Supervision in Music Therapy

A Parallel and Ongoing Process for Professional Development

Autores

  • David Lanau Private Practice in Relational Music Therapy, Barcelona, Spain

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v26i3.4607

Palavras-chave:

supervision, music therapy, psychotherapy, training, relational psychoanalysis

Resumo

This position paper aims to raise awareness among both students in training and professional music therapists about the need to integrate a parallel and ongoing process of supervision. The importance of supervision lies both in the evaluation of therapeutic processes and in the care of the therapist, who is exposed to emotionally demanding situations and critical events while supporting the people they accompany. Supervision thus becomes a key tool for protecting both the therapist and the clients. According to Forinash (2001), supervision contributes to the ongoing development of supervisees, supporting their growth into competent professionals. First, the evolution of supervision in psychotherapy is examined; this is followed by an exploration of the historical development of supervision in music therapy. The wide range of supervision approaches and strategies is highlighted, as they differ significantly from one another and can, at times, even appear contradictory. This methodological diversity allows for the selection of a supervision model that best aligns with individual needs and preferences. Based on this, a supervision model grounded in the relational psychoanalytic perspective is delineated. This approach involves the combined use of verbal processing and music as a strategy to avoid possible confusion in certain processes that may arise when music is used on its own, with the aim of exploring the person’s inner life and supporting their development.

Biografia do Autor

David Lanau, Private Practice in Relational Music Therapy, Barcelona, Spain

David Lanau is a certified music therapist (MTAE-107) and accredited music therapy supervisor (SMTAE-31), registered with the Spanish Music Therapists Register (REMTA). He obtained his Master’s degree in Music Therapy from the University of Barcelona and has specialized training in the relational psychoanalytic perspective, having earned a Diploma in Relational Therapeutic Interventions from the Catalan Donald W. Winnicott Institute. He is a member of the Institute of Relational Psychotherapy (IPR). He has contributed to the theoretical and clinical development of the field through the publication of the articles “Relational Music Therapy as a Potential Space in the Multiplicity of Belongings” (2023) and “A Transitional Space Between Music and Words” (2024), both published in the journal Clínica e Investigación Relacional. He currently applies music therapy from a relational psychoanalytic approach in various organizations dedicated to mental health care and in contexts related to migration. He also works in private practice as a music therapist and music therapy supervisor.

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4607-Lanau

Publicado

2026-11-05

Como Citar

Lanau, D. (2026). Supervision in Music Therapy: A Parallel and Ongoing Process for Professional Development. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 26(3). https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v26i3.4607

Edição

Seção

Position Papers