Matt Laurie is a highly experienced Music Specialist, Rapport-Based Communication and Intensive Interaction Consultant, Community Artist, Social Learning Leader and INSET trainer. Since 2002, Matt has enabled and supported changes in practice around social inclusion in many services around the UK and internationally including residential autism services, care homes, SEN schools, acute mental health units, dementia services, hospitals, charities and community groups.
As an experienced social learning leader, all of Matt’s training sessions are socially engaged, enjoyable, practical and thought-provoking. All sessions are designed to develop sustainable communities of practice, an approach to embedding practice developed in the 1980’s by Etienne Wenger with whom Matt has trained intensively.
From his years of experience developing the provision of Intensive Interaction and Music on a long term basis in multiple settings, Matt developed the more universal approaches of Rapport-Based Communication and Rapport-Based Musical Interaction. These approaches are now being implemented in many care and education services around the UK and internationally and Matt has published articles for PMLD Link (2021), ‘The Practical Handbook of Living with Dementia (2022), and as part of a collborative approach to supporting people with autism ‘Rhythmic Relating’ (Frontiers In Psychology 2024).
For Hirstwood training, Matt is offering the following courses:
Rapport-Based Communication and Intensive Interaction
Rapport-Based Musical Interaction
Developing More Engaging Activities
Supporting Staff and Student Wellbeing in times of distress and conflict
In addition to his work in the context of sensory practice for people with additional needs, Matt also runs a local community music group, teaches peripatetic music lessons at a local secondary school, and practices and teaches qigong and zen meditation at his local classes.