Powerlessness or Serenity, Courage, and Wisdom in Music Therapy?
God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
[In: Wheeler, 2005]
Introduction
Serenity, courage, and wisdom—What do they have to do with Music Therapy? When I first saw this prayer in "Music therapy as psychotherapy: theory and practice" by Valentin Petrushin (1999), among other prayers and quotations in the chapter "Health and moral principles," I felt surprised. The author suggested using them during music meditative exercises (Petrushin, 1999, p. 57) aiming to encourage a person to think positively about things happening in his/her live (Petrushin, 1999, p. 18). I liked this prayer at once, wrote it down, and hung it above my head. Every morning as I get up, I read it before beginning a day full of challenges and timing.
This autumn having chosen to write my prècis about Psychology of Health, I opened the book on the chapter "Adjusting to life: stress, coping, and health." Here I found the same prayer which I repeat at least twice every day. It was given as an example on "importance of controllability in the choice of coping strategies or techniques" (Passer, 2003, p. 480).
A few days ago I read a new column by Barbara Wheeler "On Powerlessness." It was about a strong wish to help, to change things for the best, and a feeling of being powerless. I felt deeply touched recognizing the prayer she used to cope with this feeling, also known to me.
These three meetings with one of my favorite prayers made me start thinking about powerlessness and serenity, courage, and wisdom in Music Therapy. And I would like to share with you what I realized while wondering about them.
Feeling Powerless
Even Ruud described in his "Introduction to Christoph Schwabe: Resource-Oriented Music Therapy..." (2005) that he had a strong wish as a young music therapist to meet Christoph Schwabe whom "he had admired through his books", but he had no success in doing it because of the political system established in the East Germany that time. He mentioned that Christoph Schwabe was not even among those who were allowed to travel to music therapy conferences in West Germany (Ruud, 2005, p. 47).
Brynjulf Stige shared his experiences of establishing music therapy education in Sandane (Norway) in an interview from March 2005. He had been struggling to do this as far back as 1986:
To establish something new means that one becomes upset and tired from time to time. But there are some incredible big efforts between the difficult times and it helps when facing new uphills. It has been true from 1986. One becomes used to uphills, but they are still as heavy as before every time they come (Stige, in: Wichmann 2005, p. 16, translated by author).
Rika Ikuno wrote about her wish to work as music therapist volunteering in a children’s center and confrontation with the existing social systems:
Spring...The season of tax declaration...I am confronted with the increase in the risk of income, and increase in the amount of expenses relating to the work. What have I been doing during the last year? Am I a beneficial person for the society? I understand and convince myself that my kind of work cannot be simply conversed to money, but the society in general does not admit such logic... (Ikuno, 2005)
Barbara Wheeler faced situations when patients could not recognize benefits of music therapy:
...some patients are referred to music therapy because their nurse feels that they might benefit from it, but when I approach them about a music therapy session, they refuse, saying that they are too tired or in too much pain or under too much stress. The reasons that they do not want music therapy are often the very things that music therapy might help—if they would only give music therapy a chance!! I am frustrated over my powerlessness to help them if they will not let me help (Wheeler, 2005).
But even through hard times, all of them still continued to demonstrate serenity, courage, and wisdom.
Serenity, Courage, and Wisdom
Even Ruud did not give up admiring Christoph Schwabe and his humanistic position. He had no idea about the reason they could not meet, but he tried to find an explanation and this way he realized that it was not a person, but a system hindering the start of their communication years ago. When I first read some few passages of "Music and Identity" by Even Ruud last spring, I felt this strong humanistic thinking behind his words.
Christoph Schwabe continued with his work in music therapy even without the possibility of attending Western conferences. His concept of the active role of a client/patient in music therapy is one of those which I feel mostly related to:
Schwabe seems to take a clear stand against any mechanistic way of explaining the "effects" of music therapy. His anti-pharmacological position is reflected in his concept of the individual and his contextual approach to therapy where clients are allowed to gain control of their life, and are not simply "treated" passively (Ruud, 2005, p. 48).
Brynjulf Stige keeps trying and encouraging colleagues to work further on the development of music therapy both nationally and internationally. Besides other important moments, there are two of the most famous journals, both Voices and Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, which have their locality in Sandane, a little village of Norway on the West cost of the country.
I feel that Rika Ikuno and colleagues are trying to do their best working and praying for their little clients. Even when it was possible just the last day of the fiscal year to let children feel free both to run and to play music instruments a little longer than usual, they did it too. She gives lectures to illustrate the wonder of music therapy. I feel that these efforts have national meaning for establishing music therapy in Japan (Ikuno, 2005).
Barbara Wheeler feels and experiences that a lot her work on an oncology unit is effective that patients become less stressed, more relaxed, become less depressed and anxious [Wheeler, 2005]. This work is just one side of her dedication. She also edited the so-called "Bible" of Research in Music Therapy which came in the second edition this year and is the book which seems to be one of the most important in Music Therapy.
Summary
I feel that Even Ruud, Christoph Schwabe, Brynjulf Stige, Rika Ikuno, and Barbara Wheeler have great experiences in dealing with powerlessness. And their work is a real example of it. They demonstrate serenity, courage, and wisdom trying to be to the right time in the right place. They do things which have both national and international meaning for Music therapy giving hope to those who really need it.
We all are just humans and can not manage everything and at once. Some things need time and seem to be not perfect. Sometimes we realize that all we do is not enough and maybe even doubt whether our efforts make any sense. In these cases, let us pray all together to God asking for serenity, courage, and wisdom to let him empower us and give His grace. Let us pray for people who do not see their chances so that we can get a possibility to help them in a way He wants.
References
Barbara Wheeler (2005). On Powerlessness. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved December 10, 2005, from http://voices.no/?q=fortnightly-columns/2005-powerlessness
Ikuno, Rika (2005). Melancholy in Spring—A Reflection of a Music Therapist. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved December 10, 2005, from http://voices.no/?q=fortnightly-columns/2005-melancholy-spring-reflectio...
Ivannikova, Mariya A. (2004). Further Facts About the Historical Background to the Development of Music Therapy in the Ukraine. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved December 10, 2005, from http://voices.no/?q=country-of-the-month/2004-further-facts-about-histor...
[Petrushin, Valentin Ivanovich (1999). Music Therapy as Psychotherapy: Theory and Practice. Moscow: Vlados] Петрушин В.И. Музыкальная психотерапия: теория и практика. – Москва: Владос. – 1999. – 176 с.
Ruud, Even (2005). Introduction to Christoph Schwabe: Resource-Oriented Music Therapy. The Development of a Concept. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy.14(1), p. 47- 48.
Schwabe, Christoph (2005). Resource-Oriented Music Therapy - The Development of a Concept. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 14(1), p. 49-56.
Wheeler, Barbara (ed.) (2005). Music Therapy Research, 2nd Edition, Barcelona Publishers.
Wichmann, Stina (2005). Musikkterapistudiet flytter hjemmefra. Musikkterapi, 3, p. 13-17.
About Ivannikova, Mariya
Biography
MA, Dipl.-Psych., made her guest study at the Department for Music Therapy at University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal, Germany, from April 1999 to July 2000. From 2000 to 2003 took part at carrying out of a new collaborative project between State University Zaporizhzhia and University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal "Social psychological rehabilitation with music," Music Therapy. From 2002 to 2004 worked as a Lecturer for Psychology and Languages at the Department of Social Pedagogy and Psychology at State University Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. She currently studies in Norway to complete her music therapy education.
Overcoming Powerlessness
I read an article called On Powerlessness (Wheeler, 2005). The author talked about the different situations in which she felt powerless. She discussed three different instances in which she had that particular feeling. Also, she spoke on how after feeling defenseless against many occurrences that happened in her life beyond her control; she became more aware of how she was empowered. Powerlessness is a real feeling that many people find themselves experiencing. A person can turn that vulnerable position into something positive sometimes by just thinking optimistically.
One of the instances in the article in which she felt immobilized was when she was not able to get home on time from the airport. The cause of the delay of her homecoming was that there were some problems with her first connecting flight which further held her up for another flight and her last connecting flight.
A second time in which she felt events were too overwhelming for her to change was when Hurricane Katrina came through New Orleans. She saw on TV how people were devastated in how their government, who they thought they could depend on in such a time, did not respond to their plight in a timely manner. Also, seeing those people on the rooftops of buildings to escape the flood and being told not to come to the area to give aid gave her a helpless feeling. Her way of dealing with this was to call or email the people in the area that she knew.
A third example in which she continuously feels a sense of weakness in her circumstances is on her job at a hospital where she carry out music therapy sessions. Nurses ask her to do some music therapy sessions with an oncology or cancer patient because they feel that the clients would benefit from the sessions. Her dilemma is when the patient refuses the treatment. She believes that during the patients’ healing or painful time at the hospital this type of therapy will alleviate a lot of their stress, anxiety, depression, and pain. I get a sense that she understands why they refused—simply because they may be in too much pain, stress, etc. to comprehend how much these sessions would help them.
Dr. Wheeler has found a way to deal with her feelings of powerlessness. Basically, she tries to accept certain events as they occur and not to put too much energy in getting upset because she cannot change them. She mentioned that the Serenity Prayer gives her comfort. Also, she likes to think of things that can empower her during these times.
I can relate to the author’s article. There have been plenty of instances in my life in which I felt powerless. One occasion for me was being a new mother especially in my child’s first two months of life, which was very hectic. I had to depend on my family to get me through at first. As time passed, I started to learn to adjust my schedule to the baby’s. I developed a routine that worked for me. By the time my child reached six months, I became an expert in handling any situation that could arise in my motherhood saga. Learning my role as a mother and incorporating problem-solving skills helped to empower me. I gained a heightened sense of confidence when I got to this stage in my life.
Many people experience helpless feelings at one time or another. A person just has to learn to adapt and accept certain circumstances in life that cannot be changed. This type of negative feeling gives a person a chance to take an inventory of the positive ways in which to handle this situation. The sense of feeling immobilized should never be permanent.
References
Wheeler, B. (2005). On powerlessness. Voices : A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved November 15, 2009, from http://voices.no/?q=fortnightly-columns/2005-powerlessness
Response to Barbara Wheeler's "On Powerlessness
In her article "On Powerlessness", Barbara Wheeler shares some of her personal experiences with powerlessness as a music therapist and outside of her professional work. Opening the topic, she describes her surroundings while writing this article: sitting in a Copenhagen airport, having missed the flight back to the United States due to a late arrival of her connecting flight. While sitting, waiting, and writing, she remembers Hurricane Katrina, its devastating impact on the residents of New Orleans, and the helplessness felt by many when governmental agencies failed to respond properly. As a music therapist, she often experiences personal powerlessness when patients at a hospital oncology unit refuse to accept music therapy treatment. Having been referred for music therapy by their nurses, they don’t give it a chance, saying they are "…too tired or in too much pain or under too much stress…" and thus reject the very thing that can improve those symptoms. Finally, she describes the Serenity Prayer used in 12-step groups as a good way of distinguishing between what one can change, and what one cannot change. There was much I learned and identified with in this article. In my experience doing practicum work as a student music therapist at the University of Louisville, I have experienced much of the same powerlessness that Dr. Wheeler describes. For example, I remember feeling powerless when a student with Emotional Behavior Disorder got into trouble before the session I led began and therefore was not allowed to participate. During another practicum experience, I remember a client reacting violently to the drastic change in medication that day. It seemed that nothing I offered in the way of music therapy would address this client's goals.
Like Dr. Wheeler, I also feel frustrated and disappointed with clients that have expressed no interest in music therapy. In my experience with selling kitchen cutlery before enrolling at the University of Louisville, I would often experience rejection, but would leave my phone number and brochure, and follow up another time. Even still, there was only a limited number of people I could sell to, just as there is a limited number of people who will receive music therapy.
The powerlessness experienced by some of our clients must be severe. While we need to honor their decision whether or not to receive music therapy treatment, I think there are ways to respond with empathy, care, and an appropriate persistence if we believe music therapy will truly be beneficial to them. Patients are ultimately powerless over death if their illness is terminal. We are initially powerless over a patient's lack of confidence in music therapy. However, patients are not powerless over how they face death, and we are not powerless in our response to a patient who doesn't show interest in music therapy.
While music therapists need to show the utmost respect to a patient who says, "No" to music therapy, I imagine that most patients rarely respond with the word "No." Dr. Wheeler describes her frustration with patients with responses such as "too tired or in too much pain or under too much stress. The reasons that they do not want music therapy are often the very things that music therapy might help—if they would only give music therapy a chance!!" But these types of reactions are different than a patient saying "No, now please get out of my room." If we believe that music therapy can reduce this patient's pain, stress, and help with relaxation, then these types of responses indicate that we have come to the right place! A way of responding to "I'm too tired" could be "Well, John, you look tired and I respect your desire to rest. But the truth is soft classical music can help you rest much more easily. May I play you some soft classical music to help you rest?" There were four parts to this type of response: First, I restated and affirmed the objection to music therapy. Second, I added, "but the truth is....", and third gave a brief statement about how a specific type of music therapy can address this client's exact concern. Fourth, I asked the client for permission to provide this for him.
I am not suggesting that a music therapist argue with or attempt to manipulate a client into receiving music therapy. But I think that "getting in the door" is just as important of a skill in music therapy as is all that happens during the session. If a client seems resistant at first, music therapists could also change the subject, and use the brief interaction as an opportunity to build rapport. Acknowledging a client's stress through our verbal and nonverbal body language, then taking note of a person in the room or picture or something of importance to that client could build the start to a a lasting bridge between therapist and client. This could be followed up with, "John, if it's OK with you, I'll stop by again sometime. Take care." "Sometime" could be tomorrow or even in a couple of hours.
These are ways in which we can show empathy, care, and an appropriate persistence in helping clients make the best choice of whether or not to participate in music therapy. Responding to clients' reluctance in this way may reduce their feelings of helplessness. A client may be powerless over his illness, but we can give him a voice and help empower him to face what's coming. We may be powerless over a client's rejection of music therapy, but we can choose to not let an initial rejection be the end of a potential client-therapist relationship. Since 2000, Dr. Wheeler has been developing an extraordinary music therapy program at the University of Louisville and music therapy services in the Louisville community. She truly knows how to "get in the door" and get things started. I am grateful for her persistence, and most likely would not be pursuing this career if it were not for her.
Response to Barbara Wheeler's "On Powerlessness"
In her article entitled "On Powerlessness," Barbara Wheeler writes of the immense challenges we face as humans and as music therapists. She goes on to express her feelings of powerlessness in missing an overseas flight home, in helping victims of Hurricane Katrina and in offering music therapy to clients in her hospital work. It is a feeling that many of us can sympathize with, especially in the most difficult of times.
I recently experienced this emotion when I was confronted with an event that shook me right to my core. After hearing the news, I felt more powerless than I ever had in my entire life. Friends and family immediately came to my side. While I relied on their support, I quickly realized that the strength would have to come from within. Over the next couple weeks, I discovered I was much stronger than I ever thought I would be.
In response to Barbara Wheeler's article, I propose that we look not at how we are powerless but at how we are empowered. What does it mean to be empowered? In her article, Wheeler eloquently offers the Serenity Prayer which tells us "To accept the things [we] cannot change [and give us] courage to change the things [we] can." She continues, "I try to accept what occurs without putting too much energy into being upset. Obviously there is nothing to be gained by being upset and annoyed, so I try to put my energy elsewhere." (Wheeler, 2005) Such energy can be transformed from negative to positive. In Mariya Ivannikova's response to Wheeler, she acknowledges author Valentin Petrushin, who suggests using prayers and quotations during music meditative exercises in order to encourage a person to think positively about things happening in his/her life (Ivannikova, 2005). Finally, in her response to Wheeler, Lesley University graduate student Michelle Sharpe states, "When it comes down to it I have realized that most of the powerlessness that I feel is brought on by me. While there are countless things out of my control, there are things I can change." (Sharpe, 2006) Each response recognizes our innate ability to have power over the way we think and feel about ourselves and others. Furthermore, we may not be able to control the events or experiences that we encounter in our daily lives, but we can control the way in which we respond to them. By doing so, we provide ourselves with choices. These choices empower us to make meaningful contributions to our lives and to the lives of others.
In proposing that we be empowered, I suggest we look closer at our relationship with music. As Helen Bonny and Louis Savary have found in Music & Your Mind, "The unique ability of carefully-chosen music to help a person reveal positive qualities of inner goodness, harmony, and beauty provides a holistic balance to life. It can also help us explore possible problem areas as well." (Bonny & Savary, 1990, p. 9) In her overview of music in psychedelic psychotherapy, Bonny acknowledges Pratt (1952) who concluded that "music sounds the way emotions feel" and goes on to describes music's ability to "stir up latent conflicts and emotions…" (Bonny, 2002, p. 23) As we all know, music is healing and empowering. I recently felt this empowering quality in a beautiful piece of music entitled "O Magnum Mysterium," performed by the Northwestern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Its rich timbre and slow, melodic lines offer the listener an emotionally satisfying music experience.
In addition to my family, friends and my faith, it was music that carried and continues to carry me through my recent experience. This includes instrumental Indian music, spirituals, lullabies, and even a recording of me and my Lesley University colleagues singing "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell (a song my mother used to sing to me as a child). Music has given me peace instead of anger, relaxation instead of stress, and confidence instead of depression. As a result of these emotions, I am empowered with a new perspective and an appreciation for each new day.
To further this discussion in terms of music therapy, I suggest that we engage ourselves in empowered thinking for the purpose of empowering our clients. This is not to increase our sense of honor as music therapists but to transfer this ability to our clients so that they might emulate these same qualities in their own life. As Kenneth Bruscia found in Defining Music Therapy, "of central significance to the therapeutic process is the client's relationship to the therapist and to the music." (Bruscia, 1998, p. 23). By using this therapeutic relationship to our advantage, we have an opportunity to offer each client empowered thinking in a way that is most appropriate for that individual.
Of course, we can't always expect the client to embrace such thinking and when they do not, we must respect their wishes. In her response to Wheeler's feelings of powerlessness in the hospital setting, Merritt Navazio echoes this sentiment, stating,
Just as we choose to respond to events or experiences in an empowered way, so too can our clients make such choices. Examples include choosing to join a music therapy group, to make or not make music, to play an instrument, or to sing with the music therapist.
So let us not be powerless, but be empowered. By being empowered, we commit ourselves to new, positive ways of thinking from which we, as well as our clients, reap the benefits.
References
Bonny, H.L., & Savary, L. M. (1990). Music & your mind: Listening with a new consciousness. Barrytown, NY: Station Hill Press.
Bonny, H.L. (2002). Music consciousness: The evolution of guided imagery and music (L. Summer, Ed.). Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.
Bruscia, K. E. (1998). Defining music therapy (2nd ed.). Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.
Ivannikova, M. (2005). Powerlessness or Serenity, Courage, and Wisdom in Music Therapy?. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved from http://www.voices.no/discussions/discm49_01.html
Navazio, M. (2008). Response to Barbara Wheeler's "On Powerlessness." Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved from http://www.voices.no/discussions/discm49_05.html
Pratt, C. C. (1952). Music and the language of emotion. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress.
Sharpe, M. (2006). Response to Barbara Wheeler's "On Powerlessness." Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved from http://www.voices.no/discussions/discm49_03.html
Wheeler, B. (2005). On Powerlessness. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved from http://www.voices.no/columnist/colwheeler051205.html
Response to "On Powerlessness"
After reading Barbara Wheeler's article "On Powerlessness" I felt that Wheeler touched on an issues that we all can personally relate to. There are many aspects of life that we as humans are powerless to change, whether it is delayed plane flights, natural disasters, or contracting a deadly disease, making powerlessness a fact of life. I applauded her final sentiment that there is nothing to gained by being upset because of this feeling of powerlessness and that we will do better to place our energies elsewhere.
The section of this article that I feel would benefit from further discussion is Wheeler's feeling of powerlessness when trying to provide music therapy services to oncology patients who refuse a visit. The reasons for refusal cited by most patients is that they are too tired, in too much pain, or are too stressed, some of the very same aliments that the music therapy service is designed to treat. Wheeler writes about her frustrations and feelings of powerlessness about this situation, feeling that if patients would only give music therapy a chance they might reap its benefits, which is a sentiment I understand and have felt. I feel in this situation, however, it is vital to take on a dual perspective and examine how our feelings of powerlessness as music therapist interact with the patient's own feeling of powerlessness.
Having spent a significant portion of my practicum and clinical work as a student in a hospital setting and based my own personal experience as a hospital patient I feel that I have gained some insight into the patient experience during a hospital stay. The hospital environment, although designed to treat patients in the most efficient manor possible, offers patients little to no power over their daily lives. Everything from doctor visits, medication administration, visitation, medical procedures, such as CT scans and X-rays, and even eating times are controlled by the hospital and are out of the patients control. Furthermore, hospital staff can enter patients' rooms at any time, taking away any form of privacy the patient may have had. I should note that I am not refuting that hospitals need to maintain this level of control to properly and effectively treat its patients, but this environment often leaves patients with a distinct feeling of powerlessness. This coupled with the stress and anxiety suffered because of a specific disease or aliment can amount to a feeling of powerlessness within the patient that can be debilitating.
I feel it is imperative to recognize and respect a hospital patient's feeling of powerlessness when working with them. Giving patients a choice to refuse music therapy services, even if that means music therapy services may never be administered, is an important aspect into respecting their feelings of powerlessness. Even through our intentions as music therapist are noble, I feel it is imperative to give patients a choice whether to engage in the music therapy services or not and respect their decision. By giving patients a choice we give them small amount of control and power in an otherwise powerless environment.
Barbara Wheeler demonstrated how her thoughts and feelings of powerlessness made a profound impact on her reaction to the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. As a nation, I believe most of us were aware of feeling a sense of overwhelming angst and helplessness. It is an instinctual, human response to realize that "to help" requires a physical presence. Wheeler also presents an example of her feelings of powerlessness in regards to her work on an oncology unit. "...Some patients are referred to music therapy because their nurse feels that they might benefit from it, but when I approach them about a music therapy session, they refuse, saying that they are too tired or in too much pain or under too much stress. The reasons that they do not want music therapy are often the very things that music therapy might help-if they would only give music therapy a chance!! I am frustrated over my powerlessness to help them if they will not let me help" (Wheeler, 2005).
I found this to be quite conducive to what I am currently experiencing at my internship site in an assisted living facility for those with Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. One of my residents' refuses music therapy and always claims that she is "tired," or "not feeling very well." I have been told that this individual refuses initial musical contact, but as soon as I start playing guitar or singing, she appears content and happily engaged. When Alzheimer's increasingly becomes more debilitating, there is an extreme sense of loss of power for that person. Their sense of authority is diminished and their influence on others slowly becomes nonexistent. When circumstances like these are evident, I feel compelled to make the choice to empower and formulate positive affirmations towards the individual, rather than focusing on pitying and embodying hopelessness. Although I am compelled to empower, I feel powerless because I don't know the best way or if there is even a "right" way to go about empowering an individual. "...In many cases, by acknowledging our powerlessness we are immediately granted choices" (Dos Santos, p.2). Dos Santos presents an important point that when we are aware of our shortcomings or limitations, it is then we have the power to improve our strength of character.
"It is when things go wrong that we are forced to think about the ways we work and the things we can change" (Kottler, p.114). We take on the role of encompassing ourselves to be the client's strongest advocate. It is our role and ethical responsibility to do so. As a therapist in training, I am consciously aware of the fact that change is inevitable, but it is the manner in which we implement and construct the change that proves empowerment. Rolvsjord (2006) states, "Therapeutic effort within a philosophy of empowerment implies focus on the client's resources and potentials rather than on their weakness or pathology" (p.5). When I enter a room to work with a resident, I immediately think of their strengths and what they have to offer. I also have faith in their ability to produce emotions (positive and negative) and to evoke vulnerabilities, which I perceive to be forms of growth in the therapeutic setting. When empowering individuals, in a sense, we are empowering ourselves to be better therapists. This is not to be confused with therapy meeting our own needs. I am simply demonstrating that music therapy is a collaboration and collective musical integration. Daveson and Proctor (as cited in Hunt, 2005) remind us that, "In music therapy both client and therapist experience empowerment. Equal opportunities and freedom for experiences are provided through which a sense of togetherness often emerges that encourages a client to realize their potential and ability which in turn leads to empowerment."
Though empowerment is an essential practice, let's be honest - we all have feelings of incompetence. I have fears of inadequacy, and doubts when it is time to devise forms and techniques for a specific client. Will I develop the right goals and objectives that pertain to their behaviors? This leads me to the question, "How do you know what you don't know?" I have found that this concept has come up when I receive feedback, whether in school or at my site. I find a way to hide what I don't know, because we know that clients "pick up" on various elements of body language such as gestures, facial expressions and posture. However, though this may be true, I honor genuineness. I also understand that being in the "unknown" and expecting the unexpected may feel exposing and is linked to powerlessness. Being genuine does not change the fact that I struggle internally with hoping that I will have the power to engage, when in actuality I sometimes feel powerless. I constantly re-evaluate my thoughts and repeatedly have to remind myself that I have a purpose in my work. I believe this is when I come to the realization that we are in a learning process. However, I get frustrated and feel powerless over things that can and really have the potential to be changed, but the client refuses help. "...Not all clients who come to us - especially those who are involuntarily referred- believe we have the sort of wisdom that might be useful to them" (Kottler, p.26). Talk about feeling powerless! I often contemplate and ask myself, "Maybe gaining power is too much work and too much of a strain for a client," or, "Maybe they have become so comfortable where they are, that there is a fear of changing?" "Are there feelings of guilt when they feel better about themselves?" These questions leave me with a sense of wonder and allow me to embrace the fact that sometimes not knowing everything about a client is more about letting go than trying to control.
When chaos and loss of control is evident, powerlessness invades our minds. However, it is our choice not to stay "stuck" in this place. I believe feeling powerless can set a foundation for transformation. For me, with powerlessness, comes pain, feelings of incompetence, risks, choices, empowerment, and the freedom to let go - to allow change and transformation to occur spontaneously. This is easier said than done. Ultimately, powerlessness leads to possibilities. With possibilities, trials and tribulations follow. It is the risks we take that may lead to mistakes, but it is the willpower that allows us to keep moving forward - to accomplish, challenge ourselves, and to get up again. Only by experiencing powerlessness, can we recognize and appreciate attaining power. Bonny sums it up when she states, "Epiphany, for me, led to the opening of inner life, beautiful and painful" (p.6).
References
Bonny, H. L. (2002). Music Consciousness: The Evolution of Guided Imagery and Music. L. Summer (Ed.). Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.
Dos Santos, Andeline (2006). Celebrating Self-Reflection: Continuing a Commentary on Powerlessness Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved November 18, 2007, from http://voices.no/?q=colsantos130306
Hunt, Meagan (2005). Action Research and Music Therapy: Group Music Therapy with Young Refugees in a School Community. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved November 19, 2007, from https://normt.uib.no/index.php/voices/article/view/223/167
Kottler, J. A. (2003). On Being a Therapist, 3rd Ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Rolvsjord, Randi (2006). Therapy as Empowerment: Clinical and Political Implications of Empowerment Philosophy in Mental Health Practises of Music Therapy. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved November 17, 2007, from https://normt.uib.no/index.php/voices/article/view/283/208
Barbara Wheeler (2005). On Powerlessness. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved November 17, 2007, from http://voices.no/?q=fortnightly-columns/2005-powerlessness
When browsing through the Voices website I was struck by the title of Barbara Wheeler's article, "On Powerlessness." Powerless was exactly the word that I had been looking for. Nearing the end of my first semester as a graduate music therapy student, I have been flooded with ideas of my new place in the world. More exact, in the music therapy world.
Here I am, one person with the crazy idea of saving the world. There are so many people out there that need help There is so much war, poverty, loss, and disease, the people suffering through this need so much. In my mind I see a music therapist, guitar strapped to her back, dropping from an airplane. She floats in like a super hero to serve the masses. She can't cure them, but she could drastically improve their current emotional states. We have proven over and over again the healing power of music. Then I return to reality. All of that takes lots of volunteers, time, and most of all, money. That's where the powerlessness kicks in.
At my current internship site I face many challenging issues that strip my feelings as a "helper." I work with young children who have been abused, neglected, and/or (most likely and) traumatized. Their case histories read like horror novels. How can my work with them really help? Me, only one person, facing their entire lives of misery. Then I realize that I am not there to save them and take their problems away. What I am there to do is help them in any way that I can, especially the seemingly small ways.
When it comes down to it I have realized that most of the powerlessness that I feel is brought on by me. While there are countless things out of my control, there are things I can change. I can give my clients someone to share their thoughts with, teach them about healthy relationships, and give them hope for the future. When I see a patient making even a small step forward, I know that what I am doing is important after all.
Powerlessness is something that every therapist, be they music or otherwise, must face at some point in their education or career. Wheeler uses three examples in her own life to outline the effects this feeling can have upon us. Missing a flight, Hurricane Katrina, and a patient refusing services are incidences that she uses to bring the reader step by step into what she sees as her ordeal.
The point that stands out to me about the most is that as a therapist, you can't always save everyone. When I first found this article, I, as a student, was in a position where I felt completely powerless. The consumer (client/patient) I was following for purposes of a case study was removed from my group, and I had sessions canceled for various (yet unavoidable) reasons at the prison I was doing a group at. At the end of the semester, I'm to present my study and my progress at an end of the year seminar. I knew my work with the prison was going to still be “in progress”, and I had no problem presenting it in that manner; I just didn't realize how “in progress” it is going to end up being. This is more a problem for the student, and not necessarily the therapist, but the way Wheeler's article struck me was not just in the manner of not always being able to help everyone, but also along the lines as what we as therapists do when we're the ones in deep water.
Who gives the therapist therapy? I've heard again and again how a therapist must be of their own sound mind before they can help others, and I've seen the effects of this; a client can definitely tell if you're having a bad day, and depending on the client, they might exploit that knowledge. We work in the domains of communication, academic, motor, music, emotional, and social needs and strengths and try to repair needs and accentuate the strengths of the people we work with. We're people people and are concerned about the needs of others, but when we forget our own needs, no matter how hard we try, our ability to support those who need our services falls substantially.
The Music Therapist I work with at one of my clinical sites recently lost several family members. She and I fell into discussion one day after session about this very topic. She told me that the hardest thing is trying to get the client to do things that you yourself are unable to do at that time. Things such as stress management, coping skills, appropriate emotional expression, and communication become difficult when in an emotional situation like she was.
Her situation made me think about this article in a way that I think might be a little different from what Wheeler intended; not just the therapist being powerless to help the client, but the therapist being powerless to help themselves. Sometimes we forget just how difficult the things we're trying to get our clients to do can really be. It's not until we are put into a position where we might need a little help ourselves that we realize just how difficult it is to cope and to not bottle up or reach out in anger. I hope that all of us, as therapists and students, can take a step back and realize just how powerless we really can become and take the steps needed to address these difficulties.
References
Barbara Wheeler (2005). On Powerlessness. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. Retrieved December 10, 2005, from http://www.voices.no/columnist/colwheeler051205.html