Four Fall Session Plans
by Karah Chappel, MT-BC
We have officially entered fall, folks! And after a Texas summer, I’m excited to be here. While the weather is starting to change, I’m also changing out some of my interventions. Themed interventions are a great way to keep clients (and you) engaged throughout the year. Read on for four fall-themed interventions – plus downloadable resources for each one.
Outdoor Exploration
As we’re heading into cooler temperatures, it’s the perfect time to get outside. One of the best parts of home health music therapy is the chance to change the setting to meet the needs of the client: moving the session from the living room to the backyard opens a whole new world of sensory stimulation. Using the template below which you can download here, move around the yard with your client and look for each item listed on the sheet. Two options for the musical element: sing as you search to prompt the client to find each scavenger hunt piece; or, once each element is collected write a song linking all the parts together. Goals can include selective attention (“Let’s look only for the bug first.”), cause and effect thinking (“We know leaves fall from trees. Where can we find a leaf?”), and decision making (“Should we sing about the leaf or the flower next?”).
Reminiscence on Change
The imagery of fall – passing time, end of a season – brings me to feeling wistful and reminiscent; I may as well put that to good use. A lyric analysis of “The Circle Game” by Joni Mitchell brings up themes of reminiscences, the passage of time, and accepting change over the lifespan. Your client can follow along with lyrics that you download here. (Spoiler alert: I made them look very cute.) Beyond what sticks out to the client, follow up questions can prompt the client to remember their life at each of the ages listed, or to dig into the deeper meaning surrounding the lines that stand out to you. I’d recommend the joyful 1, 6, 15, 24, and 37 or the more melancholy 7, 8-9, 14, 26-27, and 36. These lines promote goals of guided reminiscence, resilience, and coping skills that help us accept or work through feelings that come up in the process. A word of warning: this may bring up vulnerable or powerful feelings especially for folks with a lot of life to look back over; be aware of how beneficial these deep things will be for your client as well as your plan for grounding the client again afterwards.
Mindfulness Relaxation
If you’re looking for an idea to ground your client after the lyric analysis, look no further! Combining mindfulness and guided relaxation, walking your client through an imagery that helps them release thoughts in their mind can help. There’s a few elements at play here: 1) Guided Breathing – cuing the client through box breathing or your other preferred pattern; 2) Guided Imagery principles – creating a relaxing visual picture for the client (hint: an actual picture like below which can be downloaded here can be a helpful tool); 3) Mindfulness – practicing awareness and acceptance without judgment. I find that the image of leaves falling from a tree then floating down a river fit well with the mindfulness practice of noticing thoughts and letting them pass. You can improvise the accompaniment to fit the story you decide to tell. Pick whatever key feels comfortable, and consider using V – I chord changes for breathing cues in and out, as well as to cue tension and release in the wording.
Sensory Box
Did you miss our blog from a few weeks ago? If yes, you’re in luck! Option four is a fall sensory box, simple prep work with a wide variety of options for use. Take a look at the handout here for a list of materials, then check out the blog for more tips.
Do you feel ready to launch fall interventions into use?
Let me know what kinds of interventions of materials you would like more of in the comments!
