One of the most important aspects of the Analytical Music Therapy (AMT) (Priestley, 1975; 1994) approach is setting the stage for music therapists undergoing music therapy themselves. In her writings, Mary Priestley (1994) stresses how important it is for therapists to experience music therapy for themselves, as increasing self-awareness is an essential part of music therapy training. This can be achieved by Intertherapy— a training method for analytical music therapists. Therefore, AMT has significant implications in music therapy training. As Priestley (1994) asserts, regardless of one’s chronological age, we have an “inner child” inside of us. She explains how important it is for the therapist to recognize his or her “inner child” when working with a client:
…the knowledge and healing of his inner child through the unfreezing of its traumatized emotion, are an essential part of his inner preparation for work. In this way he will make sure of treating his patient as separate individuals without causing them to express the emotions of his unconscious and projected damaged inner child instead (p. 214).
Thus, Intertherapy is helpful for music therapists to increase self-awareness regarding feelings and thoughts that may affect their own sessions.
In my work developing the supervision model—Analytical Music Therapy Oriented Supervision (AMTOS)—I have been greatly influenced by the Analytical Music Therapy (AMT) method (Priestley, 1994) and my personal experience with AMT training by Benedikte Scheiby. The two essential points of the AMTOS stem from the principles of Intertherapy: Experience-oriented and Countertransference-oriented (Brusica, 2001).
Experience-Oriented supervision emphasizes working with supervisees’ personal experiences during therapy. Issues are identified and they work through and reframe these experiences. This helps them to integrate what they learn through lectures and readings and apply it to a therapy situation. Also, they can evaluate their real life issues and experience in the role of the client. Having this experience is invaluable because first-hand knowledge will help them integrate their classroom studies into real-world practice. Additionally, the academic environment is a safer place than a clinical setting in which to learn. The experiential learning component also offers a unique opportunity for them to have emotional experiences which they must explore and this eventually leads to their own growth.
Countertransference-Oriented supervision involves assisting supervisees to uncover subconscious feelings and issues that interfere with their relationship with the client, and the therapeutic process (Pedersen, 2006). They will learn to manage the possible recurrent countertransference reactions in the future sessions.
Therefore, the following goals are addressed in AMTOS: Discovery of and work with the supervisee’s “inner child”; Better management of culture-related countertransference that may arise in sessions; Identification and alleviation of any cultural conflicts and further development of cultural integrity; Development of strategies for managing stress.
While these methods are widely applicable to any supervisee, they may be particularly effective in training supervisees who have discrepancies in their verbal and musical expressions, or helping those who struggle to identify their internal strength and transform it into creative energy. Additionally, it seems particularly beneficial for supervisees who require cultural integration due to the drastically different natures of their native cultures and American culture, e.g., Asian culture and American culture (Kim, 2011a; 2011b). While they may take time to get adjusted to their new surroundings and integrate their new cultural learning into their practice, AMTOS may be an effective method to integrate their learning and to resolve any cultural conflict that takes place. Culture related verbal and musical expressions can be learned through experienced oriented methods such as role-playing, maintenance of psychohygiene, use of AMT improvisation, culture-related stress management, and psychodynamic movement.
I found the following salient points helpful in supervising the supervisee who needs to achieve cultural integrity:
Continued clinical supervision throughout music therapy training and the professional life of music therapists is essential. Through the aforementioned methods, the AMTOS model focuses on increasing therapists’ awareness of transference and countertransference and dynamic mechanism and managing their own acculturative stress. It offers a unique opportunity for music therapists to enhance their expressiveness, creativity, and cognitive-emotional flexibility while also promoting cultural sensitivity. AMTOS is a valuable medium for cultural integrity of music therapist.
Bruscia, K. (2001). A model of supervision derived from apprenticeship training. In M. Forinash (Ed.), Music therapy supervision (pp.281-298). Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.
Jahn-Langenberg, M. (2001). Psychodynamic perspectives in professional supervision. In M. Forinash (Ed.), Music therapy supervision (pp. 271-280). Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.
Kim, S. (2011a). Analytical Music Therapy-Oriented supervision (AMTOS) examined within the context of Asian cultures. Proceedings of the 13th World Congress of Music Therapy, Korea. Music Therapy Today 9(1), 2011, 106-107. Retrieved from http://www.musictherapytoday.wfmt.info/Music_Therapy_Today/MTT__Special_Issue.html
Kim, S. (2011b). Predictors of acculturative stress among international music therapy students in the U.S. Music Therapy Perspectives, 29(2), 126-132.
Pedersen, I. N. (2002). Psychodnynamic movement—A basic training methodology for music therapists. In J. Th. Eschen (Ed.), Analytical Music Therapy (pp. 190-215). London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Pedersen, I. N. (2006). Countertransference in music therapy (Doctoral dissertation). Aalborg University. Denmark.
Priestley, M. (1975). Music therapy in action. London: Constable
Priestley, M. (1994). Essays on analytical music therapy. Phoenixville, PA: Barcelona Publishers
Robbins, A. (2008). A healing space for mental health professionals. Psychoanalytic Review, 95(1), 17-44.
Scheiby, B. B. (2001). Forming an identity as a music psychotherapist through analytical music therapy supervision. In M. Forinash (Ed.), Music Therapy Supervision (pp. 299-334). Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.
Kim, Seung-A (2013). The Cultural Integrity of a Music Therapist in Analytical Music Therapy-Oriented Supervision (AMTOS). Voices Resources. Retrieved January 08, 2015, from http://testvoices.uib.no/community/?q=fortnightly-columns/2013-cultural-integrity-music-therapist-analytical-music-therapy-oriented-superv
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