A-Z List


Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Problem Areas for Clients

Most children describe their obsessions as being very much like worries or fears. When these thoughts come into the child’s head, they try and resist the obsessions. Children with obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD) usually have several obsessions. Some of these obsessions are very clear and straight forward, and others ted to be vague and hard to identify. As the child grows older, the obsessions usually tend to change for unknown reasons. Most children over eight are aware that their obsessions are abnormal. Younger children with OCD often ask their parents endless questions related to their obsessions and make no effort to hide their discomfort.

Problem areas for clients include:

  • Depression
  • Stopping the obsessions and compulsions
  • Leading a normal life
  • After being treated for the disease, falling back into OCD again
  • Experience severe anxiety if they don’t complete their rituals

Music therapy goals for targeting these problem areas:

  • Help the client feel more confident in himself or herself
  • Helping the client move away from their obsessions and compulsions
  • Being able to function independently and normally in society
  • After treatment, keeping the client away from the cyclical pattern of OCD 
  • Realizing that nothing bad happens when they don’t complete their rituals

Music Therapy methods used for treatment:

  • Singing songs about moving on, and can’t go back
  • Do lyric analysis for moving on songs
  • Song writing, improvisation, dance, lyric analysis
  • Music and relaxation
  • Use of music for healthy leisure involvement
  • Improvisation using dance; where they have to keep going and can’t repeat anything