Invitation to Community Music Therapy
... We find the perspective of community music therapy (CoMT) relevant for our study. CoMT reflects how music therapists can utilise cultural communities as a resource for healthpromoting cultural engagement (Pavlicevic & Ansdell, 2004;Stige & Aarø 2012). Bruscia (2014) defines CoMT, among other practices, within the framework of ecological music therapy. ...
... Perspectives on CoMT as an ecological system-oriented discourse are particularly relevant in settings where the SWs and music therapists collaborate. Stige and Aarø (2012) propose partnership and collaboration as a possibility within an ecological understanding of music therapy in line with an ecological model of human development promoted by Bronfenbrenner (1979). For example, in a CoMT project in South Africa, relationships among children, teachers and parents were fostered to empower ecological processes to promote and support resilience and provide spaces to strengthen and support the individual children involved in the project (Fouche & Stevens, 2018, p. 7). ...
... However, the amount of research of skill sharing and collaborative approaches in child welfare contexts, and especially in populations including unaccompanied refugee children, is limited. In a CoMT perspective, the role of the music therapist in child welfare work is not limited to providing therapy on an individual basis (Stige & Aarø, 2012). The role of the music therapist also encompasses a broader focus on collaborating with professionals within the system, in the child welfare service, in the community, and in the environment surrounding the young people (Krüger, 2020). ...
Migration poses a complex global challenge, particularly for unaccompanied refugee children. In Norway, almost all of these children suffer from mental health issues and face settlement challenges. These young people are placed in care homes within the child welfare system, where they have the right to participate in cultural activities, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Research indicates that cultural activities, such as music, are beneficial for their well-being, yet access is often limited. Social workers play a crucial role in addressing these needs. This study explores how social workers reflect on the role of music in their work with unaccompanied refugee children, and the implications of this role for music therapy. We conducted semi-structured focus group interviews with eight social workers experienced in child welfare services. Thematic analysis, using the Stepwise Deductive-Inductive method, was applied. Social workers noted that music helps young people cope with emotions and facilitates dialogue. Organised cultural initiatives provide nonconfrontational spaces promoting safety and belonging. However, social workers highlighted the need for knowledge, resources and competences linking music and health. The findings are discussed in the context of community music therapy, emphasising the role of music therapists as catalysts and supervisors in integrating cultural activities within child welfare.
... This study adopts community music therapy (CoMT) as a framework (Stige et al., 2010;Stige & Aarø, 2012), in accordance with the bio-ecological perspective on refugee health. CoMT expands the focus from individual concerns toward including a focus on the broader developmental ecology, viewing health as emerging from interactions with the social context. ...
... CoMT encompasses various approaches and principles, emphasizing health promotion, resource development, participatory practices, nurturing interpersonal relations, and engaging with the social and cultural context (Pavlicevic & Ansdell, 2004;Stige et al., 2010;Stige & Aarø, 2012). The current practice was developed through a participatory and collaborative process, involving active participation and decision-making of both participants and the school community. ...
... Furthermore, the study provides insight into the interaction between musical affordances in the school environment and their connection to children's engagement in music therapy sessions. Thus, the study supports the relevance of maintaining a focus on the developmental ecology and being attentive to the surrounding systems and musical cultures, as is emphasized in CoMT (Rickson & McFerran, 2014;Stige & Aarø, 2012). Without, for instance, a stage to perform on or possibilities to collaborate with peers, the children would have had fewer opportunities to connect with the peer community and explore their engagement further. ...
The health and development of refugee children can be significantly impacted by adverse experiences and prolonged stress. Although previous research and practice have demonstrated the potential benefits of music therapy for children in this situation, there is a lack of research focusing on the perspectives of refugee children themselves. This study aims to explore the participation of refugee children in music therapy within a Norwegian primary school context. The empirical material was collected through semistructured interviews conducted with seven refugee children (aged 8–12) who had been resettled in Norway. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the interview transcripts. The analysis resulted in three main themes: Accessing Musical Development, which illuminates how music therapy provided opportunities for musical learning with emphasis on socially relevant music; Appropriating Music Therapy as a Social Resource, which illustrates how music therapy sessions facilitated connection with peers; and Experiencing States of Wellbeing which focuses on the children’s descriptions of emotional changes and fun. Findings are discussed in the context of situated learning theory and the impact of adverse experiences on children’s affect regulation capacity. Additionally, the discussion includes reflections on how music therapy can provide resources for regulating affect.
... Musikkterapi er anbefalt av Helsedirektoratet i de nasjonale retningslinjene for utredning, behandling og oppfølging av psykose (Helsedirektoratet, 2013). Norsk musikkterapeutisk praksis og teori innen psykisk helsefeltet kan beskrives som recovery- (Solli, 2014), ressurs- (Rolvsjord, 2010), og samfunnsorientert (Stige & Aarø, 2012). Aktuelle målsettinger for tilbudet er økt tilgang til og kontroll over egne ressurser, samtidig som praksisen er en prosess i et kontinuerlig samspill med ulike mennesker, sosiale og politiske konstellasjoner og samfunnet generelt (Bruscia, 1998;Stige & Aarø, 2012). ...
... Norsk musikkterapeutisk praksis og teori innen psykisk helsefeltet kan beskrives som recovery- (Solli, 2014), ressurs- (Rolvsjord, 2010), og samfunnsorientert (Stige & Aarø, 2012). Aktuelle målsettinger for tilbudet er økt tilgang til og kontroll over egne ressurser, samtidig som praksisen er en prosess i et kontinuerlig samspill med ulike mennesker, sosiale og politiske konstellasjoner og samfunnet generelt (Bruscia, 1998;Stige & Aarø, 2012). Solli et al. (2013) presenterer, gjennom en meta-syntese av 14 studier, musikkterapi som en recoveryorientert praksis hvor man kan utvikle sine ressurser, en mer positiv identitetsfølelse og håp. ...
... Samfunnsmusikkterapien har som mål å løfte og styrke det sosiale nettverket til klienter, gjennom å tilrettelegge for kulturell deltagelse i lokalsamfunnet (Lydvo, 2017;Stige & Aarø, 2012). Målet er å forberede brukeren for deltagelse i samfunnet og jobbe med samfunnet for å skape en arena som aksepterer brukeren (Bruscia, 1998). ...
"Artikkelen undersøker fem menneskers opplevelse med musikkterapi implementert gjennom en tretrinnsmodell som strekker seg fra DPS, til oppfølging på aktivitetshus og til egen hverdag. Informantene beskriver hvordan musikkterapi og musikk skaper ulike recoverynærende fristeder som legger til rette for mestring på ulike arena. De beskriver også hvordan musikkterapeuten blir et trygt forankringspunkt i overgangene mellom institusjon og oppfølgingstilbud. Artikkelforfatterne rekonseptualiserer tretrinnsmodellen til en fristedsmodell. I modellen har artikkelforfatterne gått vekk fra tretrinnsmodellens hierarkiske trinnmetafor og fokuserer på de recoverynærende fristedene beskrevet av informantene og viktigheten av relasjonen til musikkterapeut i overganger." Nøkkelord: musikkterapi, recovery, tretrinnsmodellen, sosial recovery, ressursorientert musikkterapi, samfunnsmusikkterapi
... CMT is a person-centred therapeutic approach, based on inclusive activities and with a distinct place in the shared life of a group (Stige and Aarø 2011). Notably, this method not only facilitates emotional and social interaction but also serves to alleviate behavioural and psychological symptoms in individuals with neurocognitive disorders (Rio 2018). ...
... Notably, this method not only facilitates emotional and social interaction but also serves to alleviate behavioural and psychological symptoms in individuals with neurocognitive disorders (Rio 2018). The researchers of this article based the study's framework on Stige and Aarø (2011), who summarized the key principles of CMT using the acronym PREPARE: participatory, resource-oriented, ecological, performative, activist, reflective and ethics-driven. It is participatory because of the sharing nature of the sessions and stresses the active role of the individuals in creating new relationship while they interact with each other. ...
... With the growth of CMT (Aigen et al. 2018;Stige and Aarø 2011;Wood and Ansdell 2018), there has been an increased interest in the affordance of learning and on the ripple effect of MT's benefits (Pavlicevic and Ansdell 2004). This trend reflects a growing acknowledgement of the crucial role that music plays in promoting health and overall well-being (McArton and Mantie 2023). ...
Community music-therapy (CMT) service evaluation in older adults’ care home communities is an important process to enhance the quality of therapists’ outputs and the development of client-centred approaches to meet the needs of residents and community. However, administrative limitations that could affect therapists’ contact time with clients may lead to the underestimation of service evaluation within the system. This study aims to explore community music therapists’ perceptions of the impact of their services in older adults’ care home communities using a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews. The therapists were asked to reflect on specific aspects of their community music therapy service, potential cognitive-behavioural and physiological effects of therapy, best-practices for assessment in MT and challenges experienced in this particular setting. Participants highlighted the unique value of CMT in care home communities. They demonstrated the ability to detect and assess impacts of CMT using clinical analysis methods, which can improve care plans for the residents. However, certain limitations, such as reduced hours, inadequate funding and a lack of recognition of CMT’s benefits by care home staff, were identified. Moreover, the analysis shed light on how COVID-19 impacted the CMT service in this context, emphasizing the need for adaptability and resilience in providing care. The implications of the results in an Italian community context are further analysed and discussed, stressing the importance of supporting CMT as a fundamental service in care home communities for older adults. By addressing the highlighted limitation and embracing the perspectives of community music therapists, care homes can optimize their services and enhance the well-being of their residents.
... 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.
... A recent sociocultural turn in music therapy literature has permitted the foundation of a relatively new practice with its related conceptual framework: Community Music Therapy. According to Stige and Aarø (2012), defining Community Music Therapy is not easy because of the different contexts of contemporary practice and because of the pressure that conventional clinical music therapy still exercises over the definition. Stige (2002) points out that, in order to understand how music 'works' in context, music therapists need to relate to other disciplines such as anthropology and ethnomusicology. ...
... The notion that 'music' is always 'good' is an assumption that some contemporary music therapists are reviewing through sociocultural perspectives (Ansdell 2015;Pavlicevic 2003;Pavlicevic & Ansdell 2004;Ruud 1998;Stige 2002;Stige & Aarø 2012). Reflective thinking about musicking experiences in context (For whom is it good? ...
Émile Jaques-Dalcroze was a Swiss music pedagogue who advocated the use of musical activities to develop different human qualities such as consciousness, personality, temperament, the subconscious, the muscular and nervous system, imagination, thought, behaviour, action, confidence, concentration and freedom of spirit. Many of his statements and intuitions are fully recognised in certain contemporary music therapy approaches, theories and practices. The aims of this article are to: acknowledge the presence of health and wellbeing in Jaques-Dalcroze’s understanding of Eurhythmics; discuss the contributions the method has made and does make in therapeutic or wellbeing contexts; and to develop an understanding of current Eurhythmics practice from the perspectives of contemporary music therapy theory. The article begins with a discussion of the ‘health-musicking’ concept and goes on to use vignettes of the author’s practice as a Eurhythmics teacher and music therapist to illuminate the argument. A second section relates the theory of communicative musicality to improvisation practices through a health and wellbeing lens. Finally, the conclusion exposes diverse ideas on how to carry out a Eurhythmics practice through a health and wellbeing perspective.
... Music therapists and other creative arts therapists, particularly in North America, have proposed various frameworks for anti-oppressive practice (Baines, 2013(Baines, , 2021 with members of socially marginalised groups and radically inclusive, social justice-based music/creative arts therapies approaches (Bain et al., 2016;Collier & Eastwood, 2022;Fansler et al., 2019). Some of these are inclusive of race, such as community music therapy (e.g., Ansdell & Pavlicevic, 2004;Stige & Aaro, 2012), resource-oriented music therapy (Rolvsjold, 2006), and feminist music therapy (e.g., Curtis, 2012;Hadley, 2006). Curtis (2012, p. 4), for example, defined her practice of feminist music therapy as This quotation from Curtis illustrates that social class is sometimes considered as one of a number of intersecting oppressions in the music therapy literature (e.g., Hadley, 2006;Rolvsjold, 2006;Stige & Aaro, 2012). ...
... Some of these are inclusive of race, such as community music therapy (e.g., Ansdell & Pavlicevic, 2004;Stige & Aaro, 2012), resource-oriented music therapy (Rolvsjold, 2006), and feminist music therapy (e.g., Curtis, 2012;Hadley, 2006). Curtis (2012, p. 4), for example, defined her practice of feminist music therapy as This quotation from Curtis illustrates that social class is sometimes considered as one of a number of intersecting oppressions in the music therapy literature (e.g., Hadley, 2006;Rolvsjold, 2006;Stige & Aaro, 2012). Furthermore, some middle-class music therapists have acknowledged their class privilege (e.g., Baines, 2021;Curtis, 2012;Hoskyns & Hadley, 2013). ...
The resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement in the summer of 2020 following the death of George Floyd highlighted, once again, the racial and socioeconomic inequities permeating western countries, and galvanised music therapists in the UK and elsewhere to reflect on the importance of race and social class in their profession and therapeutic practice. These discussions have a longer history in the US; in the UK they are in their infancy. Building on the 2020 British Association of Music Therapy Diversity Report (Langford et al., 2020), this study aimed to contribute to the burgeoning discussion in UK music therapy by inviting trainee and qualified music therapists to reflect on how – often intersecting – racial and socioeconomic inequities impact on music therapy training and practice and what changes are needed for music therapy to become more relevant to and representative of minoritised communities. Data were generated using an online qualitative survey (N=28) and five follow-up telephone interviews, allowing for both breadth and depth in an area where there is a paucity of research, and a higher level of “felt anonymity” for a potentially sensitive and threatening topic. Reflexive thematic analysis informed by critical race theory was used to develop three themes from the data: 1) Posh white ladies: the typical music therapist; 2) White normativity and fragility in music therapy; and 3) Music therapy: undervalued and too costly. In the conclusion, we synthesise the participants’ accounts into recommendations for diversifying the music therapy profession in the UK.
... While procedures related to preparation and presentation significantly overlap between in-person and virtual concerts, there are practical guidelines that may be specific to each. These considerations are derived from the CoMT literature to more closely align SFCs ® with the underlying ecological perspectives therein (Aigen, 2004(Aigen, , 2005Ansdell, , 2014aAnsdell, , 2014bGhetti, 2016;Hanser, 2018;Soshensky, 2011;Stige, 2002;Stige et al., 2010;Stige & Aarø, 2012;Turry, 2005). ...
... Recruiting local providers who work both inside and outside of music may amplify the social and musical enrichment SFCs ® can provide. Bridging and Bonding with behavioral and occupational therapy providers, local and statewide advocacy agencies, and inclusive studio teachers, as well as organizations specifically related to autism and the arts, fosters synergistic energy toward positive outcomes (Stige & Aarø, 2012). Reflexively, SFC ® s provide the opportunity for preservice teachers to work alongside members of the disability community, thereby nurturing their nascent commitment to protecting all peoples' right to musical experience. ...
The sensory friendly concert (SFC) represents an increasingly popular effort toward engaging the autism community in live music performances by promoting inclusive practices and offering specialized accommodations to counter what many consider the rigidity of concert etiquette. The authors explore academic and historical perspectives on SFCs and seek to highlight best practices for the design and facilitation of inclusive community music events in live and virtual settings. Drawing upon the experience of adapting a planned in-person protocol to the virtual setting, the authors explore benefits that extend far beyond the autism community. In addition to providing an environment in which self-expression, diversity, and community are celebrated, SFCs can serve as a transition-oriented therapeutic intervention aimed at promoting progress toward goals related to independent living and musical participation in the broader society, including school and community ensembles.
... The relatively new field of CoMT has many definitions and approaches. In their book Invitation to community music therapy, Stige and Aarø (2011) introduce the metaphor "attending to unheard voices" which suggests a collaborative approach to the therapeutic process. They offer the following description of CoMT, which fits well with the population in this study: "Community music therapy encourages musical participation and social inclusion, equitable access to resources and collaborative efforts for health and wellbeing in contemporary societies" (p. ...
Research on the health and well-being benefits of participating in music therapy initiatives such as group singing and drumming is steadily increasing. Community music therapy aims to render such initiatives more accessible to people who are marginalised due to race, gender, age and socio-economic status for example. This study focuses on people who are reluctant to participate in such musical initiatives because of negative self-beliefs about their musical identity. Previous studies have investigated the reasons behind these negative self-beliefs among certain populations, but there is a lack of research surrounding music therapy interventions that address this issue. This study aimed to explore reasons behind people’s negative self-beliefs about their musical identity among an Irish population. This study further aimed to investigate whether an intervention involving a Kodály-inspired community music therapy approach could produce a shift in those negative self-beliefs. Data gathered from seven participants during semi-structured preliminary and exit interviews and a 3-week focus group intervention was analysed using thematic analysis. It was found that negative self-beliefs about one’s musical identity were constructed from negative early experiences of music education and through adopting Irish society’s tendency to polarise people into musical and non-musical categories. These factors have contributed to many Irish people’s reluctance to participate in active music-making opportunities. Findings also revealed that participating in a Kodály-inspired community music therapy intervention produced a positive shift in people’s musical identity and a potential to consider participating in future active music-making opportunities. A Kodály-inspired community music therapy model of practice is proposed.
... Gatenivå-byråkraten har så og si ansvar for å omsette til dels komplekse og paradoksale policy-dokumenter til praksis, noe som gjør den profesjonelle til en form for lovens vokter, eller retningslinjenes rytter, i spennet mellom det offentlige og det private, og det formelle og det uformelle. Fra musikkterapilitteraturen er det kjent at musikkterapeuten ofte innehar et galleri av ulike roller og funksjoner i sitt arbeid, uavhengig av kontekst (se for eksempel Stige & Aarø, 2012). Vi kan forstå musikkterapeutens palett av rollevariasjoner på en barnevernsinstitusjon i lys av metaforen om gatenivå-byråkraten. ...
This article describes the opportunities and challenges in the start-up phase of a music therapy initiative at a child welfare institution for young people. The aim of the article is to understand aspects related to the establishment of a music therapy initiative at a child welfare institution, based on the perspectives of child welfare staff. This is achieved through the analysis of semi-structured interviews with five employees at a newly established childcare institution. Through these interviews, we formed a picture that participation is a central theme when the informants talk about music therapy. Therefore, the concept of participation constitutes a background and a theoretical framework in the article. The interviews have been analyzed with an emphasis on a hermeneutic understanding of how knowledge is constructed through interpretive processes. Findings are presented as a narrative linked to the informants' reflections on the preparation, work, and evaluation phases of the music therapy initiative. The article then discusses three theory-inspired themes: 1) the young people should be involved in the planning of the initiative, 2) the employees have a lot of knowledge that can be utilized, and 3) the evaluation should take place together with the young people.
... Following the unexpected outburst of COVID-19, we adjusted the design of our intergenerational music therapy intervention from in-person to virtual (using Zoom), and focused on communities living in Israel that due to the pandemic were forced to stay apart. As a suitable framework for our music therapy intervention, we utilized the theory of Community Music Therapy, which is aimed at improving interpersonal relations and promoting health and well-being in community non-clinical settings (Stige & Aarø, 2012). Moreover, acknowledging the effect of music to unite communities by putting forth social and existential themes ( Pavlicevic & Ansdell, 2004), we used songs that were popular among the older generation. ...
The lockdown policies in Israel during the COVID-19 pandemic hampered familial grandparents-grandchildren relations. There is initial evidence that older adults' meaning in life and will-to-live decreased. Grandparents could no longer meet their grandchildren in person. In response, we utilized an intergenerational telehealth music therapy group intervention during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Forty-four pairs of grandparents and grandchildren enrolled in a quasi-experimental study with an intervention and waitlist control group. Twenty-one pairs of grandparents-grandchildren participated in a weekly virtual group music therapy intervention (via Zoom) for 8 weeks (experimental group) and the remainder were waitlisted and received no intervention (control group). Participants in both groups completed the same questionnaires in parallel before and after the intervention. The grandparents' meaning in life, will-to-live and behavioral grandparenthood increased compared to no change observed in the control group. Further research with randomized-controlled treatment is recommended.
... Et eksempel er det sterke engasjementet for at alle skal ha mulighet til å delta i musikkaktivitet, et engasjement som har vaert karakteristisk for musikkterapeutisk praksis (Ruud, 1996). Det er også en økende interesse for rettighetsperspektiver, for eksempel barnekonvensjonen (Krüger, 2012;Krüger & Strandbu, 2015), for brukerperspektiver i psykisk helse (Rolvsjord, 2010(Rolvsjord, , 2014Solli, Rolvsjord & Borg, 2013;Solli & Rolvsjord, 2015), og for ulike deltakerperspektiver og inkludering (Stige, 2006;Stige & Aarø, 2012). Feminismen bidrar likevel, mener jeg, på en unik måte, ikke bare ved å tilby forståelse for musikkterapipraksiser med politiske agendaer, men med et perspektiv som kan bidra til å forstå menneskers ulike erfaringer som kvinne, mann eller transkjønnet, som innvandrer eller funksjonshemmet, inkludert deres erfaringer av ulikestilling og undertrykkelse. ...
Feminisme i musikkterapi kan kanskje oppfattes som et marginalt perspektiv i et marginalt fagfelt. Likevel har feministiske perspektiver i økende grad blitt presentert i musikkterapilitteraturen. Denne artikkelen vil forsøke å oppsummere de feministiske bidragene innenfor musikkterapien, og knytte dette til en bredere interdisiplinær kontekst av feminisme og kjønnsstudier. Feministiske perspektiver i musikkterapien systematiseres gjennom bekrivelse av tre ulike feministiske praksiser som er prominent i musikkterapilitteraturen: feministisk terapi, feministisk teori og kritikk, og feministisk forskning.
... Drawing on the premise that community participation and belonging are central to the concept of health, community music therapists actively explore relationships between various groups and their communities (Ansdell 2002;Pavlicevic & Ansdell 2004;Ruud 2010;Stige, Ansdell, Elefant & Pavlicevic 2010;Stige & Aarø 2012). Individuals become unwell, not only because of bodily dysfunction, but also because they are badly treated, ignored or misunderstood. ...
This article presents findings from qualitative research which aimed to capture the experience and views of people who were supporting fourteen learners with intellectual disabilities (aged 12-18) to perform with a professional orchestra. Findings have been analysed in two stages. The first analysis, published elsewhere (Rickson 2012), focused on supporters’ experiences of organising and preparing for the performance. The supporters believed that through practising and performing an orchestral work the diverse musicians had the potential to challenge stereotyped portrayals of disability, change attitudes and foster the ongoing inclusion of people with diverse abilities. However, while the learners’ responses during preparatory workshops were described as interesting, meaningful and creative, there seemed to be a general perception that they were vulnerable and in need of protection from potentially unsympathetic audiences. This dichotomy was examined in post-performance interviews with supporters and audience members. Findings, presented here, show that the narrative of vulnerability and ‘overcoming’ persisted. Nevertheless, interviewees remained convinced of the artistic value of the work and believed the learners had the potential to attract wider audiences to their performances. Further opportunities for young people with intellectual disabilities to be involved in community arts projects alongside non-disabled musicians may result.
... Recovery som teoretisk perspektiv og musikkterapeutisk teorigrunnlag deler flere likheter knyttet til hva helse, sykdom og behandling kan innebaere. Eksempler kan vaere empowerment og ressursorientering (Rolvsjord, 2004;, well-being (Ansdell, 2014), humanistisk menneskesyn (Ruud, 2010) og fokus på samfunnsorientering (Stige & Aarø, 2012). ...
Hensikten med denne artikkelen er å samle og strukturere brukererfaringer fra musikkterapi innen psykisk helse- og rusfeltet i Norge og bidra med ny innsikt i hvilken rolle musikkterapi kan ha i brukernes recoveryprosess. Artikkelen er en metasyntese med utgangspunkt i 8 evalueringsrapporter fra 5 forskjellige kommuner med til sammen 102 deltakere. Analysen er inspirert av stegvis induktiv-deduktiv metode (SDI). Funnene tyder på at recovery kan være en mangesidig prosess hvor musikkterapi kan bidra på flere områder, med flere fellesnevnere mellom psykisk helse- og rusfeltet. Akronymet CHIME, som viser til temaene tilknytning, håp, identitet, mening og myndiggjøring, med utvidelsen D, som viser til utfordringer, består av tema som kan gjenspeile områdene musikkterapi støtter oppunder i brukernes recoveryprosess.
... Dette dannar grobotn for utviklinga av mellom anna empowerment-filosofien, recovery-perspektivet, samt eit stadig sterkare fokus på brukarmedverknad og samfunnsorienterte perspektiv. I norsk musikkterapikontekst, speglar både det ressursorienterte perspektivet (Rolvsjord, 2010) og samfunnsmusikkterapien (Stige & Aarø, 2011) betydinga av det politiske aspektet ved musikkterapien. Ruud (2004) uttrykte dette slik i ein diskurs om samfunnsmusikkterapi: ...
The article explores Gjenklang, an organization dedicated to support artists affiliated with music therapy in the field of mental health, substance abuse and correctional services. Since 2020, Gjenklang has annually arranged a three-day festival at the rock club Hulen. Through the lenses of autoethnography as methodological approach, Gjenklangfestivalen is contextualised within the broader landscape of music therapy and examined as a cultural phenomenon. Stories from the three-day Gjenklangfestivalen along with theories of ritual, forms the basis for the problem formulation: How can Gjenklangfestivalen be understood in light of ritual theory, and what implications might this have for music therapy in the fields of mental health, substance abuse and correctional services? This is discussed through three distinct perspectives: Gjenklangfestivalen as a community of health performance, Gjenklangfestivalen as a community of feelings, and Gjenklangfestivalen as a community of activism. In conclusion Gjenklangfestivalen is claimed to be a significant and innovative addition to the field of music therapy and the culture life. However, further research about music therapy festivals is needed providing expanded arenas for Lived Life Live experiences.
... Another element in the potential 'mess' is the further broadening of the identity of the music therapist. Given the impact of culture-centred (Stige, 2002a) and community music therapy approaches (Stige, 2002b(Stige, , 2003; see also Aarø & Stige, 2012;Aasgaard, 2004;Ansdell & Pavlicevic, 2004) and their expansion of the identity and boundaries of our profession 7 , how will music therapy consolidate its professional identity if also moving into the realm of spirituality more directly? ...
This paper is a personal essay that offers reflection on professional experiences of music therapy practice with a focus on emotional and spiritual care in the hospital context in Australia. There is a growing need to map the terrain of music therapy in relation to spirituality. Music can deepen spiritual experiences and holds broad potential for addressing ‘the spiritual’ across contexts. Music therapy within a pastoral care context is considered, with spiritual and emotional support as the primary focus. After a brief discussion of spirituality in the music therapy literature, a context and background is provided for the establishment of a music therapy program within the pastoral care department of a regional hospital. Examples of ‘the spiritual’ in patient responses to music therapy are discussed. Professional challenges surrounding a more direct recognition of a spiritual aspect to music therapy are explored. Vignettes from clinical experiences across two different hospital settings are shared with reflection on the place of spirituality in the author’s practice. Practice-based experiences are considered against existing notions of spirituality in the music therapy literature, to see what they may offer in mapping this field. The relationship between body, mind and spirit is briefly explored, with a reflection on the position of spirituality in relation to health and culture.
... Valuing collective social action over individualized goals and therapy practice, CoMT considers sociocultural and sociohistorical contexts of individuals and communities and emphasizes collaboration (Stige & Aarø, 2011). The acronym PREPARE captures prominent features and values of CoMT: Participatory, Resource-Oriented, Ecological, Performative, Activist, Reflection, Ethics-driven. ...
... 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. ...
Dementia negatively affects the wellbeing of both caregivers and care recipients. Community-based therapeutic choir singing offers opportunities for music participation and social engagement that are accessible and mutually enjoyable for people with dementia and their family caregivers and promotes shared and meaningful musical interactions, which may support relationship quality. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the Remini-Sing therapeutic choir intervention on relationship quality, quality of life, depression, and social connectedness for dyads, as well as caregiver burden and care recipient anxiety. A randomized-controlled trial design was used with a target sample of 180 dyads. Due to recruitment difficulties, 34 participant dyads were recruited and randomly assigned to a 20-week group singing condition (n = 16) or a waitlisted control group (n = 18). Participant dyads consisted of people with dementia and their family caregivers who resided at home in the community. The Remini-Sing therapeutic choirs were held in community settings. Assessments were conducted by masked assessors at baseline, 11 weeks, and 21 weeks. Twenty-one dyads completed assessments at the primary timepoint (Week 11). Issues with recruitment and retention resulted in an unpowered study with no statistically significant findings. Mean decreases in anxiety and depression for choir participants with dementia were supported by medium to large effect sizes, indicating a potential intervention effect to be explored in future powered studies. Key learnings related to study design are discussed regarding recruitment, retention, participant burden, and sustainability, with recommendations made for future dementia research.
... The descriptions provided by these seven young leaders within The Salvation Army's Just Brass programme are slightly different, but also surprisingly similar, to the kinds of experiences reported by school-aged participants in other forms of music programmes. Whilst the Just Brass programme is not a music therapy intervention, music therapists working in the community music sphere, or therapists who see their clinical work through a community music therapy lens (Stige & Aaro, 2011), can learn much from the experiences of Just Brass participants. Just Brass also provides a sound example of a sustainable programme model for music therapists who seek to start programmes that aim to change systems (Vaudreuil, Bronson & Bradt, 2019) and are then continued by non-music therapists. ...
Many extracurricular music programmes provided for Australian students highlight wellbeing benefits; although the programmes vary significantly, with some being uniquely tailored by facilitators to the specific needs of each group, and others being manualised and delivered across the country. This research project investigated a manualised brass ensemble programme run by The Salvation Army with students from schools in areas of disadvantage. We interviewed a group of young leaders who had been involved in the programme for a number of years and asked them to reflect on their experiences of participation and leadership, both individually and as a collective. Analysis highlighted the importance of programme facilitation and leadership, as demonstrated through the understandings of the young people that their wellbeing was prioritised over their musicianship within the programme. This finding may provide a feasible explanation as to why some very different music programmes, from tailored therapy groups to manualised ensemble-playing on brass instruments, result in similar wellbeing outcomes being described by participants. It also challenges the demands of evidence-based research methodologies that attempt to separate out the influence of leadership from the effect of the music in order to prove the wellbeing benefits of music.
... Some music therapists, such as Procter (2004), also actively use non-medical ways to organise and understand their work, which de-emphasise the clinical. In this regard, there is a strong resonance between music-for-health work and the ideals of Community Music Therapy (Stige & Aarø, 2012). ...
This qualitative research study investigated how music-for-health practitioners make sense of decision-making in the context of paediatric hospital wards in the UK. Whilst existing studies have explored the skills practitioners develop and how these relate to outcomes and benefits of music for health, this article describes specifically the process of decision making and how practitioners drew on previously attained skills. Four music-for-health practitioners, all of whom work in paediatric hospital wards in the UK, were interviewed regarding their experiences of making decisions. The interviews were semi-structured. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and the following themes emerged: (i) Building the foundations; (ii) Taking note and taking in; (iii) Performance conditions; and (iv) Forms of communication. The research is addressed to music-for health practitioners at the beginning of their careers, offering ways to understand the process of decision making. It might also support more experienced practitioners to understand and reflect on their professional decision-making processes and to have an evidence base to use when training new practitioners. With its focus on the paediatric hospital, this article also has possible multi-disciplinary relevance in helping doctors, nurses and other staff better understand music-for-health practice.
... It has a relational character, which means that it relies on a specific, dynamic relationship between the current self and the object at which it is directed (Heszen-Niejodek, 2003). While listening to music, music becomes an object of attention, while in therapy it is treated as a tool (i.e. a stimulus that evokes reactions, or a medium) (Stige & Aaro, 2012) and it facilitates the relationship with different areas of functioning through reactions it evokes. ...
This paper investigates profound music experience considered in the context of broadly understood spirituality. It focuses on the application of music therapy to people who access psycho-oncological care. The paper is based on a phenomenological study which aimed to explore the patients’ experiences, focused on the intrapersonal process in which the impact of music therapy is intended to strengthen the resources and internal forces of persons who are in the process of healing after their oncological treatment. As a result of the horizontal qualitative analysis of patients’ autobiographical narratives, three thematic groups of experiences have been identified: i) experiences of a certain unreality and a sense of deep wellbeing – a kind of flow; ii) experiences of a transformational change and transgressive experiences, exceeding the limitations; iii) transcendent experiences. Vertical analysis allowed the creation of a therapeutic profile of every patient which indicted the common path of experiencing therapeutic changes that took place as a result of their participation in music therapy sessions. Horizontal-vertical analysis revealed the relationships between particular groups of experiences and the paths of experiencing therapeutic changes shared by all the patients.
... This supports the reflexive ways they examine their practice, position themselves, and frame role relationships to walk alongside clients (Devlin, 2018;dos Santos, 2022;Fisher & Leonard, 2022). This type of reflexivity can also support therapy taking on an entirely different meaning and trajectory when lived context is considered deeply (Scrine, 2021;Stige & Aarø, 2012). Music therapists' training must therefore support cultural situatedness, relational responsiveness, and disruptions of oppression and colonialism (Colonialism and Music Therapy Interlocutors [CAMTI], 2022; dos Santos, 2022;Hadley, 2021). ...
The discipline of music therapy is practiced differently across the globe and over the years, in all regions of the world, the number of music therapy training programs has expanded. As such, there is a need to reflect on the differences between education and training programs, which vary according to the local culture, educational needs, theoretical background, and scope, among others. Music therapists work in a variety of environments including hospitals, community centres, regular or special education schools, speciality clinics, private practice, and long-term care homes, etc. Music therapists are tasked with navigating policies in their workplaces and balancing the needs of their clients/consumers/service users. This article written together by educators and a student aims to present brief highlights of the work of the authors whose collaboration resulted in a presentation at the European Congress of Music Therapy in June 2022. This presentation focused on the challenges and issues faced by the discipline of music therapy and health in general, based on the analysis of systemic issues in education and training, social issues, and significant issues such as multiculturalism, equity, and race around the world. These were identified as important issues for the authors who desired to raise awareness on these topics to further open ongoing dialogue. Our aim is to contribute to the establishment of dialogues between music therapy educators, allied health professionals, researchers, and students for the implementation of new courses and the updating of existing programs, expanding views on possible music therapy interventions in contemporary times.
... A CoMT approach refer to participatory, salutogenic, and ecologic practices, performed in inclusive, non-clinical settings. CoMT is concerned with how music can be used to create structures of participation and experience of inclusion (Stige & Aarø, 2012). This is a way of understanding music therapy which is particularly relevant for people with a LAC background and their families because these people in a greater extent than others may need facilitated participation at venues in the local community and thereby experience of an inclusive community (Krüger, 2019). ...
In this article, we explore challenges and possibilities as expressed by young people who participated in a music workshop in Norway (MWS). The participants in the workshop had a background referred to as looked after children (LAC) in the Norway. All participants had experiences with foster care or/and residential care. The music activities they reported on took place in a public “cultural house”, and included listening to music, songwriting, playing in a band and performing, led by music therapists. The study is based on a qualitative research methodology, using a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews, where we ask the following research question; What are the challenges and possibilities of participating in community music therapy for looked after children who have been removed from their families by Norwegian child protection service? To answer this question, we interviewed eleven young adults between the ages of sixteen and 23. We identified three themes; Music is a vehicle for the creation of meaning in a challening life situation, Building peer relationships and sharing life experiences through participation in the music workshop and Dealing with complex emotions and identity through music therapy. Findings are discussed in the light of theoretical perspectives on child protection, music therapy and psychology, and more specifically, trauma informed care and community music therapy. Implications for practice and research are highlighted. We suggest that work with LAC should follow a person oriented and community-oriented approach, where the child is empowered to take part in activities in community settings where support can be found from peers and adults.
... Generally, within the field of music therapy, a range of theoretical perspectives promote relational qualities such as collaboration, equality, and mutuality. For example, humanistic perspectives (Ruud, 2010) such as resource-oriented music therapy (Rolvsjord, 2010), community music therapy (Stige & Aarø, 2012;Stige et al., 2010), recovery perspectives Solli et al., 2013) and feminist perspectives (Hadley, 2006), challenge power relations (Rolvsjord, 2016), which is the overall theme of this study. Additionally, some music therapy literature explicitly suggests that relational qualities between the client and the music therapist may affect the therapeutic outcome (John, 1995;Rolvsjord, 2010;Trondalen, 2016). ...
Introduction: Most of the existing literature on the therapeutic relationship in music therapy rests on the researcher’s point of view. Hence, there is a limited amount of research that focuses on what creates a helpful client-therapist relationship from the client’s perspective. This study aimed to explore what participants from various psychiatric units at different hospitals in Norway find to be helpful characteristics in the client-therapist relationship in music therapy.Method: Four participants were interviewed using in-depth semi-structured interviews focusing on their perspectives on what creates a helpful client-therapist relationship in music therapy. Through the use of interpretative phenomenological analysis, two superordinate themes, each with four following subordinate themes, were developed.Results: Two super-ordinate themes were developed, namely “Power relations” and “Feeling safe and being challenged.” The participants expressed that “to not feel judged,” “the use of layman’s language,” “informality, flexibility, and collaboration in treatment,” as well as “trust” and “honesty” are important elements for a helpful client-therapist relationship.Discussion: The findings presented in this article, are discussed in relation to theory from psychology, music therapy, and previous studies from the field of mental healthcare. All participants spoke about previous experiences of power imbalance in mental health care. The findings suggest that a relationship that is based on equality and mutual respect contributes to a feeling of trust – all of which are proposed as helpful characteristics in the client-therapist relationship in music therapy.
... The sessions offered to the participants in this study can be characterized as humanistic (Ruud, 2010), resource-oriented (Rolvsjord, 2010), and influenced by community music therapy (Pavlicevic & Ansdell, 2004;Stige & Aarø, 2012). The sessions were planned and organized according to the four phases of the "music workshop model" (Krüger & Strandbu, 2015), which divides the work into four parts: (1) a preparation phase, (2) a work phase, (3) a realization phase, and (4) an evaluation phase. ...
The purpose of this article is to contribute more knowledge about digital technology in music therapy and public health, focusing on portable tablet technology. The article presents the findings from a multiple case study in which four adolescent outpatients from a mental health institution for children and adolescents participated in an iPadbased music workshop. The empirical data is sourced from qualitative interviews and participatory observation conducted during the workshop. The analysis suggests that the activity of making music with an iPad establishes and develops social relations, promotes self-esteem, and develops identity, enhances subjective wellbeing, and aids in dealing with daily life problems. Furthermore, it is suggested that the activity has value in terms of affording co-creation, strengthening agency, and building self-efficacy. The discussion includes reflections and critique concerning health-affordance, health musicking, and identity, and it argues for the benefits of using digital music technology with adolescents in mental health care.
... Musical participation and social inclusion are encouraged in CoMT, alongside the provision of access to collaborative initiatives supporting wellness. In this regard CoMT looks similar to Community Music (Stige, & Aaro, 2012). Musicking is central to the work of CoMT, in that music is a participatory activity that includes the relationships between the environment and the people making music together. ...
... 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.
Music therapy has shown efficacy in serious and chronic conditions, mental disorders, and disabilities. However, there is still much to explore regarding the mechanisms through which music interventions exert their effects. A typical session involves interactions between the therapist, the client and the musical work itself, and to help address the challenges of capturing and comprehending its dynamics, we extend our general computational paradigm (CP) for analyzing the expressive and social behavioral processes in arts therapies. The extension includes bodily and non-verbal aspects of the behavior, offering additional insights into the client’s emotional states and engagement. We have used this version of the CP, which employs AI pose estimation technology, image processing and audio analysis, to capture therapy-related psychometrics and their intra- and inter-session analysis. The CP is applied in a real world proof-of-concept study, and the results enable us to pinpoint meaningful events and emergent properties not captured by the human eye, complementing the therapist’s interpretations. The resulting data may also be useful in other scientific and clinical areas.
Denne artikkelen tek for seg musikkterapi i demensomsorg. Førebels er musikkterapitenestene for menneske med demens fragmentert og oftast prioritert til menneske som bur på institusjon. Artikkelen føreslår eit tenkt musikkterapitilbod som fylgjer ein ung mann med demens gjennom hans demensforløp, frå diagnosen vert sett til den siste fasen i livet. Ved å nyttiggjere seg av musikkterapi som ein del av tilbodet gjennom overgangane i livet som demens gjev, vil ein kunne vere med på å bevare autonomi, «Well-being», kjensle av identitet samt styrke relasjonar til menneska denne mannen har rundt seg. Teksten gjev vignettar som vert diskutert gjennom teori og praksisnære refleksjonar.
Det er flere som bruker musikk som en form for selvhjelp i situasjoner som er vanskelige, ved livskriser, for å overkomme sin frykt og angst, for å redusere smerte, forbedre søvnvaner, eller regulere energinivået, for å nevne noen sentrale temaer. Disse formene for "selvteknologier" kunne oppfattes som atferd som har til hensikt å forbedre eller fremme sin helse, en form for atferdsimmunologi ved hjelp av kulturelle midler. Disse helsepraksisene er ikke forsket på systematisk og vi trenger å vite mer om hvilke musiseringsformer folk bruker, hvilke læringsstrategier som er involvert eller hvilke kontekstuelle faktorer som virker inn på musikkbruken. I denne artikkelen vil jeg med utgangspunkt i tre natrrativer diskutere noen av de forutsetningene eller generative mekanismene som er tilstede når musikk brukes som egenomsorg i hverdagen.
Artistic expressions in the realms of mutually integrated sound culture and visual culture count as the essential elements of the traditional healing rituals in Sri Lanka. While music has a key role in the therapeutic process, visual ingredients provide the ritual setting with a glamour that exceeds the day-to-day domestic environment experience. Made for the occasion, a decorated ritual setting is the first sign to publicly announce the event and to create visual excitement. Its main aim is to welcome the invisible supernatural beings responsible for a disease. The sound produced by voices (chants, incantations, blessings, poetry, dialogues) and musical instruments (drums, handbells, hand cymbals, conch shells, anklets) aims to assure participation of community members and to act as a medium of connecting supernatural beings with the human world. Besides the visual and aural stimuli, the main roles in Sri Lankan healing rituals are given to unity thinking ,community caring, and community setup .Lessons learned from traditional healing rituals which integrate music, dance, visual arts, crafts ,and drama for the sake of individual comfort and the community’s wellbeing, have potential to benefit a variety of disciplines with a focus on artistic and/or therapeutic practices and outcomes such as medical and applied ethnomusicology and anthropology, psychomusicology, sociomusicology, visual arts, music therapy, including community music therapy and ethnomusic therapy, dance/movement therapy, psychotherapy, drama therapy, and more. The author’s arguments are expected to contribute to knowledge and understanding of holistic healing practices of Sri Lanka as non-pharmacological treatments marked by mutually interrelated artistic means and therapeutic effects.
This study investigates the experiences of people involved in a virtual intervention involving community music and music therapy for individuals with autism. The intervention blends conventional music therapy and community music approaches. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many community music and music therapy projects shifted to an online format and there is a resultant need to understand more about how virtual music interventions may be of benefit for individuals with autism. We report on the design, implementation, and outcomes of one such intervention. Over an 8-week period, community musicians and music therapists ( music facilitators) based in Scotland and America delivered 16 music sessions, which were recorded using the Zoom software. During the sessions the participants wrote, performed, and recorded two songs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with two of the participants, using video elicitation techniques, and six of the facilitators. Data were analyzed thematically. The intervention was found to (1) enable participants to explore their personal narratives, (2) promote self-perceptions of achievement, and (3) provide evidence of mastery, creativity, and self-expression. An international collaboration made possible by technology enabled facilitators to work remotely and participants to make use of new opportunities for engagement. This article demonstrates how community music practices focusing on participation and music therapy approaches focusing on clinical outcomes can be integrated. We present the online environment as its own social milieu in which creativity and connection can be explored in new ways.
Older people living in their homes might experience growing loneliness, detachment from their social environment, and decreased functional ability. In this community case study, we report on a project we initiated to enhance the functional ability of older people by creating musical life reviews (MLR) with them. We connected seven of our music therapy graduates (MT) to older people living in the neighborhood across the street from campus. MTs were first trained to work by a protocol for creating MLRs with older people, developed by the authors of this article. They then worked with older people from the neighborhood for 10 one-on-one sessions, on personally tailored MLRs. MTs kept on meeting in weekly group supervision sessions, thus learning from each other- and forming a community of their own. Participants expressed their high satisfaction with the process and reported that their MLRs became increasingly important to them. Most of them were interested in taking their MLR one step ahead, and playing it to family and/or friends, and, as part of the process, planned a personal event to do this. Further, two big community events were initiated by participants and MTs. To conclude, we show how the community project enhanced the functional ability of those participating in it. We also point at possible challenges and recommendations for further implementation of the project.
У статті розглянуто специфіку функціонування динамічного бізнес-середовища, яке стимулює підприємства постійно адаптуватися до змін та формувати ефективні стратегії для забезпечення своєї прибутковості. Досліджено процес формування стратегії підприємства в умовах постійних змін у бізнес-середовищі. Проаналізовано ключові аспекти формування стратегії підприємства, зокрема ідентифікацію факторів зовнішнього середовища, що впливають на бізнес-процеси, аналіз внутрішніх ресурсів і конкурентоспроможності, а також принципи визначення стратегічних цілей та планів дій. Розглянуто методики і інструменти, що допомагають підприємствам ефективно адаптуватися до змін, такі як SWOT-аналіз, PESTLE-аналіз, портфельний аналіз та інші. Визначено важливість постійного моніторингу і стратегічного планування для забезпечення умов сталого розвитку суб’єкта господарювання. Запропоновано рекомендації щодо формування стратегії підприємства в умовах динамічного бізнес-середовища.
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.
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