Music Psychotherapy and Community Music Therapy: Questions and Considerations

Abstract

In his article on community music therapy, Aigen (2004) recognizes the challenges that can emerge when a new form of practice develops and he emphatically states that when these changes take place, "new ethical, self-reflexive, and conceptual signposts" (p 216) are needed. My purpose in writing this paper is to contribute to the development of these signposts by sharing a course of therapy that has stimulated relevant questions in this newly emerging area of work. This paper does not present definitive guidelines, but attempts to identify important considerations when a course of individual music therapy includes the public sharing of the content of therapy sessions in the community in a variety of forms.