Music as Co-therapist: Creative resource for change

Journal/Book: Journal of the Association for Music and Imagery. 1992; 1: 77-84.

Abstract: "Individuals stuck in unhealthy patterns of thinking and behaving often benefit from a creative approach to psychotherapy which uses symboloic language. The familiar language of words, in its routine nature, often contributes to habitual self-defeating behavior. The symbolic language of music has the ability to disorganize rgidly embedded thought and behavior patterns and to reorganize them in a healthier, more growth-producing manner. Music as a structrede system provides a safe containment for changes to occur. This article discisses the use of msuic as co-therapist for the purpose of initiating creative insights and fresh perspectives from the imaginal realm."

Note: In a short introduction to the GIM technique the author underlines, that "Music is used to increase the client's involvement with their emotional state." Through a case study ("Randall", dealing with a feeling of "stuckness" related to emotional problems with both parents) RS demonstrates the music's ability to facilitate the disorganization of rigid patterns and a healthy reorganization of the client's psychic system. "Music can invoke the creative power of the imaginal world to access important memories and permit the client to view them from a fresh perspective." The author also shows the posibilities of accessing different 'levels of awarenes' through the music experience, giving the client opportunity to meet inner wisdom figures or tapping "an inner reservoir of wisdom, not usually accesible" - i.e. experience inner ressources in a symbolic representation form. Quoting Rollo May and Willis Harman RS elaborates her concept of the metaphoric qualities of music (Skaggs 1994). Western Art Music provides "a full range of human emotions and tension-resolution passages often equated with death-rebirth aspects." May says that the in the encounter with great art "Something comes into being, something that has not been there before". This could be a new awareness, allowing the client to release emotions, see through rigid thought patterns and searching for new possibilities. The role of the music as co-therapist is based on its dynamic nature and its symbolic content: "Music is analogous to human interaction...Both are continuously involved in change and diversity. The many textures heard in musical instruments, the range of tones and dynamics, the continual movement forward - always within certain structures boundaries - provide a non verbal symbolic content form which the listener derives meanins of personal relevancy. Patterns in music elicit patterns in thoughts, feelings and behaviours." (p.80) The importance of knowing the music is illustrated with an example, that may be questioned as to the nature of the therapist's intervention: A client was trapped in a maze - the therapist knows that an 'uplifting flute passage' is close and suggests "Let the flute help you to find a way out." - Which it did. My question is: How did the therapist know, that the client's most important need was not to explore the maze?

Keyword(s): GIM training. Symbol. Metaphor

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