Music Therapy

WHAT IS MUSIC THERAPY?

Music can convey feeling without the use of words. For a person whose difficulties are mainly emotional, music therapy can provide a safe setting where difficult or repressed feelings may be expressed and contained. By offering support and acceptance the therapist can help the client to work towards emotional release and self-acceptance.[1]

Music therapy can benefit children and adults with a variety of emotional, psychological, mental or even physical needs.  A variety of tuned and un-tuned percussion instruments are used, which have the advantage of being easy to play so that the client does not have to be a competent musician to benefit from the sessions. 
With group therapy children can share their experiences with other children and help each other through their difficulties.


[1] Association of Professional Music Therapists



The Anglia Ruskin Univerisity staff magazine 'Bulletin' reviewed MPM in their Autumn 2008 issue:

An Anglia Ruskin University MA music Therapy student Bethan Lee Shrubsole who graduated this year has set up music therapy in the north Ugandan town of Gulu.  She is working alongside Gulu’s SOS Children’s  Village.  SOS is the world's largest orphan and abandoned children’s charity, which has established a rescue village for vulnerable people, particularly children displaced by the war.

Bethan and her colleagues (one of whom, Nicky Haire, is also an Anglia Ruskin graduate) offer music therapy sessions for children and training for staff.  These sessions offer the children a chance to have individual attention in a small group setting and to control what happens in their group. Music is used as a form of expression exploring themes such as emotions and communication; areas of their lives from which the children’s experiences may leave them unconnected.  Through musical games, the children learn to co-operate, compromise and form creative ideas in a safe, non-judgmental environment.

More about this important project can be found on: www.growing-family-trees.blogspot.com