Interview with Marie Miller
This week, I'm excited to share my interview with Marie Miller, a music therapist, about her journey into music therapy, her techniques, and music's impact on child development, particularly for children with disabilities. We discuss the importance of collaboration with other therapists and the use of singable books and provide resources for parents looking to incorporate music therapy into their child's life. Marie shares her insights on how music can be a powerful tool for connection, learning, and emotional regulation. Singing together helps create a sense of bonding and belonging, while also promoting literacy skills through repetition. By incorporating targeted words in the repeating portions of songs, children can practice and eventually fill in words themselves, gaining confidence and language skills. Marie's book Where Do You Sleep? exemplifies this approach, with simple, repetitive phrases that help children build literacy and speech skills. She also shares her love for singable books, offering daily recommendations during March’s reading month on Instagram.
Highlights
Music can facilitate communication and connection, especially for non-speaking children.
Parents can use music at home to build skills and create structure for their children.
Collaboration between music therapists and other specialists enhances the effectiveness of therapy.
Singable books are a valuable resource for fostering language skills and connection with children.
Visual aids in therapy help children comprehend and engage with the material.
Music therapy can be tailored to meet the individual needs of each child.
It takes time for children to adjust to new therapy settings and materials.
The brain's neuroplasticity allows for continuous development and learning throughout life.