Reflecting on Pivotal Parallel Experiences During Improvisational Music Therapy Sessions with Gene, an Autistic Adolescent
April 22, 2026 Suzanne Sorel
Abstract Gene, a sixteen-year-old autistic adolescent who has minimal expressive language, engaged in a laundry list of routines and behaviours each day. When he first began music therapy, he was guarded, unsure, and wary, expressing a limited range in his playing—mostly slow and loud. As our work evolved and Gene relaxed, we began co-experiencing peak experiences during our improvisational...