Invitation to Community Music Therapy
... Contrary to the consensus model of music therapy's emphasis on privacy and individualism, CoMT professionals explore the individual as they engage with the community beyond institutional walls (Andell, 2002). Stige and Aarø (2012) helpfully outline, through the acronym PREPARE, the core values of CoMT. The first letter refers to the performative focus of the work. ...
... The first letter refers to the performative focus of the work. It places emphasis on the role that practice and execution of the music has on the overall participant takeaway (Ansdell, 2002;Stige & Aarø, 2012). The second letter refers to how CoMT cultivates resilience in clients and builds bonds between participants and their audiences (Ansdell, 2010;Turry, 2005;Zharinova-Sanderson, 2004). ...
... In this way, it becomes a unifying experience and one that can be referenced by more than just the 12 singers. It should be known, however, that the performance element of CoMT extends beyond the music into the way participants "perform" their relationships with each other, as an indicator of overall health (Enge, 2015;Stige & Aarø, 2012). ...
Community Music Therapy (COMT) is a development increasingly referenced and often nebulous in the field of music therapy. Depending on its description in the literature, COMT seems to be situated between an aspiration to stretch beyond boundaries of the ‘consensus model’ and serve atypical populations, and a working practical approach with clear guidelines. Curiosity around this phenomenon inspired an initial inquiry by the author into potential theoretical underpinnings to provide context and definition for its aims, namely critical theory. Through identifying the links between CoMT, critical theory/psychology, and conflict transformation–the approach utilized in modern peacekeeping–the author hoped to inspire more intentional efforts by music therapists working at the convergence of those ideas. This research culminated in the author’s master’s thesis, a critical review and attempted integration of these topics, in 2018. This article aspires to build upon that research by remapping the knowledge gained onto the experiences that catalyzed the inquiry. Through vignettes and commentary, the author uses a reflexive, critical lens to examine his tenure as a music counselor at Seeds of Peace Camp, a conflict transformation camp. By re-examining trial-by-fire moments and their aftermath, the author identifies relevant research in the aforementioned fields that may have enhanced or explained participant responses. This serves to broaden the collective understanding of the overlapping goals and practices of CoMT, critical theory/psychology and conflict transformation.
... When defining and describing CoMT, it is important to acknowledge that as an active response to local context, community, and culture, CoMT presents and develops differently wherever it is practiced (Pavlicevic & Ansdell, 2004). Stige and Aarø (2012) argued that no definition can capture the complexities of CoMT's theory and practice in an accurate way. As an alternative, they proposed seven qualities that might characterize CoMT processes in different ways and to different degrees. ...
... Stige (2012) discussed examples from the Scandinavian, German, British, and North American music therapy discourse. This included the writings of Florence Tyson, Carolyn Kenny, Even Ruud, and Christopher Schwabe among others (Stige & Aarø, 2012). Modern CoMT began to come to broader international focus with the publication of , Stige (2002;2003), and Pavlicevic and Ansdell (2004) which provided frameworks for further development of CoMT practice and theory. ...
... As a response to the sociocultural milieu of late modernity, CoMT has continued to develop and change. Stige and Aarø (2012) provided an accessible introduction for therapists interested in CoMT. Ansdell (2014a) and Stige (2014) reflected on the development of the approach over the previous decade. ...
Community Music Therapy (CoMT) practices are continuing to develop within the international music therapy community. However, the development and implementation of music therapy through a CoMT lens in the United States has not been widely written about. Only a handful of published studies and clinical reports detail music therapy programs that seemingly fit within a CoMT framework. In comparison to more traditional approaches to music therapy practice, CoMT practices in the United States are underrepresented. This thematic analysis informed by a hermeneutical method was undertaken to begin a dialogue with music therapists who consider their music therapy practice to fall within the boundaries of CoMT, in order to increase awareness of ways in which CoMT principles are being implemented within the US healthcare and educational systems. We interviewed 6 board certified music therapists asking them to 1) define CoMT, 2) explain role relationships (therapist, client, and community), and 3) speculate on how their approach to the work could influence health policy and access to services in the United States. Our findings suggest that participatory, performative, and social action elements of CoMT are evident in the clinical work of the music therapists who were interviewed, and that there is a place for CoMT practices within the United States healthcare system.
... Therapeutic practice therefore focuses on community building, and systemic and social change to enhance participants' quality of life, health, and wellbeing. While not typically considered a posthumanistic approach, Community Music Therapy (CoMT) is a well-established music therapy framework that may share posthumanistic values through the ecological and activist key qualities (Stige & Aarø, 2012). ...
... While no measurable change has been identified to date, the participants have shared a sense of pride and achievement in being able to enact activism and selfadvocacy. This activist feature of CoMT (Stige & Aarø, 2012) perhaps expands beyond humanism and aligns with posthumanistic theory (Ansdell & Stige, 2018;McFerran, 2021). ...
... This expert-led modality was a consideration, and every effort was made to ensure participants had choices on the day. Nonetheless, choice alone may be insufficient to destabilise power dynamics and empower participants to introduce original ideas; thus we present the themes of this song within the context of our own biases towards performative activism within music therapy practice (Aigen, 2013;McFerran, 2021;Stige & Aarø, 2012). As a small retrospective case study presented in a short report, these reflections are limited by our capacity to explore these deep and evolving topics. ...
Young onset dementia affects people during their foremost working and family-raising years. Whilst therapeutic support can improve and maintain physical, cognitive, and mental health, people with young onset dementia face disabling societal stigma. Community Music Therapy works musically with people within their sociocultural context and can challenge stigma. This publication provides a case report and practitioners’ reflections of a single session Community Music Therapy therapeutic songwriting initiative. The program was facilitated by two registered music therapists with 14 participants, including people living with young onset dementia, their family, and health workers. The therapeutic focus explored individual and collective lived experiences of dementia through a socially supportive initiative. The resulting song highlighted the importance of connection to overcome challenges and enablement to enjoy life. Reflecting on the initiative’s theoretical orientation, the authors contribute to an emerging dialogue on posthumanism in music therapy, and consider music therapists’ role in challenging stigma and enabling self-advocacy.
... Music therapy provides recognized benefits of a recovery-oriented practice (Solli et al., 2013), and Norwegian music therapy practices focus on relational and resource-oriented work aimed at building identity, coping strategies, and capacities and possibilities for community participation (Ruud, 2010). Flexible practices highlighting human rights, user involvement, and citizenship are typical (Stige & Aarø, 2012). ...
... Factors suggested to be of particular importance to succeed when working with acute adult psychiatric inpatients are the frequency of therapy, structure of the session, consistency of contact and the therapeutic relationship (Carr et al., 2013). Factors such as musical-social engagement and shared decision-making (participatory and music-centered practice) are highlighted in the literature on more community-oriented music therapy (Stige & Aarø, 2012). Hence, music therapy is a treatment with a high degree of flexibility in both form and content. ...
... To create conditions that can nurture the patient's passion for music seems to be key when the music therapists in this study talk about how and why they adjust their practices to circumstances and requests. This is in line with previous theorization of how music works in music therapy (Ansdell, 2016;Stige & Aarø, 2012). The health care team also need to know how and when to take advantage and make use of the positive relational, emotional and cognitive impact music therapy can have on a patient experiencing negative symptoms. ...
Introduction
In 2015, the Norwegian Regional Health Authorities introduced the possibility for people with psychotic disorders to choose medication-free services, with music therapy as a treatment option. This study aimed to explore the health care workers’ perspectives on challenges and possibilities of music therapy within these services.
Method
This is a qualitative study by an interdisciplinary research team, including experts by experience. Ethnographic notes provide data from participant observation with one patient using music therapy, describing what music therapy can be “a case of”. Focus group discussions (FGDs) with health care workers, including music therapists, explore their experiences with music therapy and medication-free treatment. These were transcribed and analyzed using systematic text condensation in a stepwise, iterative process involving co-authors to ensure reflexivity.
Results
The summary from the participant observation provides the reader with background information on how music therapy can unfold in mental health care. The informants from the FGDs described music therapy as having a high degree of treatment flexibility providing a continuous process of choices. The collaborative choices both among staff members as well as between patient and staff were experienced as important for treatment outcome. Patients worsening or stagnating increased the significance of contingent choices.
Discussion
The strengths of music therapy, such as its acceptability and flexibility, also represent challenges, including dilemmas of prioritization, challenges when ending therapy, and the need for close collaboration when assessing a patient’s worsening. There is a potential for improving the implementation of music therapy into the existing health care teams.
... Aims for MOT82 are to provide support for participants' process of gaining access to musical resources in the local community and of making music as a self-led activity in everyday life. The theoretical frame for MOT82 emphasises recovery-oriented (Solli, 2014), resource-oriented (Rolvsjord, 2010), and community music therapy approaches (Stige & Aarø, 2011). ...
... Many of the values described in the resource-and recovery-oriented perspectives are also present within a community music therapy approach (Stige & Aarø, 2011), which emphasises the importance of user-involvement and empowerment, and identifies equality, solidarity, and social justice as important values. Inspired by critical theory, these perspectives aim to challenge hierarchical ideologies that oppress minority groups and privilege those with power (Hense, 2015). ...
... You need to get known to the group, and the group needs to get to know you. Related to the field of community music therapy, participation is one of the defining characteristics (Stige & Aarø, 2011). An understanding of participation is linked to sociocultural theories (Vygotskij et al., 1978), emphasising situated learning (Lave & Wenger, 1991), learning as participation in a community of practice (Wenger, 1998), and an ecological understanding echoed in Bronfenbrenner's ecological model (1979) as well as Small's musicking concept (Small, 1998). ...
Introduction
The study explores the theme “stigma” and how it was experienced by participants in MOT82, a music therapy project in the field of mental health aftercare in Norway. The theme is explored through the research questions: How is stigmatisation experienced by participants in a music therapy project in the field of mental health in aftercare? And: Which strategies can be used to prevent stigma in the context of music therapy in mental health aftercare?
Method
The method for the study is based on User Interviewing User, a method for evaluation of health services, where the service users are actively involved in the entire research process. The analyses were qualitative processes within a hermeneutic abductive approach highlighting reflexivity as an important part of the research process.
Results
The participants in the study expressed MOT82 to be a positive arena that fostered experiences of mastery, personal development, inclusion, and a strong collaborative community. However, the participants also highlighted the theme of stigma, expressed through stories about mechanisms of exclusion; negative processes of labelling; and how stigma could be related to issues concerning illness, health, and treatment.
Discussion
Findings related to the theme of stigma are discussed and illuminated by theory from sociology, music therapy, stigma research and recovery; emphasising the concepts of social capital, performance and the importance of a user perspective. With regards to the matter of destabilising stigma, the message from the participants in MOT82 is clear: Tone down the focus on mental illness, turn up the volume regarding the importance of doing music.
... Den overordna metodiske tilnaerminga for forskingsprosjektet Innanfor og utanfor -Rockens rolle innan kriminalomsorg og ettervern har vore aksjonsforsking. Aksjonsforsking er ein strategi der grunnpilaren er at ein arbeider for endring samstundes som prosessen vert brukt til å laere og å utvikle ny kunnskap (Malterud 2011;Reason & Bradbury, 2006;Stige, 2012;Stige & Aarø, 2012;Hummelvoll, 2008). Det finst eit uttal av variantar innan paraplyomgrepet aksjonsforsking. ...
... Ruud si vektlegging av sosiologiske og kulturelle aspekt er på mange måtar ein forløpar til det som seinare fekk namnet samfunnsmusikkterapi på byrjinga av 2000-talet. Samfunnsmusikkterapien fokuserer på studiet av relasjonane mellom musikk, fellesskap, helse og samfunn (Ansdell, 2002;Pavlicevic & Ansdell, 2004;Ansdell, 2004;Stige 2002Stige , 2003Stige & Aarø, 2012;Stige et al., 2010). Ein er saerleg opptatt av musikkterapien si rolle og funksjon i høve kultur og samfunn. ...
Can music be a liberating practice in prison? Can release from prison still lead to imprisonment in a ‘prison of freedom’? Can a past as a criminal become a resource? Can exclusion from society imply inclusion in a culture of rock music? If one rejects to be a group of self-help does it nevertheless imply that one receives help and support from each other in a rock band? In this article these paradoxes are discussed based on the doctoral theses Innanfor og utanfor – Rockens rolle innan kriminalomsorg og ettervern (Tuastad 2014a). The thesis is based on experiences from the Norwegian project ”Music in Custody and Liberty”, and on an action research project with the rock band Me and the BAND’its. In addition to the findings in the thesis, the topic is analyzed with theory from community music therapy and socio-cultural perspectives.
... A social turn in music therapy perspectives advocates and accounts for practice that is ecological, resource-based, and socially, culturally, and politically sensitive (Ansdell, 2014Procter, 2011Rolvsjord, 2015;Stige and Aarø, 2012). Authors have critically reflected on the profession's language and power dynamics, drawing inspiration from a number of perspectives, including critical theories of race and sexuality, feminist studies, and disability studies (Baines, 2013;Edwards, 2019;Hadley, 2013;Metell, 2019). ...
... 46). Its features are defined by Stige and Aarø (2012) as: participatory, resource-orientated, ecological, performative, activist, reflective, and ethicsdriven (pp. 20-24). ...
Music therapists have long worked in specialist and mainstream school settings and their practice, therefore, has been influenced by discourse used in both education and therapy. Parts of the discourse from both fields tends to pathologize children and focus on individual problems and treatment. In the same space, critical frameworks seek to challenge this by advocating for language and practice that is inclusive and context sensitive. By focusing on the complex nature of a mainstream setting, this article will highlight how music therapy practice might serve to strengthen or challenge deficit-based discourse around children within their school environments. I propose that, within school communities, there is much to be learned from paying closer attention to people's voices and expertise regarding their own practices and knowledge of both music and health. By illustrating day-to-day school life, I reflect on how particular approaches, choices of language and practice might impact how music is experienced and how this relates to health and wellbeing.
... As part of these discussions, we reviewed random segments of text and reflected on the accuracy and possible meanings of the codes and themes. We attempted to bring a self-awareness of our own contexts to these discussions (Finlay, 2002b), acknowledging our influences from previous research and theoretical frameworks such as personhood (Kitwood, 1997) and Community Music Therapy (Stige & Aarø, 2011). For example, in my initial coding I created the code performative. ...
... At the time of coding, I viewed this as simply the most accurate description for the coded text. On further reflection, I realised I was influenced by my previous knowledge of Community Music Therapy (Stige & Aarø, 2011). With a new awareness of these influences, I reevaluated my use of this code. ...
Qualitative systematic reviews, or qualitative evidence syntheses (QES), are increasingly used in health settings to guide the development of practice and policy. Thematic synthesis is one of the most well-developed approaches used for QES, however there are limited worked examples describing how to apply the steps of analysis in the literature. This paper describes the processes and decisions undertaken in a qualitative systematic review and thematic synthesis from the perspective of a novice researcher. The described review aimed to explore the shared musical experiences of people living with dementia and their family care partners across a range of settings. We found that shared musical activities fostered experiences of connection and wellbeing for people living with dementia and their family care partners. This was demonstrated with moderate-high confidence through six themes, and our findings informed the development of the Contextual Connection Model of Health Musicking. In presenting a worked example of our review, this paper introduces a systematic approach to coding and discusses the complexities of developing and reporting on analytical themes. We identify the need for a specific thematic synthesis reporting tool, and the need to embed reflexive practices into QES tools more broadly.
... In contrast to previous research which largely portrays music therapy with offenders as a forensic mental health treatment in the form of psychological and behavioural interventions (Cohen, 1987;Coutinho et al., 2015a;Dickinson, 2006;Fulford, 2002;Gallagher and Steele, 2002;Glyn, 2003;Hakvoort, 2002;Kellett et al., 2019;Reed, 2002), this thesis explores the significance of supporting musicking as an everyday practice for prisoners. As such, the research and practice presented aligns with principles of Community Music Therapy (CoMT) which views music therapy as an emergent, co-constructed, situated social practice that emphasises notions of mutual care and the cultivation of musical and health resources (Ansdell and Pavlicevic, 2004;Procter, 2013;Stige and Aarø, 2011;Wood, 2016). Whilst there are few studies specifically of CoMT in prison settings (see Tuastad and O'Grady, 2013 as an example), our findings suggest that CoMT's impetus to 'follow where people and music lead' (Ansdell and Pavlicevic, 2004: 30) may provide people in prison with a technology for what Kougiali et al. (2018) call 'noncoersive personal development' (p. 1). ...
... We have previously conceptualised the prison as a 'therapeutic music scene supported by a music therapist' (Hjørnevik and Waage, 2019), highlighting the significance of musicking in shaping the 'emotional geography of prison life' (Crewe et al., 2014: 1). This concept echoes a wider disciplinary shift towards music therapy as the facilitation of health musicking (Stige and Aarø, 2011), concerned with providing opportunities for music making in everyday life situations as much as with more formal music therapy sessions and interventions, and sensitive to the ecology of musical relationships (Ansdell, 2014), that is relationships between sounds, people and context, within and beyond the institution. The music therapy service is informed by theories of communicative musicality, that is the notion that all humans are musical (Malloch and Trevarthen, 2018). ...
Despite the strong relationships evidenced between music and identity little research exists into the significance of music in prisoners’ shifting sense of identity. This article explores musicking as part of the ongoing identity work of prisoners in light of theory on musical performance, narrative and desistance and discusses implications for penal practice and research. Through the presentation of an ethnographic study of music therapy in a low security Norwegian prison we show how participation in music activities afforded congruence between the past, the present and the projected future for participants by way of their unfolding musical life stories. Complementing existing conceptualisations of music as an agent for change, our study suggests that musicking afforded the maintenance of a coherent sense of self for participating prison inmates, whilst offering opportunities for noncoercive personal development. We argue that research into musicking in prison offers fruitful ways of tracing how the complexities inherent in processes of change are enacted in everyday prison life, and that it can advance our knowledge of relationships between culture, penal practice and desistance.
... A finding that choir participation may also improve outcomes for people with chronic mental illness (Dingle et al., 2013) is also relevant, as many people living with a neurological condition experience mental health issues (Prisnie et al., 2018;Rubin, 2018) In New Zealand, an inclusive, holistic approach has emerged with neurological choirs bringing together adults with a range of neurogenic communication difficulties (Fogg-Rogers et al., 2016;Talmage et al., 2013;Talmage & Purdy, 2018). Facilitated predominantly by music therapists, and occasionally by speech-language therapists or community musicians, mixed neurological choirs draw on the open group practices and emphasis on performance approaches of Community Music Therapy (Ansdell, 1995;Pavlicevic & Ansdell, 2004;Stige, et al., 2017;Stige & Aarø, 2012) that have much in common with community music practices . Although Matthews' (2018) research focused on Parkinson's disease, his usual practice is a mixed neurological choir (Matthews, 2016). ...
... However, selfawareness and attunement to self and clients are core requirements for music therapists and group facilitation (Hanser, 2016;Stige et al., 2017). Music therapists may have greater expertise in supporting participants across a spectrum of individual, group and performance contexts (Stige & Aarø, 2012;Wood, 2016). ...
https://www.musictherapy.org.nz/journal/2021-2/
Community singing offers an enjoyable form of social engagement and has also been applied in therapeutic contexts for people with a range of health needs. Internationally and in New Zealand, practitioners and researchers have shown considerable interest in the potential of singing to support people with communication difficulties resulting from a range of acquired neurological conditions. The terminology and approaches of aphasia choirs, Parkinson’s choirs, and dementia (or memory) choirs are well established internationally. However, in New Zealand many choirs are not diagnosis specific, but cater for people with a range of conditions, and are often described as neurological choirs. Neurological choir protocols are often termed choral singing therapy, although the practices of individual choirs
vary. This research aimed to analyse interview data collected from current and potential leaders of choirs and singing groups for people with communication difficulties. Participants were registered music therapists, speech-language therapists and community musicians who facilitated neurological choirs or were interested in doing so, and other representatives of organisations providing or considering choral singing therapy. The purpose was to gauge the availability, interest and training needs of facilitators for future research, such as a multi-site randomised controlled trial. Thirty-three participants took part in individual or (when requested by participants who worked together) small group interviews, either in person or via Skype. Interviews were transcribed by the interviewer and sent to interviewees for participant checking. As the research aimed to answer specific questions, thematic analysis of the interview transcripts predominantly used deductive coding, based on the themes of the interview questions. Many participants expressed interest in future research opportunities, but current practitioners’ investment in existing approaches, including co-facilitation, highlighted the need for further exploration of current practice before considering a trial requiring facilitator training and
protocol fidelity.
... It is important to note that the model is not based on a specific music therapeutic approach (e.g., behavioural, psychodynamic, or psychoanalytic). Yet, our therapeutic goals such as nurturing of personal strength; coping skills; and mobilizing social, cultural and material resources can be related to a community music therapy approach (Stige, 2015). Rather, the Musiktherapie-Initiative e.V. applied a context-sensitive, trauma-informed approach meaning to be attentive to the multilevel impacts of trauma, recognizing signs and symptoms of trauma, finding a fitting response, and efforts to prevent re-traumatization (Champine et al., 2019;Rolvsjord, 2015). ...
... To provide more structure to the session, songs were repeated often. Participants were welcome to introduce songs, rhythms or dances of their own to encourage musical participation and social inclusion (Stige, 2015). ...
Due to the difficult situation of refugees, working with this group is challenging. Yet, music therapy is a suitable method for early therapeutic intervention. The authors introduce the context-sensitive classification model for music therapeutic interventions with refugees—COVER model— which is based on practical music therapeutic experiences using a trauma-informed approach with refugees in Germany. The COVER model can serve as a guideline for music therapists who work with refugees in insecure circumstances. The COVER model applies music therapeutic interventions to the natural living environment of refugees and allows for early interventions which may be a crucial benefit to the psychological health of refugees and music therapists working in this area.
... In this model, music therapy skills are equally neutral […] (35) It is interesting to underline that reflections about re-thinking MT practices are coming up from a medical operating system, in a postcolonial context where even local traditional healings are ostracized. A socio-cultural orientation of MT has been discussed from a variety of perspectives in a variety of contexts, rarely are explicit references made to disability or autistic conditions, generally preferring to talk about community, context, musical health (Aigen, 2002;Ansdell, 2001;Bunt, Pavlicevic, 2002;Lee, 1992;Pavlicevic, 1997;Ruud, 1998;Stige and Aarø, 2012). These orientations marked a new era for music therapy, more focused on music-making processes by considering culture as a resource for action and an integral element in human action, more than a stimulus influencing human behavior. ...
... The definition of 'health musicking' seems to be the latest milestone in the efforts of scholars and practitioners to move closer to the social model. The following outcomes provided by Stige and Aarø (2012) Participatory, Resource-oriented, Ecological, Performative, Activist, Reflective, and Ethics-driven (PREPARE) reflects the intention of seeking an alternative to the medical model and provide a new line of research that is certainly more sustainable, especially for people with an autistic condition. Disability studies are offering a code for practice and research, different from that which were used by able-bodied scholars, detaching from using terms and methods properly from a deficit model perspective and looking forward to an approach that is radically democratic. ...
Music therapy has acquired over the years a gradual process of medicalization generated by the need to provide evidence-based results in the treatment and rehabilitation of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Otherwise, the goal of music as therapy should not be to propose music as a kind of remedy or cure, but to promote relationships between individuals, to acquire a collective awareness thanks to the communicative potential of music. Modern approaches can rely on Disability Studies as a ground to move in this direction, in a humanistic perspective, centering on culture, orienting on resources rather than defects and discussing the roles of power in the therapeutic relationship.
... This emphasis upon the relational and contextual nature of identity formation brings us full circle to music-centered theory, which recognizes that music-making, too, is culturally and socially embedded (Goehr, 2009;Small, 1998, Stige & Aarø, 2012. This facet of both music and identity will be evident through participants' narratives, which will be presented following a brief description of the study's methodology. ...
... This study attends to the too often unheard voices of adolescents and of mental health service users (McFerran, 2010;Solli & Rolvsjord, 2015). Stige and Aarø's (2012) reflection, that "we cannot give people a voice, but we can contribute to the construction of conditions that allow for previously unheard voices to be heard" (p. 5), is resonant here. ...
This article explores the “Coffee House,” a community music therapy performance event held biannually at an adolescent mental health treatment facility in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. In this paper, I draw upon techniques and theory from narrative inquiry in order to investigate the experiences and perspectives of 7 adolescent clients and 11 staff members who participated in the event as performers and audience members. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed through qualitative coding; the participants’ voices are presented here. Building upon a previous article, in which I attribute the Coffee House’s success to its participatory ethos, this article examines the impact of performing upon participants’ musical and personal identities as well as upon their relationships with others at the facility. The shifts and transformations that took place within youths’ identities were interdependent with the relational features of the performance context; expansions in youths’ self-identities were indelibly connected to staff members’ expanded perspectives on these youths, afforded through witnessing their performances. Participants’ narratives validate not only the ways in which identity and relationship intersect, but also the way in which musical performance’s impact upon identity and relationship is uniquely musical.
... The study explored a community approach to DMT which was framed by a collaborative and ecological conceptualization of therapy. The use of creative arts therapies in community spaces is widely discussed in the field of music therapy (Ansdell, 2002;Bolger, 2013;Rickson & McFerran, 2014;Steele, 2016;Stige & Aarø, 2012O'Grady & McFerran, 2007a, 2007b, with the birth of Community Music Therapy (CoMT) providing a sound theoretical foundation for the study. Given that theoretical frameworks associated with community-based practice are less prevalent within DMT literature, the paradigm of CoMT offered a meaningful philosophical basis for the study. ...
This paper communicates findings from a doctoral research project which used dance/movement therapy (DMT) to engage two women navigating the criminal justice system in Australia. A feminist-informed participatory research design was applied to learn about each woman’s experience and to explore the possible health promoting benefits of community-based DMT. Women serving time on community correctional orders were invited to attend drop-in DMT workshops which were held in a drug and alcohol recovery centre. Participants were invited to offer feedback which was analyzed using reflexive and interpretative methods of ethnographic data generation. Three themes emerged through the data which were understood to reflect simple notions of fun, fitness, and relaxation in DMT. Although limited to a small number of participants, this study undertook a close reading of each woman’s feedback and considered themes in light of trauma theory. Drawing from the women’s responses, the study articulates the beginnings of an ‘exercisePLUS’ perspective: a theoretical rationale which validates the role of exercise in DMT and discusses its potential therapeutic significance. Neurobiological trauma frameworks are used to articulate the findings, however, the research seeks to challenge assumptions within the medical model, such as the ‘expert’ positioning of the therapist. In doing so, this research aims to contribute toward the further development of community-based perspectives in DMT practice, and, offers a theoretical rationale for the use of DMT within a forensic context.
... At this time, there was a shift in public policy, with greater support for people's activities and greater awareness of the right of every person to participate in culture and society. This prepared the ground for the development of a tradition of social music therapy, which began to appear in Norway, of course after the creation in 1988 of a course in music therapy, which is now taught in Bergen [3]. ...
... «The mattering wheel» -en syklus for betydningsfullhet (gjengitt etter tillatelse fra Tidsskrift for Den norske legeforening, Krokstad, 2021;Prilleltensky, 2020) Merknad. Her forstår vi «arbeid» som barnets lek og samspill Dette er tydelig i tradisjonen innen musikkterapifaget som kalles samfunnsmusikkterapi (community music therapy), som vektlegger arbeid med deltakelse, ressurser og fellesskap (Stige & Aarø, 2012). Prilleltensky (2020) beskriver begrepet mattering, som kan forstås som betydningsfullhet. ...
Aims and background: To explore music therapy as special education at preschool level. The research has been carried out in a context where the relevance of music therapy is understood in light of children’s rights to inclusion and participation. Method: In two focus group interviews, preschool teachers, special education teachers and assistants described their experiences and use of music therapy. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Findings: The results indicate that music therapy facilitates contact, communication, sense of community and joy. When children receive music therapy as special education, the music is used actively by children and adults throughout the week for learning and participating in the preschool community. Implications: Special education provided in the form of music therapy can reduce exclusion and create an environment that promotes learning, development and participation in a community. The findings are discussed from a community psychology perspective. We use the term mattering, consisting of feeling valued and adding value, to shed light on important processes in relationships and on the interaction between music therapy provision and ordinary preschool provision. Keywords: music therapy, children, community psychology, mattering, participation, special education
... This strengthened an existing inclination to work inclusively and heightened an awareness of marginalizing practices during training. Emily found their experiences drew them to community music therapy (Stige & Aarø, 2012) and a more resource-oriented approach (Rolvsjord, 2010). However, change for Emily happened suddenly and was quite confronting when as they recall: ...
The 10 authors contributing to this reflective essay are comprised of music therapy practitioners, academics, and students with lived experience of disability, neurodivergence, or/and chronic physical and mental health conditions. We will discuss the impact of ableism in our music therapy work, both for participants and for music therapists. Beyond outright discrimination of people with disability, ableism is typically linked to an agenda to normalize and cure. In contrast, music therapists working from a position of post-ableist music therapy seek to collaboratively provide conditions and musical experiences that are less disabling and restrictive through addressing barriers and facilitating connections. We will discuss how including post-ableist perspectives might also create safer spaces for music therapists with lived experience of disability, neurodivergence, and/or chronic physical and mental health conditions. In this critical commentary, we wish to move from a deficit understanding of therapists with lived experience that is often implicit in codes of ethics and standards of practice, to one that celebrates the richness and knowledge that our experience brings. To embed post-ableist perspectives into our profession at all levels, we will discuss the implications for student training and supervision when accessibility is centered in practicum and classroom learning activities. In conclusion, we aim to make apparent the fact that therapists can and do come in all forms and with all backgrounds and that recognizing health diversity in our profession benefits us all.
... Research has shown that many autistic people experience anxiety (Kent & Simonoff, 2017) and challenges in self-advocacy (Petri et al., 2021) and selfacceptance (Bernardin et al., 2021;Pearson & Rose, 2021). Perhaps a combination of Community Music Therapy (Stige & Aarø, 2011;Stige et al., 2010) and Resource-Oriented Music Therapy (Rolvsjord, 2010) could honor participants' strength towards social inclusion, equity, and wellbeing in an ableist society. Clinicians could also explore if music therapy services can help autistic participants better understand neurotypical culture and norms that do not naturally make sense to the autistic community. ...
Introduction
Research in music therapy and autistic people to date has predominantly focused on communication and social interaction outcomes. The purpose of this exploration was to explore the lived experiences of young autistic adults in Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy. To our knowledge, the body of research that seeks to understand participants’ perspectives regarding their experiences of music therapy and the goals they want to pursue is limited.
Method
Four autistic young adult men who had received at least 6 months of Nordoff-Robbins music therapy services at the Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy at New York University participated in this study. Each participant engaged in four to five interview sessions to share their experiences of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy and the role it plays in their life. Interviews were analyzed using the IPA method. A summary of the results was shared with each participant to ensure sensitivity to and accuracy of their lived experiences.
Results
Three themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Participants attend Nordoff-Robbins music therapy to develop their musicianship and personal selves; (2) participants create meaningful relationships with their peers, music therapists, and music; and (3) participants bring their sociocultural identities into music therapy sessions.
Discussion
Participants’ responses led to a critical reexamining of “the music child”, challenging music therapy research and practice agendas of normalizing autistic social and communication behaviors, and suggest the need for more research that collaborates and centers the autistic community.
... CoMT views participants within an ecological context, recognising the complex interplay between individuals, families, groups and the broader community (Bronfenbrenner, 1992;Stige, 2002). It incorporates participatory, resource-oriented, performative, reflective and ethics-driven practices (Stige, 2015). Within CoMT, the term health musicking is used to describe the use of music and its affordances to support health and wellbeing (Stige, 2012). ...
Background:
There is a global need for interventions that support the wellbeing of people living with dementia and their family care partners. Studies show that shared musical activities may achieve this. Our systematic review aimed to synthesise existing research exploring dyads' experiences of shared musical activities across a range of contexts.
Method:
From 31 October 2020 we searched PubMed, PsycInfo, CINAHL Complete, EMBASE, RILM, Web of Science Core Collection, Google Scholar and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses for studies published up to 14 April 2021, and hand searched five music therapy journals plus citation lists. Thirteen qualitative studies reporting on dyads' experiences and perspectives of shared musical activities across a range of settings were included. Studies with mixed populations or mixed modality interventions were excluded. We analysed the final studies using thematic synthesis, engaging in reflective discussions and reflexivity throughout. The quality of included studies was assessed using the CASP qualitative checklist. This study is registered on PROSPERO: CRD42020169360.
Results:
Six themes were identified from 13 studies: 1) shared musical activities support wellbeing for people living with dementia, 2) music groups become ecological systems, 3) shared musical activities are experienced differently over time, 4) shared musical activities are experienced by me and as we, 5) music is a supportive structure, and 6) the thread of connection (an overarching theme). A GRADE-CERQual assessment found moderate to high confidence in these findings. Findings informed the development of the Contextual Connection Model of Health Musicking.
Conclusion:
Shared musical activities foster experiences of connection for people living with dementia and their family care partners. Experiences of connection are supported through professional facilitation and the structural aspects of music, and are influenced by the setting and changes over time. These experiences of connection play a central role in supporting dyadic and individual wellbeing. These findings are largely relevant to a western cultural context; future research should seek to include more diverse cultural experiences.
... The important underlying role that a rights-based perspective played may have been one of the reasons that identity was discussed so prominently. In discussing the importance of identity, participants made reference to a number of theoretical frameworks, including person-centred care, humanistic and strengths-based approaches, community music therapy and resourceoriented music therapy (Abrams, 2014;Kitwood, 1997;Schwabe, 2005;Stige & Aarø, 2012). All of these frameworks have strong rights-based elements, demonstrating the interrelating nature of this study's two major themes of supporting identity in context and responding to diverse needs. ...
This study explored how music therapists may use group therapeutic songwriting (TSW) to support the dyadic relationships between people living with dementia and their family caregivers. Three registered music therapists (RMTs) with relevant clinical and/or research experience participated in semi-structured interviews. A thematic analysis of the interview data found five key concepts that may contribute to how music therapists use group TSW to support the dyadic relationship: supporting identity in context; responsiveness to diverse needs and wishes; the importance of the group; the creative process; and human rights. Findings contribute understandings about creative and supportive ways of working with people living with dementia and their family caregivers to promote relationship quality, quality of life and wellbeing. This study highlights the complexity and need for flexibility in facilitating group TSW and contributes insights into how the personal values of music therapists may influence how they work with people living with dementia and family caregivers.
... This approach focuses on human strengths and resources (Stige, 2002). Community Music Therapy (CoMT) extends the practice of the profession to working outside the therapy room in and with the community, usually with groups (Stige & Aaro, 2012). This approach requires the therapist to be sensitive to social, communal and cultural aspects, and to put an emphasis on the patient's resources and strengths (Ansdell, 2014). ...
Koolulam is a social musical initiative launched in 2017. It is a special kind of mass�singing. The aim of Koolulam is to strengthen the societal fabric through singing in
large groups. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that examines this
social musical phenomenon. The first aim of the present study is to examine the
profile of the people who attend Koolulam events and their motivation. The second
aim is to examine whether the social, emotional and communal characteristics of
Koolulam events contain elements that may help strengthen the resilience of individ�uals in the group. The data were collected through two possible quantitative ques�tionnaires, one of which included two open-ended questions, which were analyzed
qualitatively. There were 914 participants, 334 of which completed the question�naire that contained the open-ended questions. The findings indicate that Koolu�lam events are perceived as a phenomenon different from other multi-participant
events. The shared singing experience at these events has social, emotional, and
communal characteristics. This is the only study to our knowledge done on Koolulam
events. Findings suggest that singing in a large group in the framework of a Koolulam
event has social-communal and emotional characteristics that may strengthen the
resilience of the people who attend.
... There is no consensus on which type of music offers the best healing results in a specific clinical setting. Several models of music therapy have been used: analytical music therapy (2), the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (3), Benenzon (4), Nordoff-Robbins (5), community music therapy (6), neurologic music therapy (7) and vocal psychotherapy (5). ...
... In contrast, the music therapy faculty member explained that their program is community-oriented, which means it places emphasis on aspects of community music therapy such as "togetherness" with the client (Stige & Aarq, 2012) rather than on psychologizing students' inner experience or self-observation, such as countertransference. Music therapy students also scored higher than all the other CATs at T1 (M = 4.4) and, therefore, had more room to decrease. ...
There is little research on the transformational processes of creative arts therapies (CATs) students during training compared to other healthcare professions. CATs training relies on arts‐based experiential learning that can develop the therapist’s creative self‐beliefs, psychological mindedness, and perspective‐taking. This single group pre–post study examined the changes in these unstudied, yet essential, creative and personal factors in a sample of 191 CATs students in the first year of their master’s degree program in Israel. It was hypothesized that students would report a statistically significant increase in creative and personal measures from the beginning to the end of their first year of training, but this hypothesis was only partially supported. There were different development trajectories in each CATs discipline in terms of creative identity, creative self‐efficacy, psychological mindedness, and perspective‐taking. The discussion sheds light on these results by considering the domain‐specific differences between the CATs disciplines and their respective training approaches, and through follow‐up interview data collected from trainers in each CATs track. This study thus contributes to a better understanding of the trajectories of change of these attributes in CATs students. Training programs should consider these results when building curricula, to nurture the balance between students’ artistic and helping competencies.
... The structure of each choir session was designed based on the Therapeutic Group Singing (TGS) model that emerged from the Remini-Sing pilot study . This model was informed by person-centered care, Kitwood's theory of Validation (Kitwood, 1997), and Community Music Therapy (Stige & Aarø, 2011). Sessions, facilitated by one or two registered music therapists, were approx. ...
This paper seeks to represent the perspectives of community-dwelling people who are living with dementia and their family care-partners, who participated community-based, therapeutic choirs that were formed as part of the Remini-Sing project. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyze data from interviews with fourteen participants (7 people living with dementia [4 women, mean age = 82] and 7 care-partners [5 women, mean age = 68]). Eight themes identified the perceived benefits of choir singing and elements of the choirs and research project more broadly that influenced participation. Findings support past research that suggests choir singing is an accessible and enjoyable activity that can support the health and wellbeing of people living with dementia and their family care-partners. Challenges with recruitment and sustainability of programs post-research are highlighted.
... • Field of play (Kenny, 2006) • Resource oriented MT (Rolvsjord, 2010) • Community Music Therapy (CoMT) (Aarø & Stige, 2012;Ansdell, 2002) • Queer music therapy (Bain et al., 2016) • Feminist MT (Hadley, 2006) • Anti-oppressive MT (Baines, 2013) • Narrative therapy (Morgan, 2000) • Ecological music therapy (Small, 1998) • Indigenous health models -Te Whare Tapa Whā (Māori model of health, Durie, 1998). ...
This paper describes my journey in developing Post-Ableist Music Therapy and offers vignettes of its use in practice. In the style of an autoethnography, it recounts the way I began actively to address the ableism that was uncovered during the analysis process of my PhD research: ‘Developing Post-Ableist Music Therapy: An autoethnography exploring the counterpoint of a therapist experiencing illness/disability’(Shaw, 2019). I set about developing an ethic for practice that would address ableism by using the Foucauldian tool of creating the self as a work of art. I engaged in a creative process as a way to defamiliarise and reconceptualise practice. Post-Ableist Music Therapy was developed and extended the relational ethic beyond what was present in the practice studied, by drawing on aspects of posthumanism (valuing interdependence; Braidotti, 2013), agonistic pluralism (Chambers, 2001; Cloyes, 2002; Mouffe, 2016), and increasing the incorporation of disability studies. Posthumanism was used as a foundation for PAMT (due to the ableist tendencies of humanism), which differs to current music therapy orientations. Therefore, PAMT is offered as an alternative lens in the critical orientations’ apparatus: a social justice practice that is not based on empowerment and humanism, but instead on agonism and posthumanism.
... 1). A sense of purpose, increasing confidence and feeling competent as a result of increased participation as well as the possibility for identity renegotiation engendered by all this resonate with the principles of the CoMT (Ansdell, 2002;Steele, 2016;Stige & Aarø, 2011;Tiszai & Szűcs-Ittzés, 2016) and the identity renegotiation theory in aphasia rehabilitation (Shadden, 2005); both can form the basis of therapeutic choir work. ...
Aphasia choirs have been gaining more and more attention for the last decade. The operation of these are based on two pillars: the therapeutic effect of singing with aphasia and decreasing the social isolation of clients with a verbal language disorder. The aim of this article is to draw attention to the international community of these choirs, with special focus on the Hungarian Aphasia Choir, and show their challenges resulting from the restrictions imposed by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The Hungarian Aphasia Choir has had their therapeutic rehearsals online for seven months. The participants’ experiences and their coping methods regarding online and offline choir sessions were examined by an online survey of five questions completed by thirteen choir members living with aphasia as well as some of their caregivers. The responses clearly show the choir members’ general desire to carry on offline rehearsals, while the results also demonstrate that online rehearsals are effective in decreasing social isolation.
... While the social model of disability has become relatively well-known and accepted in wider society, its acceptance is arguably less forthcoming within the music therapy community, where a medical model perspective is still prevalent and pervasive (Gross, 2018;Pickard et al., 2020;Straus, 2011). Challenges to this position have been made in the seminal resource-oriented music therapy approach of Randi Rolvsjord (2010Rolvsjord ( , 2014 as well as the strides made in the community music therapy movement (Stige et al., 2010;Stige and Aarø, 2012). ...
In pedagogic literature informed by critical disability studies, academia is widely cited as an ableist institution: the training ground for the professions of normalcy. Music therapy could readily be complicit in this normalising discourse with its potential to pathologise participants and to maintain a strict ‘normative divide’, between professionals it trains and participants who engage with its provision. Activists, advocates and disabled therapists have posed a welcome challenge to this positioning in recent publications, but the pedagogical dimensions of music therapy training in this area have received less attention. The emerging signature pedagogy of music therapy and its omissions will be considered, which may explain the need for an increased social justice focus in music therapy curricula. This article considers the potential of applying Kumashiro’s (2000) typologies of anti-oppressive education in music therapy training: problematising existing pedagogies and critically reflecting upon the potential of a social justice informed curriculum. These approaches have the potential to reframe Otherness by acknowledging expertise in lived experience. Through introducing these frameworks for socially just, anti-oppressive pedagogies, this article invites consciousness raising in music therapy pedagogy through engagement with critical disability studies theory and philosophy.
... Rather than try to define itself, accepting that the field's pluralism makes it resistant to definition, one way in which CoMT orients itself is through qualities such as through the acronym PREPARE: participatory, resource-oriented, ecological, performative, activist, reflective, and ethics-driven (Stige & Aarø, 2011). Instead of an exclusively medical model of health, CoMT turns to an "ecological model" which looks at well-being as going beyond biological health and towards human flourishing (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). ...
Frameworks for the application of the arts in community settings tend to focus on the development of individuals’ empathy or social bonds. A commensurate level of consideration tends not to be given to the socio-economic, political, and institutional forces and processes that shape such development and to how the arts might help build capacities to manage the impact of such forces and processes. The recognition of persons as interdependent in systems reliant on mutual care has implications for applications of the arts in many specialised domains as well as in general public life. Especially in clinical or social interventions, unrecognised institutional dynamics may introduce or maintain imbalances of power in community and professional practice. Music, as a participatory and temporal activity facilitating social synchrony, can foster dialogic and reciprocal relations in social life. To systematise and study a participatory music activity on an organisational and community level, I designed and implemented two collaborative songwriting programs in clinical and social service settings carried out through the nonprofit organisation, Humans in Harmony. One activity, music corps¸ was a two-month program in New York City involving participants from colleges and social service organisations serving adults with disabilities, at-risk youth, and nursing home residents. Another activity, implemented through a Humans in Harmony chapter at Columbia University Medical Center, paired health professional students with patients in palliative care support groups. Ethnographic observations and participant interviews revealed that engagement in interpersonal processes aligned with a capabilities-informed approach which emphasised social reciprocity, well-being, and flourishing. Moreover, evaluations of the activities through pre- and post-program measures supported a hypothesis of enhancement of interpersonal closeness and in attitudes about empathy and care. Such participatory approaches may offer new frameworks for the application of the arts in response to current geopolitical and cultural challenges.
... Flexibility is central in fostering musical community and working creatively with children and adolescents in context: 'acknowledging the social and cultural factors of their health, illness, relationships and musics' (Ansdell, 2002, para. 3;Stige & Aaro, 2012). ...
The COVID-19 pandemic created a major transformation in the delivery of music therapy services worldwide as they moved online. Telehealth research is in its infancy and online work with children and adolescents with visual impairment has yet to be investigated. This survey-based study explored the experiences and perceptions of parents of children and adolescents with visual impairment (n = 11) who engaged in online music therapy. Video playlists were accessed regularly and almost all parents reported positive (2/11) or very positive (8/11) responses and perceived them as beneficial in engaging with their child. Ninety-five percent (10/11) of parents perceived the teleheath programme to be a positive experience for their child, 73% (8/11) observed positive behaviours directly after the sessions, and 82% (9/11) indicated that the programme was a valuable family resource that supported bonding and interaction. Inductive reflexive thematic analysis generated four themes from the qualitative data: (a) positive impacts, (b) interactive family resource, (c) connection to school, and (d) challenges. A discussion of the findings is followed by implications for practice.
... 17. Indeed, Stige and Aarø (2011) note that Community Music Therapy shares a closer affinity to relational, conceptual, and performance art, in comparison to the visual art practices (such as painting) that have more often been used as metaphors to describe music therapy (p. 228). ...
This commentary presents an experimental-composer’s perspective on contemporary music therapy practice. I begin by offering my impressions of the field, gathered through interviews with practising music therapists, and an examination of the relevant literature. Then, the commentary first draws upon G. Douglas Barrett’s radical post-sonic theorisation of music to question the future of existing music in therapy, before instrumentalising avant-garde aesthetics to imagine what music may become in music therapy. This exploration will pay particular attention to the impacts of the dematerialisation of the art object in contemporary art, and the potential benefits a similar decentering of sound in contemporary music practices may provoke—specifically, the creation of theoretical frameworks that further suppress the authority of canonical forms, and increased contributions from previously-marginalised groups. Next, the commentary presents an analysis of two recent musical compositions that determinedly decenter sound, before examining the appropriateness of this aesthetic to therapeutic contexts. Finally, the commentary signposts a number of historical antecedents that illustrate music therapy’s potential for rigorous (and radical) selfexamination, and examines how these efforts may be expanded.
... Several well-established theoretical frameworks within the field align with strengths-based and recovery-oriented approaches. These include the resource-oriented approach introduced by Rolvsjord (2010) which emphasizes an orientation toward consumer strengths and self-determination within recovery, aligning with the concept of personal recovery (Slade, 2009), and the community music therapy framework (Ansdell, 2002;Pavlicevic & Ansdell, 2004;Stige & Aarø, 2012) where the need for belonging and connectedness to community are central concerns and also fundamental aspects of social recovery. Other critical approaches, such as anti-oppressive practice (Baines, 2013), and feminist approaches (Hadley & Edwards, 2004;Curtis, 2013) have explicitly examined notions of power and oppression, endorsing careful attention to power dynamics, and vigilance within therapeutic relationships with inherently asymmetric balances of power. ...
This paper explores the potential of collaborative group facilitation between therapists and peer workers in mental health. A case study of co-practice between a music therapist and a peer worker is used to illustrate how lived experience expertise can enrich and complement therapeutic groups. The paper aims to begin a discussion around collaborative group facilitation within mental health practice and to advocate for continued development of collaborative practice between peer workers and therapists. Experiences of collaboration are explored through the case study provided using a synthesis of the authors’ reflections and dialogue. The importance of role negotiation, role definition, and open communication around changing roles and boundaries are discussed as key considerations for beginning collaborations, as well as the establishment and maintenance of a foundation of trust and support within the working relationship.
An increasing number of people with dementia receive informal care from family members to help them remain living in the community. Music therapy is particularly beneficial for supporting the wellbeing of people living with dementia. However, little is known about how music therapy might support people with dementia and their family care partners as dyads. This study explored the experiences of six dyads participating in a 12-week home-based skill-sharing music intervention facilitated by a music therapist. We examined their experiences during the intervention period and in the 3–6 months following. This study was conducted within a larger randomised control trial, HOMESIDE. Data was collected through video-recorded music-based interviews, participant diaries, and a semi-structured interview. Data was analysed using an abductive and relational-centred research approach in consideration of the Contextual Connection Model of Health Musicking for People Living with Dementia and Their Family Care Partners . The study found fifteen themes that describe dyads’ supported experiences of sharing music in their homes. These were organised into three global themes: (1) experiences were shaped by complex influences; (2) a connected musical ecosystem; and (3) music was a resource for wellbeing. This study highlighted the important role of personalised facilitation and the therapeutic relationship as dyads learned to use music as a resource through a process of trial and error. The implications for skill-sharing, indirect music therapy and direct music therapy practice are discussed.
Introduction
Music therapy has growing evidence for its effectiveness in mental health. People with mental health conditions often face significant barriers in obtaining personal valued social roles and feeling a sense of belonging to their community. Overcoming these barriers is an important step in the recovery process. This pilot study investigated whether long-term group music therapy might have an impact on participants’ social skill development, group cohesion and expression of emotional states.
Method
The study was an exploratory, retrospective, quantitative, longitudinal single-case study (N = 8). Five video recorded sessions were selected and micro-analyzed by independent raters, who rated the Group Environmental Scale (n = 8) and Individual Behavior Observation Categorization scale (n = 4). Statistical analysis was carried out to identify trends over time. The study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04435405).
Results
A longitudinal improvement was found in the group domains of Relationship (1.6-fold), Personal growth (1.9-fold) and System maintenance (1.5-fold) along the 9-month follow-up period. On the individual level, an improvement was found over time in social skills and group cohesion (4.85-fold), affect (3.15-fold), and musical activities performances (19.9-fold).
Discussion
The study demonstrated longitudinal improvement trends in social skills, group cohesion and expression of emotional states (affect) in the group as a whole and in each of the four individual assessments. Future studies which will include a larger sample and longer follow-up periods are needed.
In 2019 Beijing Normal University held an Asia Pacific congress on music therapy with a certain focus on culturally sensitive music therapy, the wealth of music therapeutic traditions, practices and methods in Asia and the Pacific area, and applications in public health, clinical areas and inclusive education. Although the COVID-19 pandemic inhibited further progress, since the end of 2022 vivid collaboration has been going on in this music therapeutically strong part of the world.
The benefits of community music activities for promoting well-being have been well recognized in previous literature. However, due to their wide variability and flexible approaches, a comprehensive understanding of the research and practice of community music activities for well-being promotion is sparse. The purpose of this scoping review was to synthesize published literature pertaining to community music activities for well-being promotion and identify key implementation characteristics and strategies to inform future practice and research. Studies of community music activities that investigated well-being outcomes in participants of all ages and conditions were eligible for inclusion. Through electronic database and manual searches, a total of 45 studies were identified and included in the analysis. The main findings showed that community music activities for well-being were characterized by a wide range of populations and applications, collaborative work, an emphasis on social components, and musical accomplishments. However, this variability also revealed a lack of consistent and thorough information as well as diversity in well-being conception across studies. The review offers practical recommendations for future research and practice based on the current findings.
Abstracts of the 12th European Music Therapy Conference. Published as an online special edition in the British Journal of Music Therapy.
Available on: https://journals.sagepub.com/page/bjmb/abstractsofthe12theuropeanmusictherapyconference
This chapter proposes a range of strategies for considering how to enhance empathising within music therapy assemblages. Once one has mapped the assemblage one is part of (understanding the “things,” relationships, positions, affects, and entanglements at play and how territorialising is taking place), one can ask specific questions about how empathising can be encouraged in several practical ways. The chapter covers response-able access and inclusion, music therapy services, material places and spaces (with reference to therapeutic landscapes), and objects (such as adapted musical instruments). In addition, it explores how individuals and groups, communities, and social networks can be response-able. The chapter examines response-able musicking (especially in improvisational music therapy), concepts and theories, and recovery-tracking (as a form of assessing and monitoring progression within a recovery approach). Finally, the chapter explores response-able teaching and research in music therapy.KeywordsEmpathising assemblagesEnhancing empathyAccessInclusionTherapeutic landscapesResponse-able musickingTeachingResearchMusic therapy
In translational empathy, we take a stance of honouring opacity, including cultural humility and curiosity, and acknowledge that we can gain a sense of togetherness while still being separate individuals. We become aware of the emotion translation processes taking place in our interactions, exploring how we create meaning through our interaction, how parties may communicate their emotions in different ways, and that everyone involved plays a vital role. We responsively encounter each other’s emotional expressions, collaboratively engaging in richly ambiguous communicative modalities such as musicking while recognising that social, political, and cultural dimensions impact how we express emotions and interpret each other’s emotions in incomplete ways.
This paper presents a new approach for music therapists in schools wishing to support the work of teachers. This music therapy approach is underpinned by theoretical resources drawn from community music therapy and a critical inclusive approach to education. Illustrative examples of the first authors’ music therapy practice as part of a teacher professional learning program, Music for Classroom Wellbeing, are offered. Two practice principles, “focus on the teacher” and “enable sharing,” are presented to provide a framework for music therapists striving to support teachers. Following these principles may allow teachers to grow their musicality, teaching, and self-care practices. This paper concludes with implications of reframing the focus of music therapy practice with teachers for other music therapists working in the current performance-driven schooling system.
To access the full text, please click the following link: https://academic.oup.com/mtp/advance-article/doi/10.1093/mtp/miac020/6618451?guestAccessKey=75266f01-ce9f-4250-bd36-052d0fad3260
This chapter begins with an overview of music therapy research with autistic children (tamariki takiwātanga). The predominance of positivist research, which has been produced to meet the traditional demands of evidence-based practice (EPB), is highlighted. This is followed by an outline of music therapy practice, beginning with an indication of the range of theoretical frames that underpin practice internationally, the goals that are being addressed, and the music therapy methods that are employed.
The notion of artistic citizenship is of relevance to both music education and music therapy. I suggest that artistic citizenship needs to be performed with both care and craft and that professional practitioners need to promote mutuality and participation in order to nurture it. The argument challenges the assumption that music educators teach to music, while music therapists help people to grow through music. This traditional distinction is less than clear, because any person’s interest in learning music might give new possibilities for participation in a community. A case example illuminates the social-musical journey of a group of learners with intellectual disabilities in a community music school and introduces discussions of the notions that “everyone is an artist” and that “all forms of music-making and musical interactions can be artistic”. Citizenship is understood as the status bestowed to people as members of a broader community, and the risk of ignoring diversity and of developing a romanticised view of community is elucidated. Artistic citizenship requires care to be realised, and care is intricate, sometimes problematic. Possibilities for developing mutual musical care are therefore examined, as well as the need for zooming in and zooming out on micro and macro dimensions of practice.
The purpose of this research is to analyze the significant impact music therapy can have on a group of adolescents who have committed Child to Parent Violence and a second group of teenagers at social risk. Both groups were made up of 11 participants between 13 and 21 years of age ( M = 16 years, SD = 1.66 years) with six males in each group. Both groups participated in eight music therapy interventions where state-trait anxiety levels were measured before and after each session. Furthermore, trait anxiety levels were measured after the first and eighth sessions. Our findings indicate that the treatment used performs differently in each group: a more significant reduction in state anxiety levels was observed among participants who had used Child to Parent Violence, where trait anxiety levels were more significantly reduced among participants at social risk. Our findings also indicate that music therapy can be effectively used to reduce anxiety levels among socially vulnerable groups, and that it may have a significant impact on the reduction of this disorder, depending on the anxiety level.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.