Two positive self-talk songwriting ideas using affirmations
In this post, I’m sharing two songwriting music therapy session ideas related to the topic of positive self-talk using affirmations.
Engaging in positive self-talk through the use of affirmations is one of my favorite topics to explore with my music therapy clients because through music, we can teach, validate and support our clients in engaging in helpful ways of practicing self-talk.
Let’s break down what self-talk, affirmations, and some of their benefits are so that you can use this information when presenting this theme to your clients.
What is self-talk?
Self-talk is that inner voice or internal dialogue we hold inside our minds. Specifically, it refers to the thoughts we have about ourselves. The narrative we create about ourselves, either positive or negative, directly affects how we view, feel and what we believe about ourselves. Positive self-talk is a strategy that helps individuals practice a growth mindset and manage or cope with their emotions. As a tool for social-emotional learning, self-talk fits into the self-awareness & self-management competencies within the SEL framework.
What are the benefits of engaging in positive self-talk?
The use and practice of positive self-talk by children and adults has been studied to learn about the benefits in overall well-being. Lee (2011) explored children’s use of positive self-talk and observed these benefits:
the ability to creatively engage in problem-solving and in handling challenging situations
effectively using self-talk as a coping tool to manage feelings
increasing self-motivation and self-encouragement when accomplishing tasks
practicing self-regulation and understanding the efficacy of using self-talk as a way to comfort themselves
Although the benefits disclosed above stem from a research study involving children, the benefits of using positive self-talk in our daily lives is not exclusive to a specific age group. In fact, the use of positive thinking and self-talk has been shown to provide mental and physical health benefits such as better cardiovascular health and
What are affirmations?
An affirmation is defined as a positive assertion, declaration or assurance that among other things, we tell about ourselves, our values and our identity and it can affect the way we act, think, and view ourselves. You can read more about affirmations here and can also read about some of the research about the impact of affirmations here.
Here are my 2 most recent favorite positive self-talk songwriting ideas using affirmations:
1. “Oh, I Love Me” Songwriting Idea
“Oh, I Love Me” is an original song by music therapist Bonnie Houpt, MT-BC of Rhythmic Roots Music Services, LLC. Her YouTube channel is full of inspiration with valuable songs and resources for professionals and families.
The verses of the song contain “I am” affirmation statements, allowing our clients to engage in personal reflection on their self-concept or how they view themselves.
How I’ve used it:
Prior to rewriting this song, we talked about what self-talk and using affirmations is and how what we say about ourselves can affect what we think about who we are. On a Google Doc (because I used this song for a Telehealth visit), I provided fill-in-the-blank opportunities for my client to write their own “I am” affirmation. I created a visual with affirming words to provide ideas and choices for my client.
We talk about affirmations, we sing the song once or twice, we re-write the song by writing our own affirmations and we sing the song once again!
2. Positive Self-Talk Using “I Am” Affirmations Boom Card
Have you used Boom Cards? Boom Cards are digital cards that students and clients can interact with during virtual sessions. Students/clients are able to drag & drop, type, read, among other interactions, that allow to increase engagement and collaboration through the screen.
Having a Boom Learning account allows you to create your own decks, and you are also able to browse through the hundreds of resources on the website. Check out their website here.
With this deck called Practicing Positive Self-Talk Using "I Am" Affirmations, learners/clients have the opportunity to choose (drag & drop) their selected "I Am' affirmation on each card, followed by a card that allows them to engage in self-reflection as part of writing (typing on the card) why they chose a specific affirmative word.
Learners also have the opportunity to write their own "I Am" affirmations at the end. These exercises are preceded by three cards explaining what self-talk is, which serves as an opportunity for learners/clients & educators/therapists to engage in conversation about this topic.
The cards where learners/clients choose (drag & drop) their selected affirmation have affirmative words that are synonyms or have similar meanings. This was added after noticing my clients being hesitant in choosing just one word over another (i.e. creative over happy, etc.). This is also why there are open ended cards at the end so they can write their own affirmations.
How I’ve used it:
We go through the entire deck, first discussing what affirmations are and then completing the deck. The client select affirmations from three choices on each deck, they complete simple journaling prompts, and at the end, they write their own affirmations on the open ended cards. Lastly, we go through the whole deck and sing the affirmations they have chosen or typed to the tune of a simple I, IV, V repetitive melody. We might record their affirmations song using soundtrap. If the client chooses to do so, we sing their song at the end of our sessions to serve as an encouraging and positive way to say goodbye.
I hope you and your clients enjoy these affirmation ideas. How do you incorporate affirmations in your sessions? Send me a message and let me know ♡
About me:
I’m a therapist for women & teens in Vero Beach, Florida and I am available via Telehealth across Florida. If you are interested in collaboratively working with me in therapy, you’re welcome to learn more about me and my approach here or schedule an appointment here.
