Mon 13 Apr 2026 - Anonymous parent
We are grateful to share this anonymous guest blog from a parent reflecting on their family’s experience of Music Therapy following their child’s diagnosis of ADHD and ASD.
In this piece, a parent speaks movingly about the importance of finding support that not only meets a child’s therapeutic needs, but also recognises the vital importance of representation and cultural understanding in the life of a neurodivergent Black child.
Their words offer a personal insight into what it can mean for a child and family to feel safe, understood and affirmed in Music Therapy, and into the difference that culturally attuned, thoughtful, child-centred support in Music Therapy can make. Thank you to the family and to Music Therapist Alphonso Archer for giving BAMT the permission to share this beautifully written account.
As a Black family, one of the most important decisions we made when seeking therapy for our son was to find a Black male therapist. Around the time of his ADHD and ASD diagnoses in 2025, our son was becoming increasingly aware of difference, not only in relation to himself but also in how he was perceived by others at school and in wider social spaces. We knew that lived experience would matter. We wanted someone who would instinctively understand the layers of identity, belonging, justice sensitivity and the impact that racial dynamics can have on a neurodivergent Black child.
What we found in Alphonso far surpassed our expectations.
Yes, he brings lived experience, and that in itself immediately created a sense of safety and recognition for our son. But beyond that, he brings deep professional knowledge, an intelligent and reflective understanding of race, identity and the impact of racism, and the rare ability to hold all of this alongside therapeutic practice in a way that is natural, attuned and child centred.
We came to Alphonso in July 2025 having never experienced therapy before. We were unsure, cautious and trying to navigate a completely new world following our son’s diagnoses. At the time, our goal was simple, we wanted our son to understand and accept his diagnosis so that life could feel easier for him.
The journey has become something far more meaningful.
From the very beginning, Alphonso showed an extraordinary ability to understand our son. As parents of a child who masks well and often presents as confident and energetic, we have seen many adults misinterpret his needs. Alphonso saw him clearly from the outset. The sessions are led by our son, and while from the outside they may look like creative exploration rather than structured “therapy”, what is being built is trust, identity, emotional safety and self-understanding. We have witnessed a level of regulation, confidence and calm in our son that we had never seen before.
The studio itself is a therapeutic environment. For a child who is naturally musical and creative, it offers the freedom to explore, express and simply be. It has become his safe space. He looks forward to every session, walks in with energy and excitement and leaves feeling proud, grounded and more self-assured.
At school, our son has had to navigate complex experiences, including feeling misunderstood, managing justice sensitivity, processing incidents around race and trying to regulate in environments that can be highly stimulating and demanding. Music therapy has given him a place where he does not have to explain himself, mask or defend his reality. He is seen, heard and understood. That in itself has been transformational.
Alphonso’s flexibility has also made this journey possible for us. We travel from London every week, and wherever he can he works around the times that are best for our son’s regulation and wellbeing. The journey is significant, but it is one we make willingly and gratefully because the impact of these sessions on our child and our family makes every mile worthwhile.
What has surprised us most is how much we, as parents, have gained. Alphonso has been a sounding board for us as we navigate school challenges, identity, advocacy and the emotional landscape of raising a neurodivergent Black child. He supports not just the child in the room, but the whole family system with care, insight and integrity.
Our original aim was to help our son understand his diagnosis. Now we attend so that he can understand himself, how he works, what he needs and how he can move through the world with confidence and pride in who he is. We are still early in our journey, but the changes we have seen are profound. Our son is happier, more self-aware, more emotionally secure and increasingly able to articulate his needs. Most importantly, he feels safe.
We are deeply grateful that we found Alphonso.