Category: Techniques

Lyric revision, also referred to as lyric substitution, is a form of song writing that involves creating and rewriting lyrics to existing songs. This musical activity provides a wonderful forum for the adolescent to create a song that more accurately represents them personally. It also creates an opportunity for the adolescent and therapist/counselor to work together and co-create a meaningful story. Lyric revision is a also great activity to do in groups with adolescents, group members work together to co-create a song that is representative of who they are as individuals and as a group.

Tips for Lyric Revision Exercises:

• This is a great activity to introduce after having engaged in some music listening and song discussions with the adolescents individually or in groups
• Introduce the activity to the adolescent and ask if there is a song he/she would like to work with, it can be helpful to begin with a song that is very familiar
• It is helpful to provide a copy of the lyrics for reference
• After listening to the original song, guide the lyric re-write with a prompt that is relevant to what the adolescent is struggling with
  • For example, if the adolescent is struggling with depression, your directive might be, “Today, let’s work on changing the lyrics to this song to describe how you might cope with feeling sad or down at home and in school.”
• If the adolescent appears stuck, help them brainstorm ideas and work through the creative and expressive process together
• Remember, your role is to be understanding and accepting of the adolescent, and to facilitate successful experiences of creative expression

Music Improvisation is a process where the client and the therapist create music in the moment together to express the client’s current emotions. Musical improvisation can be through singing or playing, extemporaneously creating a melody, rhythm, song, or instrumental piece. Individual improvisation is a popular method to use with teenagers because it is one of the purest ways of working towards understanding, acceptance, and development and can foster their own identity formation.

Drumming is another popular music technique that can be used for musical improvisations with adolescents and is particularly effective in groups. The therapist or group facilitator can encourage improvisation by holding a steady beat while group members play any rhythm, style, and dynamic they would like. In keeping a steady beat, the facilitator grounds the improvisation and creates the space for creative emotional expression.

Rhythmic improvisation involves playing a variety of instruments at once to create a blended sound. It can also be used for identification and expression of emotions. Here is a good example of what rhythmic improve can look like in an individual session:

Receptive music therapy is where the client listens to music – live or recorded – and responds to the experience silently, verbally, or via another modality. The listening experience is typically focused on physical, emotional, intellectual, aesthetic, or spiritual aspects of the music and the client’s responses are designed according to the therapeutic purpose of the experience. It can be used to relax or stimulate a particulate emotional and physical response.*

Receptive Music Therapy Methods Include: 

• Music relaxation – music selected and played with the intention of creating a relaxing and calming experience; music is often accompanied by the therapist softly talking through a calming imagery, connecting their bodies and minds
• Imaginal listening – can be unguided or guided music imaging
• Song lyric discussion – selected song serves as a springboard for discussion of the adolescent’s life issues/experiences (*see ‘Lyric Analysis’ tab for more info)
• Song reminiscence – using songs to promote discussion and reflection
• Music appreciation activities – therapist helps adolescent to understand and appreciate the aesthetic value of music
• Music collage –  presentation of artwork stimulated by listening to music

*According to Bruscia (1998a) in “Receptive Methods in Music Therapy: Techniques and Clinical Applications for Music Therapy Clinicians, Educators, and Students” by Denise Grocke and Tony Wigram

Bibliotherapy is an expressive arts therapy that uses an individual’s relationship to the contents of a book, story, or poem as therapy. Music Bibliotherapy is an exercise where music is added to a story or poem selected by or perhaps written by the client. It is an an unobtrusive, non-threatening medium that can help adolescents relieve their stress and increase their coping skills. Music Bibliotherapy can also be particularly useful in the school setting as it can promote academic success and facilitate counseling after a traumatic or stressful event.

In selecting literature for your adolescent client, it is important to choose stories, poems, and/or passages that are relevant to what is going on in his or her life at that moment!

Bibliotherapy Book Suggestions for Teens: 

• Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger | teenage angst & alienation
• Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero | sexual identity, cultural identity, addiction
• Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky | sex & love, tempation of drugs, dealing with loss & death
• The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros | identity & individualism, acculturation stress, sexuality
• My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Piccult| terminal illness, family obligation & conflict, power of personal choice
• A Separate Peace by John Knowles| coming-of-age, depression, guilt, grief & loss
• The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath| suicide, depression, societal roles & expectations

**Insightful clip from Alain de Botton on Bibliotherapy

Song and rap lyric writing is another great music technique that involves creating original musical prose and poetry. Songwriting has shown to be effective in addressing a variety of emotional needs and can be a useful tool in helping adolescents express their grief and develop healthy coping skills. As mentioned, it does require more musical skill than some of the other techniques, and can be challenging for client’s of any age, so it is not a recommended method for practitioners and counselors just beginning to use music as a therapeutic tool in their work with teens.

Writing a Rap is usually an enjoyable experience for teens and can be easy to facilitated because clients readily provide the rhythmic structure. The task of the therapist is to fit the lyrics created by the client into the rhythmic structure provided by the client. Sometimes the therapist may need to reword or condense some of the lyrics to make it fit with the client’s chosen rhythm. As an alternative to providing live musical rhythms and beats, you may want to work with the client to create an electronic or recorded beat using a music application like Garage Band for rap writing purposes.

For adolescents that enjoy, and might prefer, singing over playing musical instruments, another popular songwriting activity entails improvising an original song over a musical structure like in the style of the Blues for example.

Below is a humorous example from the Conan Show of what improve singing over rhythmic music sounds like!  

Lyric analysis involves using existing songs to facilitate meaningful discussion in individual or group therapy. Analyzing song lyrics with adolescents can provide a sense of normalcy, facilitate an understanding of death, loss, and grief, and help them identify and express emotions in a more natural and comfortable way. Using contemporary and client-preferred songs is highly recommended particularly with adolescents, as their music is often an extension of who they are and how they view themselves in the world.

Tips for Lyric Discussion & Analysis Exercises:  

• Always begin by asking your adolescent client what kind of music they like!
• It can be helpful to ease into music discussion & analysis by allowing the client to select some of their favorite songs to bring in
  • Just keep in mind – depending on school policies, and if you are with a group, you may want to ask the client to bring in an edited version of their selected song(s)
• During and after listening to the song, you can spark a meaningful discussion by asking simple questions like:
  • Why do you like this song?
  • What does it mean to you?
  • What do you think of when you hear it?
• The questions you ask are not as important as listening to the answers and then asking more questions, continuing to listen intently to the adolescent’s answers
• For more in depth song analysis, you can provide the client with the lyrics to accompany songs, encouraging them to actively listen and analyze the words of the song as the listen by underlining or circling words and phrases that stand out to them for further discussion
• For more structure and targeted song analysis exercises or sessions, ask the client to select from the songs you have identified for analysis in their preferred genre, and that relate to their life experiences
  • You may want to print out handouts and workout sheets to facilitate your analysis and discussion around the themes and messages expressed in the song and how they might relate to the adolescent’s life
• Finally, it’s important to adopt an accepting and understanding approach to existing song analysis with teens – they may not always want to express their thoughts and feelings right away, sometimes the therapy is in simply listening and taking in the words and the experience together

See the ‘Session Ideas’ section – Session Idea #2 – for an example of a structured Song Analysis exercise!

Song Suggestions for Analysis & Discussion with Teens:

• “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth
• “Keep Your Head Up”  by Andy Grammer
• “Believe in Me” by Demi Lovato
• “Stressed Out” by Twenty One Pilots
• “Brave” Sara Bareilles