When we write music therapy goals for our clients we are often trying to meet the demands of both the funding scheme and the participants. The NDIS emphasis on functional goals can result in a focus on the participants’ pathology. However, people with lived experience highlight this emphasis on deficits is an ableist and disrespectful approach. Music therapists need to find creative ways to write goals that focus on the diverse strengths and abilities of our clients instead of their deficits, in a way that is respectful, but remains accessible to funding organisations such as the NDIS.
This masterclass aims to demonstrate and workshop how any music therapy practice could approach their existing goals to identify potentially ableist language in their writing and create a bank of strength-based and neuro-affirming alternatives. Through interactive experiences, we will question and discuss: How do we write goals for clients where striving for independence isn't a relevant direction for them? How do we write goals that respectfully acknowledge a client's level of interdependence, or to maximise an element of a client's unique neurodiversity, whilst still qualifying for funding?
These questions will be addressed through sharing current literature on the use of respectful terminology and extended humanism in light of the values proposed by post-humanist theorists. In addition, a case study will be presented illustrating how a team of music therapists approached the challenges of goal writing reflecting on the concept of 'maximisation versus normalisation'. We will show how analysing past and present music therapy goals led to a more strength-based approach. This masterclass is not intended to be a formulaic session on 'how to write goals and objectives', but instead will offer a scaffold and examples of how to utilise language that is respectful to ensure our goals and objectives are strength-based and client-centered.