Rhythm For Good

About Kat Fulton

I am a speaker and board-certified music therapist.

Author Archive | Kat Fulton

Personal experiment: Music, art, and dance all day

By Kat Fulton on March 9, 2010 in Music & Wellness

In the course of a regular work day, I often have thousands of ideas fly through my head faster than I can remember them. These thoughts are mixed with sporadic episodes of spontaneous music-making, singing, and dancing. Sometimes I like to just “be” and let my thoughts fly far, far away and disappear. When I am just “being,” I like to “be” myself to the core.

Inspired by my authentic movement therapist, Draza Jansky, I decided to dedicate Saturday to making music, painting, dancing, sleeping, and eating the entire day. No internet. Very little phone. I awoke with zero anxiety. Nothing to look back on, nothing to look forward to. I was simply present. When my thoughts wandered to yesterday, or I started to feel anxiety, or I craved the computer, I simply changed something in myself. I shifted from dancing to painting, from eating to playing the guitar, from gazing into the canyon to singing, or from dancing vigorously to swaying slowly. And it worked! Full day meditation. Full body freedom. Literally, I felt a tingle of freedom in my neck that I had never felt before. There were many more effects on my body, but I’ll keep my description short.

Now I’m integrating this new-found sense of freedom into my daily life. One of my teachers says that happiness and joy come first, then the drumming, dancing, and singing come. You drum because you are happy. You cannot pursue happiness through making music. In fact, my teacher says you cannot find happiness at all because happiness has always been here. It has always been now. If you try to go find happiness, you will fail. Happiness originates within us. I regularly experience the idea of here and now bliss in little spurts, so I thought I’d try a whole day.

Words don’t come close to conveying the bliss. And, I don’t remember everything about Saturday because keeping memories was not a priority. Here’s how my day generally went:

Early Morning: Wake up, drink tea, gaze into the canyon, eat cereal, listen to the rain
Late Morning: Paint, paint more, play my original songs on the guitar, paint, walk into the canyon
Early Afternoon: Eat sandwich, drink water, twirl around my house, play guitar and sing, paint
Mid Afternoon: Play piano, drink tea, climb up the walls upside down, smell flowers, paint, nap
Late Afternoon: Get a massage, drink water, eat another sandwich, play guitar, drum
Evening: Dance with my shadows, read a book, go to sleep

You may ask “Didn’t you get bored?” Not at all. I was so fascinated the entire day. I especially enjoy that the moments have come and gone. Next time I make the same music or look at the art that I created, it will be completely different than what was in the moment of creation.

Music & wellness tip today: Drum out of happiness. Do not try to find happiness in the drumming.

What’s it like to spontaneously create for you? What medium do you use (art, music, dance, more…)?

Photo courtesy of Max Vuong.

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There’s No Wrong Way to Play!

By Kat Fulton on March 4, 2010 in Older Adults

This article is a copy of my guest blog post on www.MusicAfter50.com (woo hoo!). Here is an excerpt:

This is usually my mantra when facilitating a drum class or music therapy session with older adults. There’s no wrong way to play. You can feel the natural, rhythmic flow to the statement when you say it out loud. There’s no wrong way to play! And the best part is that it’s the truth. In music, dance, and art, there really is no wrong way. Whatever comes out is an extension of yourself. (Leave the judgment and criticism behind during this article.) Truly, as much as we urge people to play the “right” notes, get the “right” rhythm, harmonize on the “right” interval, listen for the “right” chord progression, please be mindful that what’s “right” is relative. As a classically trained pianist with an undergraduate degree in piano performance and music theory, I strongly value what we consider to be “high quality” performance, according to the genre. At the same time, I appreciate another aspect of music, something that goes beyond rules and standards. Something that touches our very core.

Does music in the NICU overstimulate infants?

By Kat Fulton on March 3, 2010 in NICU Infants

Dr. Jayne Standley explains how, why, and when to use music therapy in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in her book Music Therapy with Premature Infants: Research and Developmental Interventions. But, my blog’s title question comes up often, and understandably so! Especially when the medical goal is to promote baby from the “survival/pacification phase” to the “HOME with family phase” as gently and smoothly as possible. So, the question stands: Does music in the NICU overstimulate infants? When music is used improperly, then the answer is a resounding yes. When a radio program or CD plays continuously for hours at a time over a loud speaker, or when musicians play in a NICU with neither NICU music therapy training, nor knowledge of sound level recommendations, then yes, music can be detrimental to the infants’ neurological development. Also, when an infant is in the survival phase, then he/she is not ready for a developmental treatment such as music therapy.

However, music therapy can be beneficial to an infant who is medically stable, during and beyond the cautious stimulation phase. When the medical team decides that baby is ready for developmental stimulation, the occupational therapists and music therapists cautiously provide sensory stimulation, and document observations of infant behaviors. If baby exhibits any signs of overstimulation, then treatment is paused or terminated, according to the research-based protocol. But when baby is tolerating stimuli, then music therapy is a great way for baby to gain practice self-regulating during multi-modal stimulation (MMS), a common NICU music therapy intervention. Deanna Hanson-Abromeit has shown how music therapy interventions produce similar results to NIDCAP (Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program), a widely used and accepted, research-based program for NICU environment and care delivery. Music therapists work together with the medical staff as part of the team. Check out the list of 35 hospitals that already use music therapy in the NICU. Here are some criteria we use when treating infants in a NICU with music therapy:

Minimum weight of approximately 3 lbs.
Clinical stability
Readiness for developmental stimulation

Additionally, referrals can be based upon any of the following infant needs:

Irritability, agitation, behavioral distress
Sedation, sleep, pain
Self regulation
Respiratory difficulties
Feeding, sucking, weight gain
Parent/family bonding
Lengthy hospitalization

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an easy-to-read list of NICU music therapy research-based effects. Keep in mind that music is acoustically different than noise. Accumulation of sounds in the NICU consists of machine-generated and human-generated noise. Noise in the NICU is unpredictable, disorganized, unfamiliar, with an extremely wide range of frequencies. Music in the NICU provided by a music therapist who has specialized NICU MT training is predictable, familiar, organized, with form and a very narrow range of frequencies. This quality of sound elicits calm behaviors. NICU music therapists first assess the patient, devise a treatment plan, implement the treatment plan in conjunction with other therapies (e.g. physical, occupational, speech), document patient progress, evaluate, and modify the treatment plan to stay on target with patient goals. Also important to take note is that NICU music therapists use culturally-specific, familiar, live music for baby. (For example, if the baby comes from a Spanish-speaking family, the NICU music therapist will probably include Spanish lullabies in the treatment.) Research shows that infants respond preferentially to their native language.

More on the Academy of Pediatrics sound level recommendations, NICU sound level reporting, and modern NICU design is coming up in a blog post soon. Until then, whether you are a NICU music therapist, healthcare professional, or family member, please leave comments if you have any questions or feedback. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Book Review ~ Bella’s Blessings: A Humble Story of Providence

By Kat Fulton on March 1, 2010 in NICU Infants

Book Review
Bella’s Blessings: a Humble Story of Providence by Timothy Ringgold

I’ve never had a baby, not to mention gone through the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experience as a parent, so I can’t say “Oh sure, I understand.” There is no way that I can fully comprehend what it’s like to find myself forced to ponder the mortality of my own offspring. I can try to imagine, but I really don’t understand on the deepest level. However, in the memoir Bella’s Blessings: A Humble Story of Providence, Timothy Ringgold gives no choice but to understand, to feel what he feels, to see what he sees, to hear what he hears. The author makes a close and memorable connection with the audience immediately at the start of his riveting story. Timothy recounts his family’s journey with no reservations, no hesitations, heightened intensity, and no preparation. After all, there is no preparation for parents who have a newborn swiped out of their arms and rushed into intensive care, requiring special medical attention at birth. The condition is Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) and was completely unforeseen and undetected in obstetrical tests and ultrasounds.

The author has a wonderful wife and two beautiful girls. He owns and operates Sonic Divinity, a music therapy service agency in Orange, CA. In addition, he is a board certified music therapist with specialized training in the NICU setting. In other words, he is qualified and trained to help infants heal faster when hospitalized. Unfortunate fate or divine blessing? Timothy states his case clearly in favor of divine blessing.

The journey of Bella’s Blessings consists of 2 major sections: the first 48 hours and the blog. As soon as the social worker at Children’s Hospital of Orange County introduced the author and his wife to CarePages.com, the author regularly posted blog updates as information came in, as challenges were met, and as inspirations dawned. Bella’s first 3 months are documented. In his journey, the author describes the many trials, tribulations, and solutions that come with a newborn emergency: doing research on the disease, getting in touch with the best professionals, coping with financial issues, settling into a new lifestyle, and bonding with Bella through music therapy techniques. He describes how he and his family come together and get to know Bella using music therapy before she is ready to be held, when she experiences distress, and in those especially difficult moments when he and his wife bathe, feed, and change Bella’s dressings. The most touching and grounding aspects of getting to know Bella is keeping the faith, focusing prayer, and taking note of Every. Little. Piece. Of. Providence.

The author vividly describes the honest and raw human experience as a father, husband, and advocate for his family. His story evokes a broad spectrum of emotions from anger, sadness, denial, shock, and confusion, to confidence, courage, joy, and resolve. Purely authentic and real, Timothy takes it day by day and shares how he relates and does not relate to medical staff, meaningful moments of supporting his wife, strengthening the marriage, “The Good,” “The Bad,” and the big picture. In reading the author’s take on providence (which is expressed in various formats in every blog post), I’m reminded of Byron Katie’s book Loving What Is. As Katie suggests “It’s not the problem that causes our suffering; it’s our thinking about the problem.” Full of wisdom, as well as practical solutions to real problems, Timothy expresses his own personal perspective on “thinking about the problem.”

If you are having trouble finding [the Silver Lining] in any given situation, ask for clues. God will reveal them. Just be willing to deal with the fact that [the Silver Lining] may not be what you originally were looking for.

Because of Bella’s inspiration, the author also sends out occasional requests to readers, offering clarity to those friends and family members who want to support the family. The question from loved ones is often, and sometimes desperately “What can I do?” A perfect example for the power of focused prayer, the Ringgold family’s requests in the blogs are always specific and focused. Any family can learn a great deal from the Ringgolds.

Bella’s Blessings reminds the public of the power of prayer, how equally real the unseen is in our physical plane, how spirituality and faith integrate and manifest into physical outcomes, and the importance of consciously acknowledging signs of providence in every day life.

All along we thought that Bella needed the healing. In reading Bella’s Blessings, she actually heals us, the readers.

Read the author’s blog and see more pictures here http://careforanabella.blogspot.com/

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Why does music work: Brain research

By Kat Fulton on February 25, 2010 in Music & Wellness, Research

We know about physiological and behavioral effects of music therapy from research published in nursing journals and music therapy journals. I have listed some effects on infants in a NICU. Furthermore, we know of research pertaining to cognition, speech & language, and sensorimotor domains thanks to Dr. Michael Thaut and the Center for Biomedical Research in Music at Colorado State.

Another great contributor to music and brain studies is Ani Patel, PhD and his book Music, Language, and the Brain. He is Senior Fellow in Theoretical Neurobiology at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, CA. He received an ASCAP Deem Taylor Award for his book alongside Oliver Sacks, MD in 2008. He recently made an appearance on UCSD TV with Barbara Reuer, PhD. You can hear a podcast with Dr. Patel at the Library of Congress. His work is also mentioned by other neuroscientists and even bird lovers! In the following video, he provides an in depth lecture, describing how the brain processes music and language.