Music Therapy

Overview

Every Porter Academy student participates in Music Therapy twice a week. Sessions offer students the chance to sing, move, play instruments, listen to music, and create their own music — all in a small-group setting where the process matters more than the product. Music engages the entire sensory-motor system while giving students a genuine, low-pressure outlet for emotional expression, which is part of why it works so well alongside our other therapeutic and regulation supports (see Our Approach for more on how we prepare students, physically and emotionally, to learn).

What a Session Looks Like

Each session opens with a familiar welcome song — a consistent, predictable ritual that gives every student a chance to share how they’re feeling and what’s on their mind. From there, students engage in group music-making, where they’re encouraged to communicate, problem-solve, and participate alongside their peers.

What It Builds

• Social skills and relationship-building — group music-making requires communication, turn-taking, and collaboration, making social connection a natural part of every session
• Emotional expression — music offers a way to express feelings that can be hard to put into words
• Sensory-motor engagement — singing, moving, and playing instruments engage the body and senses together, supporting regulation and body awareness
• Communication — for students who struggle with verbal communication, music often opens a pathway to connection and expression that other approaches don’t