Perspectives on Meaning in Music Therapy

1998 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brynjulf Stige
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Ludwig Wittgenstein ◽  
Language Game ◽  
Music Therapists ◽  
British Music ◽  
Family Resemblances ◽  
Aesthetic Understanding ◽  
Point Of Departure

In this article I discuss some questions on meaning in music therapy by taking as my point of departure the different perspectives of two British music therapists, Mary Priestley and Gary Ansdell. Since all discussions of meaning – even when considering ‘non-verbal phenomena’ – are based on an understanding of language, I have found the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein an interesting port of entry to this topic. Following an introduction to Wittgenstein's concepts of ‘language game’ and ‘family resemblances’, I give a brief discussion of Wittgenstein's relevance for aesthetic understanding, highlighting the concept of ‘intransitive understanding’. These three concepts will then be used as a basis for examining the differences between Priestley's and Ansdell's perspectives, which may serve to expand our thinking about meaning in music therapy.

scholarly journals Perspectives on Meaning in Music Therapy

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brynjulf Stige
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Ludwig Wittgenstein ◽  
Language Game ◽  
Music Therapists ◽  
British Music ◽  
Family Resemblances ◽  
Aesthetic Understanding ◽  
Point Of Departure

In this article I discuss some questions on meaning in music therapy by taking as my point of departure the different perspectives of two British music therapists, Mary Priestley and Gary Ansdell. Since all discussions of meaning - even when considering "non-verbal phenomena" - are based on an understanding of language, I have found the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein an interesting port of entry to this topic. Following an introduction to Wittgenstein's concepts of "language game" and "family resemblances", I give a brief discussion of Wittgenstein's relevance for aesthetic understanding, highlighting the concept of "intransitive understanding". These three concepts will then be used as a basis for examining the differences between Priestley's and Ansdell's perspectives, which may serve to expand our thinking about meaning in music therapy.

Review of the Journal of British Music Therapy: 1987–91

1993 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Webster
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Music Therapists ◽  
British Music

The last few years have seen a change in both the identity and format of the Journal of British Music Therapy. This review looks at the present Journal from 1987–91, attempting to identify changes and trends, and any areas which are not covered. Finally, it tries to assess what the profession needs from its Journal, what music therapists want, and to what extent this is being met in the JBMT.

scholarly journals Wittgensteins begreb om religion

2003 ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
Lars Albinus
Keyword(s):  
Language Game ◽  
Language Games ◽  
Critical Perspective ◽  
Family Resemblances ◽  
Forms Of Life ◽  
Point Of Departure

This article aims at describing Wittgenstein’s notion of religion. The point of departure is taken in his critique of Frazer’s Golden Bough, where magic is described as mistaken science. Wittgenstein’s point is that Frazer’s evolutionistic view of magic and religion is guilty of trivializing the matter. This critique is brought into perspective by Wittgenstein’s general critique of scientific reductionism as a certain language game and his view of magic and religion as forms of life which are simply given for description rather than explanation. In order to appreciate Wittgenstein’s own notion of religion, the article also tries to reconstruct his early notion of God on the grounds of Tractatus and the notebooks, and his later notion of God in relation to his thoughts on ‘language games’, ‘family resemblances’ and ‘forms of life’. Finally, a critical perspective is offered on the relativistic implications in these notions.

scholarly journals Humanistic Music Therapy in the Child Welfare

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingeborg Nebelung ◽  
Karette Stensæth
Keyword(s):  
Child Welfare ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Music Therapists ◽  
Music Therapist ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Point Of Departure

Music therapy has for a long time been associated with humanistic values, both among music therapists but more and more also among people outside the field. Do we all have a common understanding of what humanistic music therapy is? The point of departure in this paper is the development of a new Norwegian residential care unit for adolescents in child welfare services. Those responsible for this unit have included a music therapist, because they want to base the enterprise and its activities upon the values they associate with music therapy. This paper asks: What is “humanistic music therapy” and how might its perspectives correlate with the visions and ideas of the leaders of a child welfare institution? A literature review will assess the critical understanding of the concept of humanistic music therapy, in order to understand its unbiased and foundational values. Semi-structured interviews with the unit’s initiators will describe their visions and hopes for the development of the care unit with regard to humanistic music therapy. By correlating the findings from the literature review and the interviews, the paper describes aspects that might contribute to a common ground of understanding for the music therapist and the workers in the unit, which in turn might contribute to personal growth and health promotion among the adolescents and their community.

Concepts of Colour and Limits of Understanding

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry Stroud
Keyword(s):  
Ludwig Wittgenstein ◽  
Language Game ◽  
Number System ◽  
Colour System ◽  
Perfect Pitch

This chapter examines some puzzling reflections by Ludwig Wittgenstein on the possibility of understanding concepts of the colours of things different from those already familiar to us. It begins with a discussion of Wittgenstein’s statement: ‘Someone who has perfect pitch can learn a language-game that I cannot learn’. In particular, it considers how Wittgenstein draws a connection between perfect pitch and concepts of colours and invites us to imagine people who speak of colours intermediate between red and yellow by means of fractions in a kind of binary notation representing different proportions of the colours at each end of the range from red to yellow. The chapter also analyses Wittgenstein’s views on whether the number system and the colour system ‘reside in our nature or in the nature of things’.

Ethical Issues in Private Practice: A Phenomenological Investigation of Music Therapy Business Owners

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Wilhelm ◽  
Lindsey Wilhelm
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Private Practice ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Ethical Dilemmas ◽  
The United States ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Music Therapists

Abstract As a music therapy private practice is both a business and a healthcare service, it should adhere to ethical standards from both disciplines. However, this topic has rarely been examined in the music therapy literature. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore ethical dilemmas experienced by music therapy business owners (MTBOs) in their private practice and how MTBOs avoid or address ethical dilemmas. Utilizing convenience and snowball sampling techniques, 21 MTBOs in the United States were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. To answer the two areas of inquiry, we identified three themes and 12 subthemes: (1) Ethical issues related to client welfare, (2) Ethical issues related to business relationships and operation, and (3) Strategies to address or avoid ethical dilemmas. MTBOs also shared how they ensure ethical behavior in themselves, with their employees or independent contractors, and when interacting with professionals outside the private practice. These findings provide a better understanding of MTBOs’ lived experiences of ethics in their private practice and may benefit other music therapists who are in private practice or are wanting to go into private practice. Limitations and recommendations for further research are provided.

A Descriptive Analysis of Music Therapy Employment from 2013 to 2019

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathon Oden
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
American Music ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Music Therapists ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Part Time ◽  
Therapy Services

Abstract The purpose of this study was to descriptively analyze music therapy employment data from 2013 to 2019, including years in the field, gender, age, ethnicity, hours worked, jobs created, number of new board-certified music therapists (MT-BCs), funding sources, and wages. A database was created to analyze descriptive data from the 2013–2019 American Music Therapy Association Workforce Analysis Surveys as well as data from the Certification Board for Music Therapists. Results indicate a large portion of music therapists (MTs) have been in the field for five years or less. Though the majority of MTs work full time, there is a high rate of part-time employment. An estimate of the total number of new full-time jobs represented a ratio of 57% of new MT-BCs during the period. Private pay was the most reported funding source for music therapy services. Music therapy wages tended to be higher for those with higher levels of education. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are provided.

scholarly journals Adaptation of Music Therapists’ Practice to the Outset of the COVID-19 Pandemic—Going Virtual: A Scoping Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 5138
Author(s):  
Lucia Kantorova ◽  
Jiří Kantor ◽  
Barbora Hořejší ◽  
Avi Gilboa ◽  
Zuzana Svobodova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Professional Organizations ◽  
Residential Home ◽  
Music Therapists ◽  
Therapeutic Goals ◽  
Scoping Reviews ◽  
Online Music ◽  
The Hours ◽  
Online Therapies

Background: In the midst of a worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, music therapists previously not involved in telehealth had to develop effective remote forms of music therapy. The objective of this review was to systematically explore how music therapists previously working in-person adapted to the transfer to remote forms of therapy in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. Methods: We searched Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL, Medline, ProQuest Central, PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO and PsyARTICLES, grey literature (to October 2020), and websites of professional organizations. We followed the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. Results: Out of the 194 screened texts, we included ten very heterogeneous articles with an overall very low quality. Most texts described remote therapy in the form of synchronous video calls using the Internet, one paper described a concert in a patio of a residential home. We report the authors’ experience with the adaptation and activities, challenges and benefits of remote forms of therapy, recommendations of organizations, and examples and tips for online therapies. Conclusions: Music therapists have adapted the musical instruments, the hours, the technology used, the therapeutic goals, the way they prepared their clients for sessions, and other aspects. They needed to be more flexible, consult with colleagues more often, and mind the client-therapist relationship’s boundaries. It seems, when taken as a necessary short-term measure, online music therapy works sufficiently well. The majority of papers stated that benefits outweighed the challenges, although many benefits were directly linked with the pandemic context.

Telehealth music therapy for persons with dementia and/or caregivers

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 206-210
Author(s):  
Amy Clements-Cortés ◽  
Melissa Mercadal-Brotons ◽  
Tereza Raquel Alcântara Silva ◽  
Shirlene Vianna Moreira
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Music Therapists ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
And Training ◽  
Practical Recommendations

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed many restrictions on social interaction. Although these restrictions are challenging for everyone, they are particularly difficult for older adults who are often isolated. While telehealth has been around for a number of years, it had not been practiced to any great extent by music therapists until COVID-19. Telehealth will continue to prove valuable even when the pandemic ends, and as a result, it is timely to assess the benefits and recommendations for best practices. This paper provides a starting point of reflection for telehealth for persons with dementia, offering practical recommendations and implications for planning and training.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document