Night Owl, I think your idea about documenting your work is an excellent idea. Let me relate to you some of the record keeping techniques in my kids' programs (for autistic kids).

The program my kids are in has some very specific goals. The teaching techniques are applied, and the results are carefully recorded. By recording their progress, it is plain to see what works, and what doesn't. If a teaching technique doesn't work, then the teacher modifies it.

For your situation, you could design a form where you could simply check off boxes (to track mood of the person when you got there, during music making, and after, perhaps). Then an area where notes could be written so that you could include facts about anything special going on (So and so was on medication today, or something like that)

At first it might take time, but eventually it becomes a routine and you don't have to think about it much. The nice thing about record keeping is that you can look back and see pattern emerge that you might never have noticed without the documentation.

My kids' teachers will do an exercise, then write a bit while the kid plays for a minute, then its back to the exercises. I hope you might find something useful here. Let me know, I'm curious to see if you do start writing things down.

Margarita