Non-Verbal Interactions Between Music Therapists and Persons with Dementia. A Qualitative Phenomenological and Arts-Based Inquiry

When music therapists are supervising caregivers in how to apply music in their interactions with persons with dementia, we may term this as indirect music therapy practice. Musical interactions are mostly happening through nonverbal, implicit, and embodied knowledge, and, therefore, there is a need for exploring and verbalizing such interactions for music therapists to be able to disseminate to caregivers and other professionals. In this qualitative study, we examine how 6 music therapists with clinical experience in dementia care experience nonverbal interaction with persons with severe dementia living in nursing homes. Explorative focus groups were conducted to study the music therapists’ lived-experience descriptions about their nonverbal interactions with persons with dementia. Focus group transcripts were analyzed by a phenomenological approach, and the findings elaborated and peer validated by the use of musical improvisation as an arts-based analytic approach. The findings included five themes: vitality, disciplined subjectivity, attunement, therapeutic presence, and validation. The music therapists were guided by the vitality of the person with dementia, were aware of their own reactions, and sensed the needs of the person through disciplined subjectivity. They attuned to the person’s nonverbal musical parameters (e.g., tempo pitch and volume) and cocreated an open and mutual field through therapeutic presence and validation. The findings are relevant for future development of direct and indirect music therapy practice but contain limitations due to a homogenous and small group of participants. This study highlights the challenges of exploring nonverbal and musical interactions with the use of language-based methods of inquiry.

A Qualitative Heuristic Inquiry into the Development of Therapeutic Presence as a Student Music Therapist

This first-person study investigates the role of cognitive and embodied forms of knowledge in relation to the development of therapeutic presence as a student music therapist. In this paper, I will provide an introduction to the topic reviewing its relevance to the practice of music therapy, and I will argue that the development of therapeutic presence is a fundamental part of becoming a music therapist. Although there are seminal articles in the music therapy literature that discuss the topic of therapeutic presence, I have not found any articles relating it to the development of being a student music therapist. Using heuristic methodology, I will describe the personal process of developing therapeutic presence as a student music therapist. To gain a broader perspective on the research topic, and to provide validation and transparency in relation to my personal heuristic process, three successive theoretical and experiential workshops were carried out with six student music therapists. Data, in the form of questionnaires, reflections and group musical improvisations were analysed systematically to validate my experience of the research topic, and also to discover and evaluate themes and practical methods. The research has culminated in the synthesis of data gathered during the study in relation to the main research question while also reviewing its relevance to music therapy practice and implications for further study.

Cybertherapogy: A Conceptual Architecting of Presence for Counselling via Technology

The growing urge for mental health via telecommunication systems argues for such services to be discussed at the field of human-computer interaction. However, in spite of the research and evidence that express effectivity of telecounselling, details about the transition to computer-mediated environment are still uncharted. “Cybertherapogy” was coined in this regard to build a schema for engaging and creating meaningful therapy experiences during remote sessions. The model labels strategies that mental health providers should include in their services. Cognitive, counselling, and emotional modules were intersected and overlapped to construct the domains of therapeutic presence in cyberspace. This architecture of emotional agency has been synthesised for psychotherapy by the ongoing concepts and theoretical foundations of presence study and electronic learning engagement. It is believed that the model will enable therapists to facilitate their remote, professional engagement with clients and help design administrative tactics for adequate therapy services.