Therapeutic Songwriting: Developments in Theory, Methods, and Practice by Felicity A. Baker

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Robert E. Krout
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Therapeutic Process ◽  
Music Technology ◽  
Community Music ◽  
The Past ◽  
Comprehensive Examination ◽  
Case Vignettes ◽  
Feminist Community ◽  
Pictorial Representations

Summary: Over the past ten years songwriting has emerged as a popular method for many clinicians working in a therapy context. This book provides the first comprehensive examination of the contemporary methods and models of songwriting involved and also discusses the environmental, sociocultural, individual and group factors which might support or constrain this therapeutic process. Methods that focus predominantly on lyric creation, music creation, or on both are described and illustrated by case vignettes and samples of song materials, and supported by pictorial representations of the methods. The role of music and music technology is highlighted as an important component of the therapy process. Finally this book also pays attention to comparing and contrasting models of songwriting according to the orientation of the therapist. Models outlined include those informed by behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, humanistic, feminist, community music therapy, and resource- oriented music therapy approaches.

Four Relational Experiences in Music Therapy with Adults with Severe and Profound Intellectual Disability

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maybelle Swaney
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Good Life ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Therapeutic Process ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
Carl Rogers ◽  
Relational Experiences ◽  
Client Population ◽  
Case Vignettes

Abstract This paper describes a conceptual framework in music therapy with adults with severe and profound levels of intellectual disability. Drawing from Carl Rogers’ person-centered work and his notion of the good life as a direction, the author presents four core relational experiences (curiosity, invitation, celebration, and recognition) that underpin the therapeutic process with this client population. Case vignettes from the author’s clinical work illustrate how core experiences are presented through improvisational musical experiences. Considerations are given to the clinical significance of good-life-oriented experiences on the emotional health of individuals with severe and profound intellectual disability, and to its implications beyond the music therapy space.

Part 1: Community Music Therapy and El Sistema: Addressing the Empowerment Needs of Individuals and Communities Facing Socioeconomic Marginalization

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Virginia Eulacio Cierniak
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Music Education ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Community Music ◽  
Program Structure ◽  
Education Practice ◽  
Music Program ◽  
El Sistema

Music is an accessible tool for positive change within people and societies, even in places facing socioeconomic marginalization due to poverty, discrimination, and lack of access to resources. Social capital has to do with the resources and networks available within society, which may help confront issues faced by individuals and communities. Community Music Therapy (CoMT) and the music education movement known as El Sistema both utilize music—understood as social capital—to address social justice. The purpose of this study was to comparatively examine the ways in which CoMT and El Sistema programs may address the empowerment needs of individuals and communities facing socioeconomic marginalization and suggest how these two approaches may be able to work synergistically to achieve their shared goals. Its findings reveal many parallels and divergence between El Sistema and CoMT in terms of the role of the music, program structure, social justice goals, outcomes, music education practice, areas of intersection, existing scholarly research, and criticisms each has received.

scholarly journals ‘Journey to musicking’: Resourcing people to music outside the therapy room

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Katie Boom
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Ecological Model ◽  
Community Music ◽  
Music Therapist ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Therapy Room ◽  
Neurological Conditions

<p>This action research study investigates resourcing people to engage in musicking outside the therapy room. Both the practice and research took place within a residential hospital for people with neurological conditions, situated in Aotearoa New Zealand. Music-centred music therapy, community music therapy, resource-oriented music therapy and the ecological model of music influenced this research. Following three action cycles, the qualitative data collected throughout was thematically analysed. This analysis revealed a framework referred to as the ‘journey to musicking’, which identifies six resources people needed to engage in music: opportunity; motivation; confidence; skills; practical needs; and a problem-solving toolkit. The role of the music therapist in resourcing people in these areas is framed as the role of a tuakana, drawing on an indigenous Māori model predominantly used in education and mentoring programmes: ‘tuakana-teina’. ‘Tuakana-teina’ in this study is defined as a music therapist-participant relationship that is empowering, collaborative and inclusive of the possibility of reciprocity. The personal resources (kete) needed by the tuakana music therapist are also explored, while empowerment and sustainability are highlighted as foundational principles to resourcing people. These principles, especially empowerment, are linked to the Māori concept of restoring rangatiratanga. This research provides a rich qualitative account of practicing music therapy in an empowering, ecological way in Aotearoa New Zealand.</p>

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

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

<p>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.</p>

scholarly journals Music Technology Tools – A Therapist-in-a-box?

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kjetil Høyer Jonassen
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Digital Technology ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Music Technology ◽  
Digital Music ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Case Vignettes

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the discussion of technology in music therapy and public health, focusing on the human–computer interaction and the cocreation of mental health. Foundational theory explaining the possible therapeutic dynamics that can occur when engaged in digital technology is presented, along with two case vignettes that illustrate how adolescents interact with digital music technology to promote mental health and wellbeing. The discussion includes reflections concerning actor-network theory, agency, and affordance-theory, and it argues that the iPad should be considered a valuable co-agent in the agent-network functioning to promote adolescents’ mental health.

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

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

<p>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.</p>

The Great Brandoni: A Life of Creativity and Connection

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-109
Author(s):  
Mike Mahoney
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Myeloid Leukemia ◽  
Music Technology ◽  
Early Adolescent ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
To Come ◽  
Narrative Thread ◽  
Vital Resource

Abstract In this article, I share the story of my work with Brandon, a long-term patient who had a significant impact on my practice. Brandon was 8 when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a form of childhood cancer that took his ability to walk. Beyond the hospital, family dynamics brought even more stressors to Brandon’s life. But even after his interest in my song- and instrument-based interventions dwindled, his drive toward creativity and connection with others made music therapy a vital resource for him. While I supported him, Brandon had a knack for helping me uncover new ideas, and then offering his patience as I developed them into interventions that I would use with patients in years to come. As a child, Brandon showed me how a patient’s play with toys could fit into music therapy. As an early adolescent, he set a path for my work using music technology with teens and young adults. And at the end of his life, Brandon’s family helped me understand the role of hope amidst tragedy. These three phases of music therapy are presented in detail and connected by the narrative thread of Brandon’s story. This article describes an adaptable approach to music therapy practice, helpful in strengthening relationships with patients not drawn to the clinician’s established interventions.

scholarly journals ‘Journey to musicking’: Resourcing people to music outside the therapy room

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Katie Boom
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Ecological Model ◽  
Community Music ◽  
Music Therapist ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Therapy Room ◽  
Neurological Conditions

<p>This action research study investigates resourcing people to engage in musicking outside the therapy room. Both the practice and research took place within a residential hospital for people with neurological conditions, situated in Aotearoa New Zealand. Music-centred music therapy, community music therapy, resource-oriented music therapy and the ecological model of music influenced this research. Following three action cycles, the qualitative data collected throughout was thematically analysed. This analysis revealed a framework referred to as the ‘journey to musicking’, which identifies six resources people needed to engage in music: opportunity; motivation; confidence; skills; practical needs; and a problem-solving toolkit. The role of the music therapist in resourcing people in these areas is framed as the role of a tuakana, drawing on an indigenous Māori model predominantly used in education and mentoring programmes: ‘tuakana-teina’. ‘Tuakana-teina’ in this study is defined as a music therapist-participant relationship that is empowering, collaborative and inclusive of the possibility of reciprocity. The personal resources (kete) needed by the tuakana music therapist are also explored, while empowerment and sustainability are highlighted as foundational principles to resourcing people. These principles, especially empowerment, are linked to the Māori concept of restoring rangatiratanga. This research provides a rich qualitative account of practicing music therapy in an empowering, ecological way in Aotearoa New Zealand.</p>

Music therapy in neonatal care: a framework for German speaking countries and Switzerland

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Friederike Barbara Haslbeck ◽  
Monika Nöcker-Ribaupierre ◽  
Marie-Luise Zimmer ◽  
Leslie Schrage-Leitner ◽  
Verena Lodde
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Instrumental Music ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Therapeutic Process ◽  
Neonatal Care ◽  
Clinical Expertise ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Music Therapists ◽  
German Speaking

Music therapy in neonatal care reflects a growing area of multi- and inner disciplinary interest in practice and research. But what exactly characterizes best practice in neonatal music therapy? First guidelines already exist but the question remains what implications they have for the German-speaking area considering specific cultural issues. The German speaking Professional Circle of Neonatal Music Therapists aimed to address these questions by developing an overall framework from the three approaches typical of this region 1) recorded mothers voice 2) live vocal and 3) live instrumental music therapy. The group synthesized the members’ practical clinical expertise with the best available evidence, guidelines in neonatal music therapy and German guidelines for individualized developmental neonatal care. The paper presents this framework in a clear and applicable table with overall objectives, (contra-) indications and methods despite the specific approach. The two emerging key elements of this synthesizing process are the central role of the voice and the integration of the whole family in the therapeutic process. The framework should serve as a well founded guide enabling music therapists to offer best cultural adapted practice and to better position themselves as integrity among various related disciplines and opinions.

Trends of differentiation and integration in UK music therapy and the spectrum of music-centredness

2021 ◽  
pp. 135945752199779
Author(s):  
Martin Lawes
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Important Case ◽  
Integral Approach ◽  
Community Music ◽  
Full Spectrum ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Case Vignettes ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Way

A long-standing trend to differentiate and even oppose psychodynamic and ecological approaches to practice can be identified in the UK music therapy literature. This is complicated by the way in which ecologically oriented thinking is associated with practice identified to be music-centred. While the trend to differentiate and separate approaches is most apparent in the literature, it is also evident that in practice, therapists have long integrated different perspectives and ways of working, this integral trend having its roots in the work of the UK music therapy pioneers. This article explores how the ecologically oriented thinking associated with the Community Music Therapy movement, and introduced soon after the turn of the 21st century, served in part to broaden the scope of UK practice in a progressive, integrally oriented way. However, the article also discusses the rejection of psychotherapeutically oriented thinking made by some ecologically oriented authors to make space for the new way of thinking. It is suggested that this rejection has been less helpful for the development of the profession as a whole, as the different ways of working in music therapy can be understood to address different types and levels of need. This means that psychodynamic, developmental, ecological, neurological and other perspectives are all potentially important. Case vignettes are used to illustrate this and an integral approach to working, with music-centredness discussed in a way that embraces the full spectrum of UK practice.

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