Music Therapy Enrollment

Intake Session

Before your child enrolls in our program, he/she is required to have an intake session. Intake sessions are generally 20-25 minutes in length and are conducted by two therapists, the primary and co-therapist (the primary therapist is responsible for creating the music, while the co-therapist facilitates and engages the child in music making).

Both therapists’ utilize clinical observations while musically interacting with the child, formulating preliminary goals. Clinical observations may include assessment of musical responsiveness, musical and interpersonal relatedness, musical perception, and parent-child separation (musical assessment relates to self-awareness, socialization, emotionality, receptive and expressive language, cognition and physicality).

Following your child’s intake session, therapists will determine whether music therapy is indicated for your child, and whether your child will benefit from either individual or group music therapy.

In addition, the therapists review their video recorded intake session, and a Musical Emotional Profile (MEP) write-up is completed. The MEP is based on a music-centered based music therapy assessment profiling system targeting five specific musical areas as they pertain to your child's ability to engage, relate and communicate in the context of interactive musical-play. Each of the five areas of musical responsiveness is consistent with DIR®/Floortime™ and focus primary on social-emotional development. For more information, please see Assessment: Musical-Emotional Profile.

History and Information

While your child’s intake session is taking place, you will be asked to fill out:

1) An enrollment form that will provide us with your child’s history and pertinent information,

2) Video release forms, giving The Rebecca Center permission to video tape each session (session tapes are ONLY used for your child’s treatment plan, educational purposes, and/or for research)

3) Information release forms, giving us permission to exchange information with your child’s school, therapists, teachers, etc.

Payment Policy and Procedures

Once your child is enrolled in our program and a weekly session day and time has been secured, a Rebecca Center staff person will thoroughly review our calendar and payment policy with you.

Waiting List

Because of the high demand for our on-site music therapy program, The Rebecca Center maintains a growing waiting list. Please do not let our waiting list discourage you from contacting the Center and setting up an intake session, as schedules do change. Also note that, before being placed on our waiting list you must have an intake session on file.

Intake Appointment

To set up an appointment for an intake session call the Center at 516.323.3324 (Please be aware that the Center receives many inquires throoughout the week; it may take 2-3 weeks before an intake session can be scheduled. Your patience is greatly appreciated)

Assessment: Musical-Emotional Profile

The Rebecca Center's assessment process includes the administering of The Individual Music-Centered Assessment Profile for Neurodevelopmental Disorders (IMCAP-ND®). Based on the research and clinical work of Dr. John A. Carpente, the IMCAP-ND® is a music-centered profiling system targeting five levels of musical responsiveness as they pertain to the child's ability to engage, relate and communicate within the context of musical-play. Although the IMCAP-ND® is a music-centered assessment tool, each of the five levels of musical responsiveness is consistent with the DIR®/Floortime™ Model and focused primarily on social-emotional developments. The assessment is adminstered within the context of interactive, musical-play, while observing and listening to the child through various modes of musical expression (i.e. instruments, voice, movement, gestures, etc.). Evaluation is based on the quality and duration of the child's musical interaction, while taking into consideration the type of support (i.e. visual cues, verbal, gestural cues, high affect, etc.) used to assist the child in a particular musical domain area. The IMCAP-ND® is administered over the course of 6-8 sessions, following the child's initial intake/evaluation session. Following the process of scoring the IMCAP-ND®, therapists together with the child's family, develop an individualized goal and intervention plan.