I Dreamed I Was Normal: A Music Therapist's Journey into the Realms of Autism

This remarkable book describes the progression of three nonverbal autistic music therapy clients from a state of inward frustration and an inability to communicate it towards a liberating ability to express, through Facilitated Communication, the thoughts and feelings stimulated by hearing and playing music.

Ginger Clarkson's method of music therapy involves creating a 'journey' out of hearing a piece of music. Her clients, Jerry, Scott and Twyla are encouraged to create expressive 'dream' images using music as a catalyst and are able to overcome spoken language difficulties by using a computer keyboard as a medium for communication. Through these detailed case studies, I Dreamed I was Normal demonstrates how the Nordoff Robbins and Helen Bonny methods of music therapy can be adapted successfully for use as an intervention for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

This book is a valuable addition to the literature on both music therapy and therapies for autism for families of people with ASDs and professionals working with them, music therapists and students in the field.

Ginger Clarkson is a Board Certified Music Therapist and a Fellow of the Association for Music and Imagery. Specializing in autism, she has worked in the field of music therapy for twenty-five years. She has taught at Yale University and at La Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico, where she is now in residence. She is an international primary trainer in the Helen Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music. Her previous publications include articles on various aspects of music therapy as well as songbooks and musical plays for children and adolescents with developmental disabilities.