Music Therapy at Real Life Brings Joy!

Did you know Youthlinc does music therapy at our Real Life program?  Thanks to the generosity of a fantastic  board member and the professional skills of Ashton Lindsay, ten of Youthlinc’s Real Life sites has music sessions to help students be able to develop their social and emotional learning skills with music.

We are heading into our third year with this program and have adopted a clinical and evidence-based approach to support students in processing life events through music in a healthy manner. This program is centered around key objectives such as promoting overall well-being, managing stress, facilitating emotional expression, and enhancing communication skills. The program employs various methods, including creating music, songwriting, singing, dancing, listening to music, and engaging in discussions about music.

As the curriculum continues to evolve, Real Life aspires to equip students with skills to navigate subjects like depression, anxiety, mindfulness, healthy relationships, self-regulation, self-care, and more. 

Based on assessments and observations, most students responded positively to the sessions, often leaving with smiles, increased eye contact, and expressing that the sessions had benefitted them. While some students already had exposure to music at home, the concept of music therapy was new to many of them, and their overall experience was highly positive.

If you would like to donate to support the Music Therapy sessions at Real Life, follow this link and make a donation!  $100 covers a single session at each site.