WHAT DO WE OFFER? 

I. Informational seminaries. These include music therapy workshops for interested professionals, students and the staff of cooperating institutions.

II. Music Therapy /Recreational musical activities: Offering the possibilities to explore, express and cure through music and musical improvisation. 

I. SEMINARIES

Aims

To provide insight into the possibilities music therapy can offer and to show what is done in the psychosocial workshops.

Central Elements

Acquiring simple improvising techniques e.g. how to support, to accompany and lead musical group improvisations. Exchange of knowledge and educational experience with the local staff is another important purpose.

II. PSYCHOSOCIAL WORKSHOPS

Aims:

Using music as a media to express emotions, learn through social interactions, experience joy and pleasure and to learn and respond to personal needs.

Methods:

The project teams work together in pairs leading groups with 6-9 participants. Mainly improvisational music therapy is applied, using facile percussion instruments such as drums, Djembes, Bongos, shakers etc. and singing, movement and occasionally painting or acting.

Recipients:

We offer projects in areas of post-conflict, in institutions for people of all ages with special needs, with physical and/or mental handicaps.

Workshops can be provided for children or adolescents living in orphanages, in special education centers or music schools. We also work in psychiatric settings or vacation camps for participants with special needs.

ORGANIZATION

Who is providing the services?

The workshops will be given by music therapy students who have skilled practical experience in clinical settings, master students and therapists who recently finished their studies.

The students and young therapists come from different countries all over Europe or are studying in Europe.

Financiering

The team and the organization works on a voluntary basis. Preparations, travel, accommodation- if necessary -and other expenses are paid by donations and own expenses. Cooperation in this field is needed. We do ask a fee of 200 € for organizational costs and cooperation in fund-raising.

Language

If the students do not speak the local language and no translator can assist the workshops are conducted non-verbally using pictograms, body language and signs.

Time

GENERAL ASPECTS & PHILOSOPHY

In our work we pay special attention to cultural sensitivity and emphasize awareness of cultural differences.

We do not want to impose theories and models unknown to the local culture or conflicting with traditional values and models.

It is important for us to adapt our techniques and knowledge to the local norms and cultures.

A good balance should be established between imported “new” methods and traditional experience.

Through the informational seminaries we hope to provide staff and interested professionals with the essential knowledge for musical activities. Localization of the workshops is strived for by cooperating closely with local staff. Our services can be used as assessment periods for institutions that are cooperating with other art or music therapists.

INTERESTED?

Would your institution benefit from our services? Do you know children or adults in need who would like to experience music therapy for a couple of weeks?

If your organization is interested in cooperation with EAMTS, write to us to receive more information and suggestions for projects suited to your institutions needs.

The first EAMTS projects were carried out in Bosnia Herzegovina in 2004, 2005 & 2006. For 2007 projects are planned in St.Petersburg, Russia and again in Bosnia y Herzegovina expanding the scope institutions and places.

If your institution is interested or if you know of potentially interested organizations please do not hesitate to contact us at: projects@eamts.org

Contact person: Verena Heidenreich, Head of EAMTS Project Commission (Music Therapist and Intercultural Psychologist)