Mexican American Values and Therapeutic Alliance in Music Therapy

Composite Vignettes from the Rio Grande Valley

Abstract

The process of building rapport with clients varies across cultures. There are roles, values, and social expectations that music therapists must be aware of to establish a meaningful therapeutic alliance. As music therapy becomes more accessible along the Texas-Mexico border, we must consider how cultural values present in this community may impact therapeutic alliance with clients and families. The purpose of this article is to describe how familismo, confianza and personalismo values have been observed in the context of music therapy in this Mexican American community and how they have shaped both the therapeutic relationship and the role of a music therapist. Through two composite vignettes, this article seeks to (1) recognize the cultural and psychosocial needs of this
community; (2) initiate discourse for a culture-centered framework of music therapy practice in the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas regions; and (3) provide clinical considerations for building therapeutic rapport with clients in this community.