Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) is the therapeutic application of music to cognitive, sensory, and motor dysfunctions due to neurologic disease of the human nervous system (Thaut, 1999). This evidenced-based clinical treatment system is driven by advances (research) in neuroscience and an understanding that music can influence and change non-musical brain and behavior function. NMT employs 20 unique, trademarked techniques therapists use to target speech, sensorimotor, and cognitive skills.  

Who Benefits from NMT?  

NMT has been successful intervention for people with (but not limited to): traumatic brain injury, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, developmental disabilities such as autism, communication disorders, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and dementia.  

At Musical Bridges we primarily work with children who have developmental delays, autism, and/or Downs Syndrome. With these population NMT is so beneficial!

What is the difference between Neurologic Music Therapy and Traditional Music Therapy? 

While traditional music therapy is highly effective on its own to treat many different goal areas, Neurologic Music Therapy is a separate field. NMT is an evidence-based model that focuses on the neuroscience of music through specific research-based techniques. When interventions are done properly and consistently, it drives changes in the brain to reach the goal of the client. Strong emphasis is put on generalization of the skill into the home/workplace/school setting to ensure carryover into daily living from the clinic.  

Neurologic Music Therapists are specialists who are required to have completed additional training beyond standard music therapy certification to obtain and maintain their NMT designation. 

Neurologic Music Therapists must maintain their certification through continuing education hours, similar to traditional Music Therapists. NMT’s are required to attend global and local chapter support meetings. These meetings allow for collaboration, continued technique training, and sharing up to date research.  

How does NMT help speech goals?  

NMT interventions can be used to address a range of speech and language goals including breath support, word retrieval, word fluency, articulation, voice volume, voice inflection, and non-verbal expressive language.  

There are eight different speech techniques NMT’s can utilize to support a client in their communication journey. While there is emphasis on vocalizations within these techniques, the techniques do not exclude alternative communication types. NMT techniques can also address the social language by focusing on the nonverbal portions of conversation.  

Specific populations can include aphasia, apraxia, Parkinson’s, autism, Downs syndrome, developmental disabilities, and more.

NMT Speech at Musical Bridges:

A common goal area in children is speech or the development of communication skills. While we at Musical Bridges celebrate and encourage all forms of communication our most utilized NMT technique for speech is DSLM.

Developmental Speech and Language Training Through Music (DSLM™) is the specific use of developmentally appropriate musical materials and experiences to enhance speech and language development through singing, chanting, playing musical instruments, and combining music, speech and movement (Thaut 2005).

Within this technique we take the music loved by our clients and make it work for us. Client’s preferred music is typically developmentally appropriate and therefore the perfect jumping point to addressing this technique in a session.

Watch a video example below incorporating DSLM with the popular song Baby Shark!

How does NMT help motor goals?  

NMT interventions can help support rehabilitation goals related to coordination, range of motion, balance, strength, endurance, and activity of daily living. Interventions can cue and support movement as well as encourage purposeful movements.

There are three different sensorimotor techniques NMT’s implement to assist an individual in progressing with their motor skills. Both fine and gross motor skills can be addressed using the techniques.  

Specific populations can include Alzheimer’s and dementia, autism, Downs syndrome, brain tumor, cerebral palsy, stroke, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and other neurological diseases, and brain injury.  

NMT Motor at Musical Bridges:

Several diagnoses we see at Musical Bridges come with delays or difficulties in motor skills, both fine and gross. The most utilized NMT motor technique we utilize is TIMP.

Therapeutic Instrumental Music Performance (TIMP™) is the playing of musical instruments in order to exercise and stimulate functional movement patterns. Appropriate musical instruments are selected in a therapeutically meaningful way in order to emphasize range of motion, endurance, strength, functional hand movements, finger dexterity, and limb coordination (Elliot 1982, Clark and Chadwick, 1980). During TIMP, instruments are not typically played in the traditional manner, but are placed in different locations to facilitate practice of the desired functional movements (Thaut 2005).

With this technique we are able to musically assist with real life functional motor skills our clients are needing addressed. Instruments are manipulated in a variety of ways within this technique. You might be kicking a drum, stepping your foot onto a bell, holding a rhythm stick like a pencil, and more!

Watch a video example below!

How does NMT help cognition goals?  

NMT interventions can be used to address goals in the areas of attention, executive function, memory, psychosocial, and sensory integration.  

There are nine different techniques that focus on the different areas of cognition. These techniques can be helpful in a multitude of goal areas with a wide variety of clients.

Specific populations can include Alzheimer’s and dementia, autism, brain tumor, cerebral palsy, stroke, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and other neurological diseases, and brain injury.  

NMT Cognition at Musical Bridges:

Within our practice cognition tends to focus on executive functioning and attention. Our clients work on academic skills, increasing attention span, alternating attention, making choices, life skills, initiation, termination, flexibility, and emotional regulation. Our top contender would be MACT.

Musical Attention Control Training (MACT™) involves structured active or receptive musical exercises, using pre-composed performance or improvisation, in which musical elements cue different musical responses in order to practice sustained, selective, divided, and alternating attention functions (Thaut 2003)

Utilizing this technique, we are able to address the different types of attention our clients are having difficulty with. Sustained attention is a major goal within our practice as many of our clients are improving the length they attend to tasks.

Watch a video example below!

Neurologic Music Therapy is a large part of our practice at Musical Bridges. Our full-time staff are trained in NMT as soon as possible. We incorporate NMT into our sessions and into the creation of goal areas for our clients. Being NMT’s also includes the use of standardized non-music assessments to for all goal areas we address in therapy.

With this additional training we are able to better serve our clients and provide them with research driven data and results.

Interested in beginning you Musical Bridge journey contact us here.