This AMTA-Pro podcast features three music therapists – Donna Polen, Julie Andring, and Laurie Farnan – sharing compelling clinical stories and thoughtful insights based on decades of experience in music therapy for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD.) Join these experienced professionals as they discuss different models of service delivery as well as challenges that arise as services and living arrangements evolve for this population. The clinical stories in this podcast vividly illustrate the importance of music therapy in the daily lives and long-term well-being of many adults and older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

[display_podcast]

Adults w/Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Music Therapy for Life

AMTA-Pro Podcast
March, 2011
— + —

— + —
Resources related to adults with ID/DD
recommended by Donna Polen

Aigen, K. (2005b). Being In Music: Foundations of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy. Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.

American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. (2012). Definition of Intellectual Disability. http://www.aaidd.org/content_100.cfm?navID=21

Bruscia, K. (1998). Defining Music Therapy (2nd ed.). Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.

Bruscia, K. (Ed.) (1991). Case Studies in Music Therapy. Phoenixville, PA: Barcelona Publishers.

Bruscia, K. (1987). Improvisational Models of Music Therapy. Springfield, Il: Charles C Thomas Publishers.

Maslow, A. H. (1999). Toward a Psychology of Being (3rd ed.). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Nordoff, P. & Robbins, C. (2007). Creative Music Therapy: A Guide to Fostering Clinical Musicianship (2nd ed.). Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.

Nordoff, P. & Robbins, C. (1971). Therapy in Music for Handicapped Children. London: Victor Gollancz Ltd.

Wheeler, B.L., Shultis, C.L. & Polen, D.W. (2005). Clinical Training Guide for the Student Music Therapist. Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.

Wigram, T. (2004). Improvisation: Methods and Techniques for Music Therapy Clinicians, Educators, and Students. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

— + —

Information About Podcast Speakers

Julie Andring, MSA, MT-BC

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, Julie Andring is a Board Certified Music Therapist who has worked with the Department of Developmental Services for the State of Connecticut since 1985. Julie is the Internship Director and clinician at Southbury Training School where she established an AMTA National Roster Internship program in 2007. Julie also has a private practice in the public schools. A former president of the New England Region of the American Music Therapy Association, Julie currently represents the region on the AMTA Reimbursement Committee following more than ten years as the AMTA Continuing Education committee representative. Julie has also served on the AMTA Assembly of Delegates for many years. She has presented on numerous topics at regional, national, and international conferences. Julie is a doctoral candidate in the Expressive Therapies program at Lesley University.

In 2009, Julie received the President’s Service Award in recognition of outstanding dedication and commitment to NER & music therapy from the New England Region of the American Music Therapy Association.

Donna W. Polen, LCAT, MT-BC

Donna is the Coordinator for Music Therapy and Internship Training Director at Finger Lakes Developmental Disabilities Service Office in Newark, NY, where she started the program in 1980. Donna is passionate about her clinical work and is dedicated to sharing that passion through her work with students and interns. She has been active in service to AMTA for many years, and is currently a member of the Education and Training Advisory Board. She recently completed a second consecutive term as Coordinator for the Council on Education and Clinical Training. Donna is also Chair of the New York State Task Force on Occupational Regulation, monitoring the implementation of the Mental Health Practitioner’s law that regulates the practice of psychotherapy and licenses music therapists as Creative Arts Therapists. Donna is Adjunct Faculty at Nazareth College as a Clinical Supervisor in their on-campus Creative Arts Therapy clinic, and teaches the “Advanced Clinical Piano Improvisation” course as part of the Master’s in Music Therapy at SUNY Fredonia, her alma mater.

PUBLICATIONS
2005 “Clinical Training Guide for the Student Music Therapist” Co-Author, Barcelona Publishers, Gilsum, NH

1999 “Inside Music Therapy: Client Experiences” Co-Author, Narrative 12: “Jazzy, the Wonder Squirrel,” J. Hibben, Ed.; Barcelona Publishers, Gilsum, NH

AWARDS
2009, Mid-Atlantic Region Certificate of Appreciation
2008, Mid-Atlantic Region Spirit of Unification Award
2005, AMTA Presidential Service Award
1997, Mid-Atlantic Region Presidential Service Award

Laurie A. Farnan, MMT, MT- BC, WMTR

Laurie holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Music Therapy and held Fellowship in the Neurologic Music Therapy Academy at Colorado State University. Until her recent semi-retirement, she coordinated the Music Therapy program at Central Wisconsin Center for Individuals with ID/DD in Madison, Wisconsin, where she was one-third of the Central Center Music Therapy Team. She is also a consultant for community engagement and outreach for the Madison Symphony Orchestra

Laurie is the co-author of Music Is for Everyone and Everyone Can Move (1988) published by Hal Leonard Publications. She authored a column on Issues in Clinical Training for Music Therapy Perspectives for 7 years and served on the editorial board. She has authored chapters on internship supervision as well as chapters on clinical techniques with people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. She has been an  author and lecturer on topics related to music therapy such as clinical training, intern supervision, computer and music applications, rationale for adapting instruments, and inclusive strategies for adults and students with exceptional learning needs, profound mental retardation and complex developmentally disabilities.

Laurie has received various national and regional awards from the American Music Therapy Association, the Exceptional Performance Award from the State of Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, the 2001 Award of Excellence – CWC Administrative Quality Team, and the 2005 Governor’s Certificate of Commendation from the State of Wisconsin.

Laurie Farnan has influenced professional music therapy practice in a visionary way throughout the past three decades and more. She served as the Coordinator of Music Therapy Services at Central Wisconsin Center for the Developmentally Disabled for 36 years, training 121 interns! Not only did she develop an innovative community partnership with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, as a consultant for their “HeartStrings” project, but she has also been involved in Very Special Arts. Laurie has designed research-based innovative sensory stimulation techniques to enhance the music experience for people with developmental disabilities and her original song-writing work provides scaffolding for the development of songwriting skills that can be generalized to a variety of settings and populations.

Laurie has served our professional music therapy associations at the state, regional and national levels. She was a member of the Clinical Training Committee, author for the Clinical Training column for Music Therapy Perspectives, and a member of the national Unification Commission on Education and Clinical Training (and member of the sub-committee on clinical training). She also possesses a prolific record of presentations and publications.

She has influenced the growth of music therapy from the grassroots clinical perspective, serving as a role model and continuing to push boundaries and develop services to meet the current and future needs of consumers.

PUBLICATIONS
2012 HeartStrings: A Guide to Music Therapy-Informed Community Engagement for Symphony Orchestras. Contributing author. Madison Symphony Orchestra

2008 Chapter author – Music Therapy with Children and Adults with Intellectual Disabling Conditions. An Introduction to Music Therapy Theory and Practice, Third Edition. AMTA Publishers, Silver Spring, MD.

2007 Music Therapy and Developmental Disabilities: A Glance Back and a Look Forward Music Therapy Perspectives v 25 n 2

2007 Book Review in Music Therapy Perspectives: “Clinical Training Guide for the Student Music Therapist”

2001 Chapter author – Competency-Based Approach to Intern Supervision. Supervision in Music Therapy; Barcelona Publishers, Gilsum, NH

1998 Contributing author, Helping Adults with Mental Retardation Grieve a Death or Loss.Luchterhand and Murphy, Eds., Accelerated  Development, Philadelphia, PA

2002/1996  Chapter author, Models of Music Therapy Interventions in School Settings: From Institution to Inclusion, Wilson, Ed, NAMT/AMTA, Silver Spring, MD

1992 – 1999 Column Editor: Issues in Clinical Training Music Therapy Perspectives

1993 Fractunes: 20th Century Light Organ, Music Therapy Perspectives, v 11, n2.

1990 Adapting Instruments for Students with Special Needs, Music K-8,v1, n2

1990 Legal Issues in Clinical Training, Music Therapy Perspectives, v8.

1989 Music Therapy in a Transdisciplinary Setting, Journal of Practical Approachesin DD, v.13, n2 CANADA

1988 Music Is For Everyone and Everyone Can Move, Hal Leonard/Jenson Publications, Milwaukee, WI

1987 Composing Music for Use in Therapy, Music Therapy Perspectives, v4

1985 Book review Mental Retardation, v24, n4

1984 Book review, Mental Retardation, v 22, n1

1982 Contributing author and reviewer on Federal Grant Project, Music Therapy for Handicapped Children

AWARDS
2011 American Music Therapy Association Lifetime Achievement Award
2011 Great Lakes Region Scholarly Activity Award
2005 Governor’s Certificate of Commendation – State of Wisconsin
2003 National Service Award – American Music Therapy Association
2001 Award of Excellence – Central Wisconsin Center Administrative Quality Team
2000 Presidential Citation – American Music Therapy Association
1997 Exceptional Performance Award – State of Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services
1996 Service Award – Great Lakes Region for Music Therapy