On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I work with large groups of adults with developmental disabilities. This particular facility is unique in that I go to a different room each day. However, there are a few clients who are brought to whatever room I’m in that day, regardless of whether or not it is the room in which they’re stationed on a regular basis. Honestly, this is difficult for me to negotiate. I have trouble learning about those clients whom I don’t see often, and I find that I treat the groups as community music instead of music therapy. But, there are those few individuals who do make it to the music group on a regular basis.
I’ve decided the best term for this particular site is “mixed.” A sub-set of the larger group is with me each day I’m there, and with them, I can work therapeutically. Because I see the other individuals on an irregular basis, I view them more as a community music group. But I work with everyone simultaneously!
I had thought I would write about something altogether different tonight, but alas, this is what came up. I wonder if anyone else has a similar situation.