SAMPLE SESSION PLANS
Here are some sample session plans to use with LGBTQ clients.
Body Percussion Waterfall Welcome:
Have everyone stand in a circle
After one person says their introduction (at least name and pronouns), they will start a beat/musical phrase using their body as an instrument (snapping, tapping legs, clapping hands) and then look to the person to their left to signal their turn
While the next person is talking, all music making should be very quiet. After the person has added their sound, music making can be louder until the next person talks (facilitator can help with visual volume cues)
After everyone has said their introduction and added a sound, 1 by 1 the group will stop making their sound in the same order starting with the first person
Afterwards, facilitator can hold brief discussion on how that felt, what the group liked about it
Song Writing Fill in the Blanks "You Get What You Give":
Introduce song “You Get What You Give” by New Radicals and pass out lyric sheets (without fill in the blank spaces)
Play (live) song as clients follow along with lyrics.
At end of the song, ask opinions of song, what clients liked about it, what they disliked
Ask clients to turn over lyric sheets to look at the fill in the blank side, explaining that they will be doing a song writing activity
Ask clients for suggestions to fill in the blanks, working with them to make decisions together and going over themes in the song. Give options to rewrite entire lines if they want to
When finished, sing the new song with all the clients. Can pass out small percussive instruments as well
Lyric Sheet with Fill In The Blanks:
Wake up kids
We've got the _____ _____
Age 14
We got you down ____ _____ _____
So ____,
We're busy still _____ ____
Frienemies,
Who when you're down ain't your friend
Every night
We smash ____ _____ _____
First we ____
And then we ___ 'til we ____
[Pre-chorus:]
But when the night is falling
You cannot find the light, light
You feel your dreams are dying
Hold tight
[Chorus:]
You've got the _____ in you
Don't let go
You've got the _____ in you
One dance left
This world is gonna pull through
Don't give up
You've got a reason to live
Can't forget
We only _____ what we ______
Four A.M. we _____ _____ ______ _____
We're ___ ___ but hey we do it in style
The bad ____
____ ____ in for your trial
[Pre-chorus:]
But when the night is falling
You cannot find your friend (friend)
You feel your tree is breaking
Just bend
[Chorus]
You've got the _____ in you
Don't let go
You've got the _____ in you
One dance left
This world is gonna pull through
Don't give up
You've got a reason to live
Can't forget
We only _____ what we ______
Drum Improvisation Activity:
Put out various percussive instruments in the middle of the circle on the floor, asking if there are any instruments clients may be unfamiliar with, if there are, demonstrate and explain the instruments
Ask clients to come forward to pick out an instrument that they want to play
After all the instruments have been picked, allow for a few minutes of experimental play. While that is happening, place two standing congas in the middle of the circle
Signal end of experimental play (4, 3, 2, 1, Stop!) and explain, by modeling, the activity:
The group will all start playing on their instruments all together
When someone is ready to take a drum solo, walk up to solo drums in the middle, make eye contact with the group
The soloist will start to solo on the congas. As soon as they start playing, the group will stop playing their own drums, and either clap, tap feet, snap, or drum on their laps in rhythm to support the soloist
When the person soloing is done, they will call out “4, 3, 2, 1, Play!” while playing one beat on each word
The group will come back playing their own individual instruments all together
The soloist will rejoin the group and return to playing their own instrument
Whoever is ready to be the next soloist, will then stand and move to the solo drums
When everyone who wants to solo has gone, the facilitator will end the drumming with “4, 3, 2, 1, Stop!”
Lead group discussion on activity
How did that feel for everyone
How was it to be soloing, how was it to be supporting the soloist
Did you like the activity, did you not like it, etc…
Coloring Activity to "True Colors":
Play the song “True Colors” for the group (recording) while passing out clipboards with blank mandala paper, and items to color with
While listening to the song (can repeat it a few times if need be), clients can draw what they consider to be their true colors (can be just color on the page, representation of who they are, a favorite activity/something they like, something completely abstract)
After everyone is done coloring, facilitator can pass out lyric sheets and lead the group in a live re-creation of song
After the song, see if the clients are willing to share what they drew and lead group discussions based upon their drawings
Closing Experience:
Go around the circle and state name, pronouns, something they liked about the session today, and what they are feeling. Then give a sound/movement to that feeling
Group will then reflect that sound or movement together back to the person
The person on the left will then go next, and will continue until everyone has gone
Song writing focused session ideas provided by Jennifer Swanson, MMT, MT-BC
Original songwriting on collective identity:
Discuss and make list on white board of words related to identities of group members, and words that relate to why clients are attending group
Find themes among the words to connect some into lyrics
Improvise/jam on these words
Creation of "Theme Song":
Original song, created using words from intervention above
Pass around notebook, and each group member wrote 1 line, and next person added next line, etc.
Over the course of 3-4 groups, with various group members taking leadership roles, this song was completed with 2 verses and a chorus
Lyric substitution with song, "I Am" by Christina Aguilera:
Listen to song
Individual free write in journals to write 4 "I am _____" lines each
Combin lines into song
Come up with original chorus
Sang/played through as a group
Discussion at end (can lead to disclosures of personal struggles around identity)
Songwriting based on poem, "Andrew" by Andrea Gibson:
Read "Andrew" out loud x 2
Instruct group to write down lines that stuck out to them and/or were relateable
Individual free write related to lines that stuck out
Individuals read aloud their lines, while MT-BC put on board
Creat a loose song based on this- members sang and played instruments
Song Re-Creation of "Queer Gospel" by Erin McKeown:
Put words and chords to "Queer Gospel" on board
Listen to song together
Re-create song as group, with option to change words
Discuss song and how it felt to play it
Song Sensation to "I Am Light" by India Arie:
Listen twice
1st x: lights dim, relaxed, close eyes if want
2nd x: lights on, have lyrics, write down or draw what comes up for you in relation to lyrics
Feedback-Reflection
What parts of this song stood out as meaningful for you?
What are some feelings that came up?
What did it make you think of?
Is there anything you would change in the lyrics?
Actualizing Song
Play as a group with instruments/singing and lyric changes if made
Talk Therapy/Creative Arts based session ideas provided by Victoria Gilman Fansler, MT-BC
Creating Our Own Personal Pride Flags
Including all aspects of ourselves we are proud of -- not limited to queer identities.
Reading of Poem "Your Life" by Andrea Gibson
Facilitated discussion in response to the
Partner Dancing
Including weight sharing, for experiences of safe, nonsexual touch and non-gendered dance
Improvisations around gender
A small group of students played a short improvisation on the stereotypical concept of "woman," then a similar improvisation on the idea of "man," and then played an improvisation to represent themselves as individuals.
The group as a whole discussed what associations they had along gendered lines and the ways in which we are all boxed in by societal expectations related to gender and gender expression. We then represented each of our genders via placement on a Venn diagram
Poem Workshop: "I Was... I Am... I Will Be..."
Group members filled in the three prompts listed in the title.
Some group members wrote their own poems by making lists for each prompt.
Additionally, each group member picked one or more response to each prompt to write on a note card.
The note cards were combined to be anonymous and were then read aloud by a small group of members with recorded instrumental musical support, creating one group spoken word poem.
Bodies discussion
We discussed the ways our bodies shape our identities and the ways we are treated (and vice versa)
body love as a radical act of resistance
body traumas, including self-harm
This discussion was paired with a listening of "I Sing the Body Electric, Especially When My Power's Out" by Andrea Gibson
Group development of a list of concrete self-care/coping strategies
Love letters to our younger selves