The Therapeutic Power of Music: Insights from a Music Therapist
Expertise in Music Therapy
Background and Training:
Trained with Mary Priestley, a prominent figure in analytical music therapy.
Recipient of two internships in analytical music therapy and two in Nordoff Robbins, ultimately finding analytical music therapy to be the most comfortable method.
Mary Priestley's lectures in Germany are documented in The Heredge Lectures, highlighting her excellence as a trainer, person, and writer.
Undertook an influential internship with Mary Priestley in London at a very large, old psychiatric institution called St. Bernard's.
This institution was characterized by a high patient-to-room ratio, limited privacy, and clients with severe conditions and diverse diagnoses (e.g., bipolar, psychotic, depression, suicidal).
Mary Priestley conducted therapy in a small porta cabin on the hospital grounds, where she effectively helped patients.
The Analytical Music Therapy Session Structure
Setting: A porta cabin equipped with a large grand piano and chairs for clients.
Phases of the Session:
Psychodynamic Movement:
Involved tensing and releasing exercises to address physical and mental tension.
Incorporated deep, slow breathing exercises to decrease mental and physical intensity and tempo.
Client-Selected Music and Movement:
Clients chose music from available options, to which they would move.
Processing: Discussion following the movement to client-selected music.
Improvised Music:
Clients used available instruments to improvise music based on a theme collaboratively elicited by the group and therapist.
Post-Improvisation Discussion: Dialogue about the improvised music experience.
Deep Relaxation:
Clients sat in chairs, closed their eyes, and listened to live piano music played by Mary Priestley.
The music could be improvised or established pieces, described as