Music therapy
Music therapy is an experiential form of therapy in which music is the preverbal or nonverbal means of helping people with emotional, social, behavioral or cognitive problems.
Music influences people's mood and can encourage people to move. Through music, people can experiment with new behaviors and learn to express their feelings.
Musical behavior shows similarities with everyday behavior. By gaining targeted experiences while making music, the client gains more insight into himself and will also make connections with the daily life in which he/she functions.
The music therapist makes the client aware of (musical) behavior and the way of communicating through music. By means of musical interventions, a process is initiated that affects the musical behavior and also the experience and feelings of the client. Behavior, experience or feeling can be changed, strengthened or adjusted through the interventions.
Music therapy is also suitable for people who consider themselves unmusical, musical experience is not required.
Harry Kappen as music therapist.
In addition to his musicianship, Harry works in Youth Care at Pluryn Midden-Nederland (outpatient clinic Flevoland and outpatient clinic Zeist) as an experienced music therapist for young people up to the age of 23.
He is trained in Mentalization Based Treatment and has experience in the professional therapeutic treatment of aggression problems, the so-called Anger Management. The fact that he is a guitarist and bassist and also masters various other instruments comes in handy in his work as a music therapist.
He also works as a guest lecturer and tutor at Codarts Rotterdam, the international Master's program in music therapy.
He has gained a lot of experience working with young people dealing with the consequences of trauma, young people with low self-confidence and poor self-awareness, young people dealing with developmental and behavioral disorders.
He has found that young people who are familiar with ADHD, ADD, ASS, ODD and Pdd-Nos experience these "labels" as very annoying and stigmatizing.
He therefore speaks mainly in the language of the young people with the young people and works with them based on their needs and possibilities. “What works for you and what doesn't”, “What is feasible now and what is not right now?”
A solution-oriented approach in which the pleasure of making music together is important.
Interview with Harry Kappen with the 'Kites & Strings'- blog
"There are no new protestsongs, so I wrote some"
Harry's modest contribution for this article about music & dementia
