Freddie’s story

Music therapy helped Freddie to grow in confidence, both in his musical abilities and in himself.

Freddie was a year 8 pupil at a specialist academy for pupils with autism, SEMH (social, emotional and mental health) and complex needs when he first began music therapy. He is autistic and has ADHD, and sensory overload is something that he particularly struggles with. It can cause him to become anxious and stressed. And as a result, he can find it difficult to concentrate, communicate his needs verbally, and manage his responses when his peers are having difficulty managing their emotions. This can affect the overall quality of his relationships and his ability to engage in learning at school. So, to help support Freddie, he began one-to-one music therapy sessions with music therapist Fraser at the beginning of 2024.

In music therapy, Freddie enjoyed exploring different ways of making music, including playing the drum and cymbal, the keyboard, and by vocalising. Fraser would accompany him, often on the keyboard. And, together in sessions, they developed a musical companionship.

Freddie was keen to learn to play tunes, so this was one of the things that him and Fraser focused on in music therapy. In one session, they played ‘Ode to Joy’ together on the keyboard. This focus helped Freddie’s overall musicianship and through this sense of achievement, his confidence began to grow.

Freddie is naturally very musical, so music therapy was a valuable way for him to express himself freely. Sessions with Fraser provided a safe learning environment where he could focus on a single activity, whilst collaborating and connecting with another person. This helped Freddie to develop his capacity to relate to others which will support him in peer relationships. And as his musical understanding increased, he became more confident in both his musical abilities and in himself.

Freddie’s mum observed that music therapy was helping him “to focus on a task, express himself and regulate his mind and body.” And after watching clips of Freddie in his music therapy sessions, she said, “Freddie absolutely adores music and I’m so pleased he can have such wonderful experiences at school.”