About
MusicShapes Creative Arts Therapy, PLLC is a Music Therapy consulting agency specializing in serving individuals with emotional, physical, developmental, and social needs through creative musical experiences to promote growth, development, and improve quality of life. Our services are offered throughout the New York City Metropolitan Area.
We provide a variety of Music Therapy services, including:
- Individual & Group Music Therapy
- Adaptive Music Lessons
- Music Therapy Studio
- Music Therapy Performance Group
- The Home & Community Music Project
During our initial consultation we will explore and identify the most effective music therapy services to meet your needs.
Our team of therapists are Board-Certified Music Therapists (MT-BC), and/or Licensed Creative Arts Therapists (LCAT), and are insured under Professional Liability Insurance.
ORGANIZATIONS SERVED
- ANIBIC
- Community Mainstream Associates, Inc.
- Covenant House NY
- Incarnation Children's Center
- Jewish Board of Family & Children Services
- JCCA Waivers Services (OMH approved Waiver Provider)
- Shield Institute
- WellLife Network
MusicShapes has some exciting endeavors in the works. In addition to our clinical services, we are developing a rich Continuing Education curriculum for Music Therapists and Health Care Providers. Watch our Education space for more details.
Our Team
ALAN THOMPSON, LCAT, MT-BC, NRMT
Founder | Clinical Supervisor | Music Therapist
Alan is a graduate of the Music Therapy Master’s program at New York University, a Board Certified Music Therapist, a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, and a Certified Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapist. He has 15+ years experience as a music therapist working with a variety of populations across New York City, including children and adults with developmental, physical, and emotional disabilities. He has worked extensively in adult and child inpatient and outpatient psychiatry, including Bellevue Hospital (Manhattan), Jacobi Hospital (Bronx), The Ryan White Center(Bronx), Union Settlement(Harlem), Incarnation Children's Center (Washington Heights), Mt. Sinai-St. Luke’s Hospital (Upper West Side), and Bronx Lebanon Hospital (Bronx). He currently works a music therapist for the Department of Veterans Affairs and runs a private practice, Ditmas Therapy , in Brooklyn, NY. Alan frequently conducts workshops and presentations on his work as both educator and in promotion of music therapy.
MICHAEL DEGROTTOLE
Program Consultant | Music Therapist
Michael has spent 35 + years in the field of developmental disabilities, specializing in the treatment of autistic children and adults. Throughout his career he has taken on various clinical and administrative roles, consistently creating innovative models to serve those with special needs. His experience includes 11 years at Life’s WORC, where he worked in residential services and human resources, and four years at the Floating Hospital, where he served as director of rehabilitation services for 92 clinics throughout New York State. He spent the last 14 years as the vice president of programs at Mercy Home for Children, and is currently the Associate Executive Director at the Association for Children with Down Syndrome-ACDS Inc. Aside from his administrative duties, Michael is a musician and jazz enthusiast, and as such, is passionate about creative arts therapies. He was the lead music therapist and clinical director for the Heartsong Foundation; he also co-founded the Music Therapy Project, a placement program for some of the industry’s top creative arts therapists. He studied music therapy at NYU and currently works as a consultant with MusicShapes Creative Arts Therapy, PLLC and the ANIBIC SONG program.
Services
We provide a variety of Music Therapy services, including Individual & Group Music Therapy, Adaptive Music Lessons, Music Therapy Studio, Music Therapy Group Performance, and The Home & Community Music Project. Our services are offered throughout the New York City Metropolitan Area.
During our initial consultation we will explore and identify the most effective music therapy services to meet your needs.
MUSIC THERAPY ASSESSMENT
Every Music Therapy service is initiated with an assessment and development of a treatment plan. MusicShapes follows the guidelines set forth by the American Music Therapy Association of Clinical Practice:
- The music therapy assessment will include the general categories of psychological, cognitive, communicative, social, and physiological functioning focused on the client's needs and strengths. The assessment will also determine the client's responses to music, music skills and musical preferences.
- The music therapy assessment will explore the client's culture. This can include but is not limited to race, ethnicity, language, religion/spirituality, socioeconomic status, family experiences, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and social organizations.
- All music therapy assessment methods will be appropriate for the client's chronological age, diagnoses, functioning level, and culture(s). The methods may include, but need not be limited to observation during music or other situations, interview, verbal and nonverbal interventions, and testing. Information may also be obtained from different disciplines or sources such as the past and present medical and social history in accordance with HIPAA permission regulation.
The Music Therapist will develop an individualized treatment plan based upon the music therapy assessment, the client's prognosis, and applicable information from other disciplines and sources. The client will participate in program plan development when appropriate.INDIVIDUAL MUSIC THERAPY
Individual sessions are typically 30-45 minutes. Our therapists engage the client in the creative process of active music playing using a variety of instruments through improvisation and specific music interventions to address treatment plan goals.
GROUP MUSIC THERAPY
Group sessions ideally have 6-8 clients. Our therapists engage group members in active music playing using a variety of instruments and specific music interventions to facilitate positive social and interpersonal experiences.
ADAPTIVE MUSIC LESSONS
Adaptive Music Lessons combine music therapy and music education, as they adapt to the development and processing needs of the child or adult. The lessons are individualized and flexible to simultaneously address emotional, behavioral, and cognitive barriers and to provide a positive musical experience that builds confidence and increases the student’s overall motivation to learn.
MUSIC THERAPY STUDIO
Music Therapy Studio sessions combine music therapy and the recording process. Sessions include lyric writing, music composition, and recording. If the child or adult shows interest, and if clinically appropriate, sessions may also include engagement in the technical aspects of recording and sound engineering. Music Therapy Studio sessions are typically individual, but may also incorporate others when clinically appropriate
MUSIC THERAPY GROUP PERFORMANCE
Music Therapy Performance Groups are more structured than typical music therapy groups. The music therapist supports group members as they make decisions and collaborate on performing original music or original renditions of pre-existing songs.
THE HOME & COMMUNITY MUSIC PROJECT
The Home & Community Music Therapy Project (HCMP) was originally developed for The Office of Mental Health Waiver Services, which aims to serve children and adolescents with complex mental health needs in their home and/or community. Over the course of 12-weeks the client and therapist will follow a 6-step process, including: introduction to HCMP, assessment, lyric writing, music composition, recording, and termination.
Education
Stay tuned for course offerings for continuing education credits!
Contact
We would love to hear from you!
Contact us to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation, or send us any questions you have about Music Therapy and our services.