Collaborative music therapy; Determining the benefits and challenges of collaborative work from a student’s perspective

10.26686/wgtn.17018990.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Jamie Macdonald

Keyword(s):

Music Therapy ◽

Collaborative Work ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Special School ◽

Diverse Range ◽

Music Therapist ◽

Reflective Journal ◽

Power Differentials ◽

The Many ◽

Successful Collaboration

This study describes the benefits and challenges experienced by a student music therapist on placement at a special school in New Zealand. While working alongside an experienced music therapist at the school, and taking external supervision from another, I was able to reflect the challenges and benefits of this unique collaboration. The process of collaboration is complex especially when collaborating parties have differing roles that potentially create power differentials. Findings have been generated from secondary analysis of my reflective journal and clinical data collected while on placement. The findings explore the diverse range of possible benefits and challenges of the interactions that the collaboration enabled. The study concludes that despite the many challenges in maintaining a successful collaboration, it provides therapists with many extra opportunities for our participants, as well as a flexible learning environment for a student music therapist.

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What Is the Role of A Student Music Therapist in a Community Music Setting?

10.26686/wgtn.17013476 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Sidharth Pagad

Keyword(s):

Music Therapy ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Community Music ◽

Social Equality ◽

Music Therapists ◽

Music Therapist ◽

Reflective Journal ◽

Group Behaviour ◽

Audio Recordings

This qualitative research project set out to explore my role as a student music therapist within a community music setting. I am a student music therapist, working with a community music company involved in a variety of community music groups and projects. I wanted to understand what I might offer the community music company by bringing a community music therapy perspective to the work. The research involved an exploration into the literature relating to Community Music Therapy as well as Community Music and required me to regularly question the reasoning and philosophy behind Community Music Work. To answer my question I engaged in secondary analysis of data generated during the first 24 weeks at this community music placement. The data included session notes, audio recordings of supervision sessions, and my reflective journal. The literature includes examples of collaboration between community music therapists and community musicians, and I sought to experience this at my placement. The hoped for collaboration did take place during the period of data collection, enabling detailed reflections of it. This exploration therefore helped me to develop as a community musician and music therapy student. The practice was broad and involved regular transitions in role, often within the same session. These included participant, accompanist, song-leader, community music therapist, and drum circle facilitator. Findings suggest that Community Music and Community Music Therapy are disciplines with many similarities in appearance and structure, but tend to diverge when looking at goals and overall objectives and foci. Social equality seems to be commonly shared value between Community Music and Community Music Therapy. The ways in which this value is acted upon is also explored. Performance and Performativity as aspects of group behaviour was found to be mentioned in the literature, and again this was mentioned in the data collected as part of the researcher’s placement.

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What Is the Role of A Student Music Therapist in a Community Music Setting?

10.26686/wgtn.17013476.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Sidharth Pagad

Keyword(s):

Music Therapy ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Community Music ◽

Social Equality ◽

Music Therapists ◽

Music Therapist ◽

Reflective Journal ◽

Group Behaviour ◽

Audio Recordings

This qualitative research project set out to explore my role as a student music therapist within a community music setting. I am a student music therapist, working with a community music company involved in a variety of community music groups and projects. I wanted to understand what I might offer the community music company by bringing a community music therapy perspective to the work. The research involved an exploration into the literature relating to Community Music Therapy as well as Community Music and required me to regularly question the reasoning and philosophy behind Community Music Work. To answer my question I engaged in secondary analysis of data generated during the first 24 weeks at this community music placement. The data included session notes, audio recordings of supervision sessions, and my reflective journal. The literature includes examples of collaboration between community music therapists and community musicians, and I sought to experience this at my placement. The hoped for collaboration did take place during the period of data collection, enabling detailed reflections of it. This exploration therefore helped me to develop as a community musician and music therapy student. The practice was broad and involved regular transitions in role, often within the same session. These included participant, accompanist, song-leader, community music therapist, and drum circle facilitator. Findings suggest that Community Music and Community Music Therapy are disciplines with many similarities in appearance and structure, but tend to diverge when looking at goals and overall objectives and foci. Social equality seems to be commonly shared value between Community Music and Community Music Therapy. The ways in which this value is acted upon is also explored. Performance and Performativity as aspects of group behaviour was found to be mentioned in the literature, and again this was mentioned in the data collected as part of the researcher’s placement.

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Attachment theory and music therapy: What was the relevance of attachment theory to a student’s music therapy programme for ‘at-risk’ mothers and their babies?

10.26686/wgtn.17007922.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Helen Ridley

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Music Therapy ◽

Attachment Theory ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Education Programme ◽

Music Therapist ◽

Student Placement ◽

Positive Mother ◽

Qualitative Secondary Analysis ◽

Therapy Programme

This qualitative secondary analysis research project sought to explore the relevance of attachment theory as it might apply to a music therapy programme set up and run within a residential service for ‘at risk’ mothers and their babies. The explicit purpose of the music therapy programme was to assist the mothers in bonding with their babies. The researcher was a student music therapist on placement at the facility, involved in weekly one-to-one sessions with a total of nineteen young women and their babies, over the time that each was resident at the facility. The music therapist also ran some weekly group sessions (mothers with babies) as part of the facility’s mandatory education programme. The music therapy programme took place over twenty-two weeks, with a two week break after the first ten weeks. The research analysis commenced on completion of the programme. Thematic analysis was used to look at two types of data; data from the placement (including clinical notes and personal reflective journal), and literature on attachment theory. There was an initial review of selected literature on attachment theory and music therapy. The researcher/student music therapist then carried out an inductive qualitative secondary analysis of the data that had been generated as a standard part of her practice over the period of the student placement. This was followed by a further examination of attachment theory literature to confirm key aspects of the theory. The findings from the inductive analysis were then looked at in the light of those identified key features of attachment theory. The research findings showed many strong links between key concepts of attachment theory, and the patterns that emerged from the placement data, manifesting on a number of different levels. However some patterns might be more usefully explained and/or elucidated by other theories. Findings suggested that attachment theory provided a useful framework and language for observing and understanding the interactive behaviours and external and personal structures that appeared to work for or against mother-infant bonding. In addition, the music therapy programme seemed a particularly suitable vehicle for promoting positive mother-infant bonding. However it was found that although the music therapy programme may have been helpful in a positive mother-infant bonding process, there was no evidence to suggest that this would necessarily extend to promoting a secure attachment relationship, given the personal, structural and legal factors associated with the high ‘at-risk’ context. An attachment-based music therapy programme may well have a more useful role to play in a lower risk context where mothers and babies remained for longer in the facility, and where the programme could continue throughout the women’s transition into the community and beyond.

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A Kiwi Odyssey: Music Therapy University Training in New Zealand Takes Flight

Voices A World Forum for Music Therapy ◽

10.15845/voices.v3i1.114 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Robert E. Krout

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Music Therapy ◽

Clinical Training ◽

Ethnically Diverse ◽

Full Time ◽

Music Therapist ◽

Aotearoa New Zealand ◽

The Many ◽

University Training ◽

Therapy Programme

This article looks at the new postgraduate music therapy programme at Massey University in New Zealand, and at how it has developed as this country's first full-time tertiary course in music therapy. Music therapy in New Zealand has a history going back almost 30 years, and the new programme builds on the fine traditions established over that time. The emphasis and challenge have been to craft a programme that weaves the many skills required to become a competent music therapist with the unique flavour of what music therapy is and can become in the ethnically diverse and rich cultures of Aotearoa - New Zealand. Particular attention and discussion are given regarding the issue of supervised clinical training.

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Coming up trumps: A student music therapist supports young people with high or very high complex special needs to develop the key competencies

10.26686/wgtn.17012240.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Sarah Hall

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Music Therapy ◽

Special Needs ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Educational Benefits ◽

Music Therapist ◽

School Music ◽

Depth Study ◽

Key Competencies ◽

Very High

This exploratory study aimed to discover and highlight the techniques and strategies that supported young people with high or very high complex special needs to develop the key competencies during music therapy sessions at a special school. Music therapy was carried out on an individual basis in a naturalistic manner and clinical notes were produced to record details that seemed important in each session. This data was then reviewed retrospectively in a process known as secondary analysis, employing both deductive and inductive modalities to search for and draw out links to the key competencies. A process of coding data within each key competency category revealed emerging themes and found that a number of musical, verbal and/or physical techniques and strategies supported the five key competencies during therapy. The categories, themes and codes have been defined and described with examples from the data, and a clinical vignette is included for further explanation. The data demonstrated the holistic nature of music therapy in that many techniques and strategies worked to support all five key competencies, even when the focus was a single competency. The findings are discussed with reference to, and in light of, current literature and suggested that the techniques and strategies used within my music therapy practice strongly relate to the key competencies and provide a unique context for their development. It is noted that the findings cannot be generalised to other settings and populations. However, this in-depth study may provide insight into the potential educational benefits and links between music therapy practice and the key competencies for those working with young people who have high or very high complex special needs.

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How Do Music Therapy Methods & Techniques Contribute To Adolescent and Young Adult Student Confidence At A Special School In New Zealand?

10.26686/wgtn.17013248 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Callum Bingham Martin

Keyword(s):

Music Therapy ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Adolescent And Young Adult ◽

Discussion Section ◽

Music Therapist ◽

Musical Interactions ◽

Humanistic Approach ◽

Methods And Techniques ◽

Meaningful Relationships ◽

Student Confidence

This exploratory study investigates how methods and techniques employed in ‘client centered’ music therapy contributed to student confidence, during individual and group sessions, with young adolescents and young adults who have delays in various areas of development. Secondary analysis of twenty weeks of clinical documentation of music therapy session notes, including a student reflective journal were used to identify methods and techniques at play. A thematic analysis was applied to analyse and interpret the details of musical interactions. The analysis of the musical interactions has helped the researcher to understand and articulate the methods and techniques that contributed to confidence. Four themes that emerged from the student music therapist’s application of music therapy that appeared to contribute to student confidence were: 1. making meaningful relationships; 2. participating in practical work; 3. creativity; and 4. providing affirming input. Within these themes there was an array of interactions where methods and techniques were visible and these are described in a findings and discussion section. Although findings from this qualitative study cannot be generalized they do suggest that the student music therapist could contribute to the confidence of the young people through a reflexive, humanistic approach to practice, and by keeping an appreciation to student abilities.

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From this world to beyond: A student’s reflections on the role of her violin in music therapy

10.26686/wgtn.17059961.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Cheri Ang

Keyword(s):

Music Therapy ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

The Elderly ◽

Music Therapist ◽

Advantages And Disadvantages ◽

Musical Background ◽

Practice Based Research ◽

Research Findings ◽

New Perspective

This practice-based research explores a student music therapist’s experiences and self-reflections on the use of her violin in supporting the elderly at a residential hospital. The objective was to find out how the violin fits in music therapy practice, where practitioners typically use the piano and guitar. Self-reflexivity was employed to increase the student’s understanding of music therapy. The two research questions were ‘why was the violin used and why not’, as well as ‘how was the violin used’. To explore these two questions in depth, a qualitative research study was undertaken, with secondary analysis of data as its methodology. The data consisted of clinical notes and reflective journals from regular practice. Thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was employed to analyse the data, involving a rigorous process of coding, involving both inductive and deductive methods of analysis along with graphic representations. The student music therapist, acting as both the clinician and researcher, acknowledged the influences of her musical background and spiritual inclinations on the data collected and its interpretation. Findings consisted of clients’ responses, advantages and disadvantages of the violin and the author’s relationship with the violin. A simple ‘How’ framework involving what was played on the violin and how it was played was also included. The author’s reflexivity guided a discussion that integrated the literature review, research findings and the author’s clinical and personal experiences. Drawing upon music therapy definitions and concepts, as well as philosophical ideas and spiritual teachings, answers were found to explain the role of the violin and to provide the author with a new perspective on issues of loss and dying, an understanding of the value of aesthetics and insights into her relationship with the violin.

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The Violin in Music Therapy: How do I use the violin in music therapy with people who have intellectual disabilities or neurological conditions?

10.26686/wgtn.17148248 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Lucy Kelly

Keyword(s):

Music Therapy ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Music Therapists ◽

Music Therapist ◽

Clinical Notes ◽

Research Journal ◽

Performance Techniques ◽

Neurological Conditions ◽

Primary Instrument

In this research I explored my use of the violin in music therapy with people who have intellectual disability and neurological conditions. I am interested in this topic because the violin is my primary instrument and I wanted to learn more about its therapeutic potential. My research methodology was Secondary Analysis of Qualitative Data, and the data were my clinical notes and research journal. Findings were generated through thematic analysis of the data. Five themes emerged. Specifically, I found that the violin’s voice-like timbre was helpful in fostering connections and encouraging emotional and communicative expression. Similarly, the ability to physically share the instrument, and to play it while mobile, also fostered connections between me and my participants. Because of my expertise on the violin I was able to utilize a vast variety of performance techniques both with familiar music and within improvisations that elicited meaningful musical moments. My relationship with the violin has developed and changed throughout this process and the violin has become a part of my identity as a music therapist. I anticipate that findings will interest other music therapists, and perhaps encourage them to use alternative instruments within their practice.

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How did I as a student music therapist, use songwriting techniques to facilitate self-expression with adolescents in a mental health school setting?

10.26686/wgtn.17059835.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Emma Johnson

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Music Therapy ◽

School Setting ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Health Issues ◽

Short Term ◽

Music Therapist ◽

Clinical Notes ◽

Therapy Sessions

The purpose of this research was to understand how a student music therapist was able to facilitate self-expression using specific songwriting techniques, during long term and short term, group and individual music therapy sessions. Long term is considered a four-month period of weekly sessions, and short term is considered a single session. This research took place at an educational facility where I was working with adolescents with various mental health issues. In this exegesis, I discuss the various definitions of self-expressions as defined in literature, and consider the ways this relates to songwriting methods chosen and applied during therapy. A qualitative method of research was used, using secondary analysis of data collected from five months of Music Therapy practice. Thematic analysis was applied to clinical notes from sessions, student review statements and personal reflective practitioner journal. I was guided by music therapy literature discussing songwriting that I had been drawing on for the benefit of my practice. My analysis revealed that I developed specifically tailored methods and techniques for individuals and groups, which would begin with how they would like to approach their songwriting. I also found, that alongside more well documented techniques such as lyric writing and composition, improvisation and song planning were of high value to my practice and therefore were included as therapeutic songwriting techniques in my findings.

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