Music Therapy and Neurodiversity
Everyone has differences, but we rarely, if ever, celebrate those differences and uniquenesses. Our differences are what makes us our own person, what separates us from some and connects us to others. In the medical and healthcare world, these differences sometimes are presented to us as problems to be fixed or eradicated. But the neurodiversity paradigm views differences differently. Neurodiversity turns the idea of ‘differences are deficits’ on its head, and instead posits that there is no right or wrong way of thinking, learning or behaving (Baumer, 2021). It celebrates the diversity in the human brain and cognition, in sociability, learning, attention, focus, and mood. People who are considered neurodiverse may have OCD, anxiety, ADHD, autism, or learning disabilities like dyslexia or dyspraxia (What is Neurodiversity?). It’s also important to recognize that difference and disorder are not synonymous, and that the neurodiversity movement is not trying to replace and get rid of diagnoses or disorders.
With neurodiverse populations, music therapy can provide a space for individuals to learn, approach new information or processes in a unique and creative way. At Empower Music Therapy we apply the beliefs of the neurodiversity paradigm into how we approach music therapy and provide care for those who are neurodiverse. We believe in celebrating the qualities that make the individual unique, “not in spite of their identity as an Autistic person, but in acceptance and acknowledgement of this valid identity” (Pickard et al., 2020, p. 8). We hope and strive to provide opportunities for neurodiverse individuals the safety and freedom to explore, create, and empower themselves to become their best self.
