08/07/2026
Examples of Passive Engagement in Music Therapy 🎹🥁
1. A therapist plays a steady beat on their legs while a child wanders the therapy room.
The tempo is determined by using the child’s natural internal rhythms to regulate them as they play or wander.
2. A child engages with their environment as their music therapist sings about what they are doing.
The therapist is singing what the child could be saying, such as “I’m playing with blocks”, and building the child’s language skills.
3. A client is emotionally dysregulated and a music therapist plays calming music on their guitar.
This is commonly known as the iso-principle. A music therapist will play music that matches a client’s current state and gradually slow it down or speed it up to regulate them.
Have other examples to share? Comment below! ⬇️
