Music therapy’s potential to positively impact the lives of teenagers is perhaps less widely understood than music therapy’s impact within other clinical contexts. But teenagers are actually unique in their capacity to benefit from work in music therapy. Adolescence is marked by a developmental stage of exploring one’s own identity – very often this includes nurturing a personalized connection with music. The depth in which teens interact and connect with music takes on new layers of complexity when compared with earlier years of development, and in some ways it involves a very personal experience of self-discovery. It is also, however, marked by creating new peer bonds often related to these same musical discoveries. Those bonds serve to build safety and belonging with others, and have far reaching impact beyond these critical years.
Through my own work with teens I’ve come to appreciate how profound and personal their relationship with music often is. I’ve observed how sharing that relationship with others requires a vulnerability that when proven to be safe can be deeply supportive to their mental health. I work with teens in groups at a Juvenile detention center and at a program for supporting those on their journey to finish high school and pursue a career or higher education. Through my time with these groups I’ve learned that teens are highly sensitive to one another – they seek validation from their peers- particularly when it comes to how they relate to music. Teens think deeply about the emotional implications of not just the words, but the sounds of the music. They reflect on how the story telling in their favorite songs can be related to their own lives, and how these stories can serve as a support for them. Very little about music is taken for granted, and that makes sense when studies show that teens prioritize music listening over any other indoor activity (Hodges).
The musical experiences I’ve found to be successful in working with teen groups exist on a spectrum of varying levels of depth. Often the safest place to begin in group work with teens are games like Heads Up or Jeopardy, tailored to include relevant and familiar music. Group drum experiences with varying degrees of structure (i.e. follow the leader, or passing a beat around the circle) are also successful entry points. These games typically offer a safe means of engaging with their peers in a musical context. However these seemingly simple experiences also marshal the use of complex social skills and behaviors for those participating. Supporting one another to help guess a musical artist correctly or working on a team provides an opportunity to experiment with communication styles in pursuit of a shared goal. Other means of engagement include blackout poetry (in which participants modify existing poems or lyrics with art supplies), lyric analysis of preferred music, and using colors and artwork to express emotional responses to instrumental works of music.
When a group is more cohesive through having built peer safety the range of creative experiences expands further. Accessing one’s own creativity can be particularly challenging for teens who are processing traumatic experiences in their lives. The capacity to be creative requires a feeling of safety that is not easily afforded to those who have understandably learned a certain vigilance through their trauma history. However, teens who engage in creative pursuits often discover a means of self expression, self actualization, and tools for their own emotional regulation. I have observed teens enjoying the freedom of instrumental improvisation, the thoughtful crafting of a hip hop beat through music software, and the self expression of participating in a freestyle rap cypher. All of these activities take a remarkable degree of vulnerability, particularly in a group of their own peers.
An essential component in any music therapy program designed for teens is that the structure of the sessions be flexible in providing space for the teen’s expression and preferences. Teens in particular seek affirmation that their personal preferences and choice are being centered. This is why individualized attention from a licensed music therapist can have such a profound impact – a personalized care for supporting a fundamental part of their lives. Working with teens acts as a portal into understanding the ways that our music shapes all of our identities, and further, the ways in which music can help support our musical and non-musical livelihood.
