn to a psychoaducational setting outside of the Kibbutz environment. The description includes: 1) Music therapy with the child. 2) Music therapy with the child and normal peers. 3) Music therapy with the family. 4) Co-therapy with a family therapist with the family and keypeople on the team. The personality, environmental and musical factors that aid in the music therapist's understanding of individual and family strengths are discussed.

Keyword(s): Kibbutz, autism, ecological-family-systems-approach.

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