I am a student at the University of Louisville pursuing a Bachelors degree in music therapy. "The Therapeutic, Musical Relationship: A Two-Sided Affair?", a recent essay by Simon Procter, addressed the significance of the therapist's musical input in co-improvisation. This past January, I had the opportunity to work with Hospice of Louisville, under Dr. Joy Berger, MT-BC. I began incorporating improvisation into my clinical experience as a means of emotional processing.
In my early sessions, I would begin with verbal processing and progress to the improvisation. I supported the patient through a chord progression, focusing primarily on the patient's musical input. After conducting a few sessions in this manner, I began to question how my musical input influenced the development of the musical experience. During the following sessions, I began to tune in to my own musical involvement, questioning how my musical input influenced the patient's experience. I wanted to go beyond simply supporting the patient through the musical experience and reflecting on his or her musical input.
We would begin the session with a brief verbal introduction. Based on this initial verbal discussion, I would set a rhythmic or/and harmonic pattern appropriate to the emotional needs of the client.
In the early stages of the improvisation, my input served as a structure and a supporter. As the client became more comfortable with his/her sound, I switched from simply supporting and structuring to communicating back to the client. In early sessions, I had continued supporting the client, allowing him/her to process their emotions.
A breakthrough in my awareness occurred over the next few sessions. I was able to communicate with my clients with a new level of wakefulness. Through the reflection of my musical input, I was able to move beyond simply supporting the improvisation. I became more in tune with my clients. I saw how my contribution to the improvisation influenced the connection and relationship that developed through the music.
During the beginning of one session, a patient expressed that he felt at peace with his premature death. As the improvisation began, I supported the client as he processed a series of emotions. In the initial stage of the improvisation, the client processed the emotions he felt when he discovered that he had no chance of recovery. Sad emotions were primarily portrayed with slow striking of the drum. The client then changed the improvisation, giving it a carefree sense. I felt that the client wanted to say that he was content but sensed that that was not all that he needed to process. Instead of supporting the client through these more positive emotions, I challenged them. Through the friction and confrontation that developed through our improvisation, I was able to unlock the anger, resentment, and feelings of "Why me?! Why not some one else?!" These emotions were feared by the client, believing they were selfish and morally wrong.
After a couple other sessions with this client, he thanked me for bringing him to this place. He had known about these feelings, but avoided them. My input as a co-performer allowed the client to release these emotions. By understanding and tuning in to my contribution, I was able to enrich our experience by bringing the improvisation to a new intensity.
I enjoyed reading Jenny's description of her musical experience. The interaction she described is really the crux of what music therapy is about. This is what makes music therapy so challenging - music therapists must not only be able to work in the client's music - but they must be able to use their own as well. We are sharing a part of ourselves each time we delve into these musical interactions. We sometimes see ourselves in the music making; at other times, it brings up things for us that might be difficult. This interconnectedness between two souls - This dancing of two minds - This is why we do what we do!
I challenge Jenny and the other readers to think of yourself not as a co-performer, but as a music therapist. This model of music therapy requires you to be as much a part of the music as the client. If you think about verbal models of therapy, you are questioning, reassuring, and challenging your client through music instead of words. On the same token, the therapist must not use the situation for their own benefit, but rather contribute their musical reactions and responses to assist the client in reaching the place that they want to be. For Jenny's client, it was confronting feelings that he had avoided. For other clients, it might be understanding, knowledge, or peace.