Levels of Music Therapy Interventions

1. Levels of Music Therapy Interventions Principles and Strategies

2. Need for Different Levels • Indications from research • Traditional group therapies • Long-term • Cathartic • Insight-oriented • May be counterproductive in short-term inpatient work OR • With chronic schizophrenic disorders

3. Wheeler’s Three Levels • These are adaptations identified in Unkefer/Thaut (pg. 182) • Supportive - Activities-Oriented Music Therapy • Reeducative- Insight and Process Oriented Music Therapy • Reconstructive, Analytically and Catharsis Oriented MT

4. To Actively involve through concrete activities Strengthen defenses Increase behavior control Develop healthy feelings and thoughts Increase social interaction Expose patient to basic group dynamics Diverting attention from neurotic concerns Not to Involve in insight-oriented or cathartic work extensive verbal processing of patient’s problems Supportive - Activities-Oriented Music Therapy

5. Supportive - Activities-Oriented Music Therapy • To • Provide the experience of success • Social support • Anxiety reduction • Used With • Patients who are in acute/severe stages of disease • Patients who cannot tolerate more demanding levels of therapy

6. ReeducativeInsight/Process- Oriented Music Therapy • To • Reorganize values and behavior patterns • Acquire new tension- and anxiety- relieving attitudes • Assume responsibility for own thoughts and behavior • Focus is on • TMI’s designed for feelings/thoughts that are verbally processed within the therapy session • The here-and-now interaction among group members • Challenging maladaptive thoughts/behaviors

7. ReeducativeInsight/Process- Oriented Music Therapy • TMI’s are designed to … • Identify feelings • Creative problem solving • Facilitate behavior change • No probing of subconscious conflicts, although … • Help gain patient’s insight into her/his behavior

8. Reconstructive Analytically and Catharsis- Oriented Music Therapy • Patients • To benefit from music therapy interventions and strategies at this level of therapy, patients have to be committed to long-term therapy that challenges deeply embedded personality characteristics. • Therapists • Usually require advanced training and supervision

9. Reconstructive Analytically and Catharsis- Oriented Music Therapy • The difference between reconstructive and reeducative therapeutic efforts lies in the degree and quality of insight required of the patient and the focus on past experiences as opposed to here-and-now thoughts and feelings. • Healthy behavior is achieved through eliciting unconscious material as opposed to concentrating on conscious thoughts and feelings or present behavior patterns.

10. Reconstructive Analytically and Catharsis- Oriented Music Therapy • TMI’s are often used to …. • Elicit images or feelings that are associated with the patient’s present or past. • Elicit awareness of crucial, unconscious conflicts and encourage change by living through deepest fears and conflicts with insight. • Influence psychosomatic dysfunctions and to break neurotic behavior systems.