We All Came From Somewhere

Authors

  • Elizabeth Coombes University of South Wales

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v18i1.915

Keywords:

Music Therapy, asylumseekers, countertransference, reflection

Abstract

This reflection on practice concerns a short-term music therapy project undertaken in 2014 with asylum seeking families in a major city in S. Wales. The project was designed to support these families in settling in their new home, and was the first music therapy initiative for the charity who funded it. The work itself caused the therapist to reflect on the countertransference engendered by the experience and how this aspect of the work enabled her to gain a deeper understanding of issues faced by those who find themselves seeking asylum in another country.

Author Biography

Elizabeth Coombes, University of South Wales

Elizabeth Coombes is the Course Leader of the MA Music Therapy at the University of South Wales. She has been a practising music therapist since 2000 and works with families, young people and in end of life care.Since 2009 she has supported therapeutic music work in Palestine, and this has led her to work with asylum seekers and refugees in the UK also. Elizabeth works psychodynamically, while also drawing on her pre-qualification background as a community musician.

Published

2018-01-02

How to Cite

Coombes, E. (2018). We All Came From Somewhere. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v18i1.915

Issue

Section

Reflections on Practice