Music Therapy Outreach Program Video #2: Rhythmic Based Movements

Music Therapy Outreach Program Video #2: Rhythmic Based Movements

Local music therapists, Angie Kopshy & Marie Miller, teamed together to create a music therapy outreach program in Portland, Oregon. Partially funded by a generous donation from Autism Speaks, this program focuses primarily on serving children diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Upon completion of our weekly groups, we share a video that focuses upon one of the rationale behind one of our interventions. Our hope is to provide families with inspiration and coaching so that they can incorporate these concepts into their everyday lives.

Video #2 gives examples of rhythmic based movements based on BrainDance as developed by Anne Green Gilbert. Gilbert’s website elaborates upon the primary patterns of breath, tactile, core-distal, head-tail, upper-lower, body side, cross lateral, and vestibular.

Marie showed the song, Tap Your Knees, for the 5-8 year old group and Angie shared, Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands, for the 2-4 year old group.

These are just two of many, many examples. Here is another song I created specifically for a little girl who had trouble waking up in the morning. The family and I decided that her love for music should be incorporated into her morning as soon as possible. We will also be presenting a more  upbeat version of this song for the more active child.

Music Therapy Services of Portland is directed by board-certified music therapist, Angie Kopshy. Upon completion of her Master’s in Music from Boise State University, Angie returned to Portland to study music therapy at Marylhurst University. Angie opened Music Therapy Services of Portland in January of 2009 and incorporated additional training in both neurologic music therapy and autism in order to create a practice that focuses specifically on children with autism. Angie is also a singer/songwriter with the band, Stoneface Honey.