Use the song "Roar" by Katy Perry to talk about the idea of self empowerment and expressing yourself when an individual is feeling repressed. Play the song, either live or recorded, and have a discussion about the lyrics and their meaning(s).
example worksheet
Have the individuals pick out their favorite lines and have them explain why it is their favorite. Once the individuals have understood the meaning of the song, then you can move into the next activity. Attached to this page is a worksheet with a black and white tiger with caption bubbles around its head. Have the individuals put what they are "roaring" about in the bubbles. These bubbles should be filled with phrases of empowerment for that individual. For example, a caption bubble could be filled with "I am stronger then others think," "Don't push me down," "I fell down, but I am not staying down," etc. There is only two bubbles on the page, but additional messages can be written around the tiger as well. After everyone has filled out their caption bubbles, let the group share with each other their messages of empowerment. An additional activity after the caption bubbles, could be the individuals coloring the tiger as they think they would look.
Piggyback Adaptation[]
See Roar! Hello Song Adaptation for the adapted lyrics to the Katy Perry song for a fun, patient-preferred self-empowering welcome to your music therapy sessions.
Contributors[]
Addison Lucas, MTI
James E. Riley, MM, MT-BC