Protocol for a Neurophenomenological Investigation of a Guided Imagery and Music Experience (Part I)

This article, Part I of II, describes the rationale and background literature of an investigation into a music and imagery (GIM) experience modeled upon the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music[1]. This investigation aimed to obtain an integrated description of participants’ subjective experiences and electroencephalographic (EEG) responses during the GIM session in order to gain understanding into the integrated neuronal and experiential demands of imaginal listening to music while in an altered state of consciousness (ASC). Neuroscience research has demonstrated the utility of EEG for investigating neuronal responses during ASCs, imagery, and music experiences. Additionally, several phenomenological studies have provided insight into the value and nature of client imagery in GIM contexts. Given evidence of both psychological and physiological benefits of the Bonny Method, and given the ever-growing neuroscience literature relating to phenomena occurring in GIM, there are likely relationships between participants’ imagery experiences and their brain behavior during a GIM session. This foundation justifies the use of neurophenomenology as a means of integrating individual participants’ EEG traces with their descriptions of their imagery experiences during a GIM session in order to obtain a description of the relationships between their subjective and neuronal phenomena. Keywords: Bonny Method, Guided Imagery and Music, neurophenomenology, EEG, Neuroimaging.

Protocol for a Neurophenomenological Investigation of a Guided Imagery and Music Experience (Part II)

This is Part II of a two-part article that includes a step-by-step description of the methodology undertaken in my study [1], as well as a discussion regarding the clinical implications of the data collection process. This application of neurophenomenology integrated individual experiential reports with EEG data to obtain a description of responses to a modified music and imagery (GIM) session based upon the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music. This article details the methodological challenges in addressing such questions, and ways in which I sought to work around and with them. The process of analyzing both the subjective and neuronal data revealed interesting questions both about the nature of the GIM experience, as well as about the limitations of integrating these very different sets of data, including: To what degree can participants fully convey their experiences to a researcher, and by extension, to a GIM therapist? How do participants recall their imagery experiences after the session, and what does this mean for practitioners during the session? To what degree can neuronal activity be attributed to specific imagery or perceptual experiences? What does a productive session look like from a neurophenomenological perspective? Pursuing these questions can lead to greater understanding of the mechanism of GIM’s effectiveness. Keywords: Bonny Method, Guided Imagery and Music, neurophenomenology, EEG, Neuroimaging.

Music Therapy in Addictions Treatment: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Recommendations for Future Research

Substance dependence continues to be a major problem in the United States and a treatment approach that is universally successfully has not been identified. This paper will update an earlier review that encouraged the music therapy community to continuing investigating the efficacy of music therapy. 12 studies, met inclusion for this review. The most common music therapy method to be investigated was lyric analysis, followed by music and imagery methods, and then songwriting. The studies reviewed had a moderate to high risk of bias, and were single session posttest only designs conducted on an inpatient detoxification unit. Recommendations include suggestions for reducing bias in future studies and continued research on the myriad music therapy methods that are reportedly used in addiction treatment in the clinical literature. Keywords: music therapy, addictions, substance abuse treatment, systematic review. multilingual abstract | mmd.iammonline.com