At MacIntyre, we know that innovation within our therapeutic approach often results in breakthrough.
So when we heard about how Music and Story Therapy sessions at MacIntyre School found a creative way in bringing together music and inclusive communication, we knew we had to find out more.
We sat down with Kate, Intensive Interaction Mentor, Zandra, Speech and Language Therapist, and Jenny, Music Therapist from Chiltern Music Therapy, to talk about this unique storytelling group, working together and why these sessions have truly struck a chord.
How did the group first come about?
Zandra:
It actually started quite casually! We were just chatting in the corridor, and I mentioned a young person who’d really responded to a story that day, and it turned out Jenny had been working with the same student through music.
Jenny:
Yeah, it was one of those moments where you go, ‘Hang on, we’re both seeing something here.’ We started to think what if we combined our approaches? What would it look like to bring storytelling, music and communication together in one group?
Zandra:
Exactly. It felt like a very natural progression. We trialled it with a few young people, and some of them who wouldn’t normally choose to get involved were showing up and staying longer than expected. It felt like we were onto something.
How has the group changed since those first few sessions?
Jenny:
It’s developed quite a bit. We use a shared story, something familiar like We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, and we build around that using music, rhythm, sensory props and Makaton. It’s structured, but loose enough to follow the students’ lead.
Zandra:
And that’s what’s really lovely, it’s structured, but flexible. Some students don’t use words to communicate, but they’re still involved with the story in their own way. We make sure there's space for that.
Kate:
From my perspective, it’s been amazing to see how it’s grown. The young people are recognising the stories whether in their classes, or in conversation, referencing songs or signs they learned in the group. It’s giving them consistency, but also real joy.
You’ve mentioned how important flexibility is. Could you tell us more about that?
Jenny:
Flexibility is everything. I’ve had sessions where I’ve brought out a storybook and not played any music at all. Or we’ve just laid on the floor and connected through a moment of calm or rhythm or shared attention. It’s about following what that person needs at that time.
Zandra:
Yes! Some days I bring balloons or water trays instead of symbols or iPads. It’s about authentic communication and meeting each student where they are and finding what sparks that connection. And when it works, it really works.
Kate:
That’s what makes it so special. You can plan, of course, but some of the best moments are the unexpected ones. We talk about “beautiful chaos” a lot, it might look messy, but there’s so much magic in it.
What happens when you introduce a new story?
Jenny:
We usually look at introducing a new story at the start of a new term, when everything feels new anyway – but still trying to choose something familiar, like a well-known children’s book with predictable rhythms or themes.
Zandra:
We all forget bits of it in the first few weeks! But that’s actually quite powerful for the young people to see that it’s okay to forget. That even as adults, we don’t always get it right either.
Kate:
That moment of “Is it your line or mine?” and the giggle from the group – those are learning moments too. It gives people permission to participate without pressure, to just be in the moment.
What do you think makes this work so impactful?
Jenny:
I think it’s the freedom. There’s no demand, no expectation. A student might not want to join in playing an instrument or walk through the grass mat, and that’s okay. We’re offering invitations, not instructions.
Zandra:
And in doing that, we’re giving them something even more valuable: the autonomy to make choices. For many of the young people who come to MacIntyre School, that’s something they haven’t always been offered.
Kate:
It’s a safe space. It’s social, creative, and it adapts week by week. No two sessions are the same, and yet there’s a core familiarity that grounds it all.
And finally, what’s next for the group?
Jenny:
We’re always thinking about new stories, new ideas. Bear Hunt has been great because of all the sensory possibilities, but there are more we want to explore. And we’re thinking about how we might capture and share some of this work in ways it can be adapted further in the classroom.
Zandra:
Even creating sensory storyboards or signing prompts around classroom themes, so that it continues outside the group.
Kate:
We don’t really use SMART targets when it comes to therapy, it’s more about outcomes, and seeing what unfolds. Some of the most powerful progress we’ve seen hasn’t come from ticking boxes, but from giving students space to grow and connect in their own time.
Jenny:
Exactly. It’s about having that space – for communication, for play, for music, for storytelling – and just seeing what comes from it.
As the conversation winds down, what stands out isn’t a big moment or a perfect plan - it’s the everyday interactions, the small shifts, and the trust built over time. It’s the freedom for each person to take part in their own way, in their own time.
It’s also clear that flexibility isn’t extra, it’s essential to our approach at MacIntyre, because real connections doesn’t always follow a script.
As Zandra puts it, “There’s magic in the chaos”, and that magic is changing lives.
