What is Music Therapy?
Music Therapy is a psychological intervention, delivered by HCPC registered therapists as part of the Allied Health Professionals group. There are many different forms of music therapy, but most often it involves the live and spontaneous co-production of music, largely improvised, and the reflection and processing of this musical engagement. A strong and trusting psychological bond is formed through the music-making, and this relationship forms the therapeutic work that is to come.
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Music therapy can be uniquely effective where more traditional talking therapies are not appropriate; such as when a client is non-verbal or pre-verbal, or when working with traumatic memories that are too painful to access verbally.
What might sessions involve?
Clinical Improvisation
Often, clients are encouraged to express themselves completely freely and authentically on a choice of instruments. The therapist will respond to the clients music and attune to their mood, emotion and expression. Just as Freud used free association as a window to the client's subconscious, clinical improvisation can similarly act as a blank canvas for the client to project their subconscious desires and conflicts, to be held and safely explored with the therapist.
Songwriting/Lyric Analysis
Where appropriate, the client may choose to contain their emotions and experiences in a song. This can be a less direct way to express troubling thoughts and feelings, and also promotes a sense of ownership over the process. Where writing new lyrics is perhaps not possible or too difficult, existing songs can be chosen and the lyrics carefully analysed and discussed, often leading to revelatory self discoverie
Listening/Song sharing
Favourite music or important music can be shared in therapy sessions, starting a dialogue and allowing the client to bring something of themselves to sessions. Sometimes, playlists are co-created for important times in a clients life, to be utilised in difficult times, or to remember a lost loved one.