For the past couple of weeks I've been doing individual music therapy sessions as part of my case study requirement for my internship. So far, I've really enjoyed doing individual sessions. The dynamic is SO totally different than having a group... for one, it's just me and my patient, instead of 5-10 patients and 2-3 staff. Not only can we work a lot more on music stuff that is pertinent to this person individually, but also, it's a good opportunity (as well as a necessity) to build good rapport with the individual I'm working with.
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines rapport as "a friendly relationship; relation; especially: relation marked by harmony, conformity, accord, or affinity". In school and while starting practicums and clinical work, we are reminded over and over how important it is to build solid rapport with our clients. This setting has really caused that message to hit home for me. If you don't have good rapport with your clients, your therapeutic relationship deteriorates really quickly. Conversely, if you are too friendly with your clients, this also causes your therapeutic relationship to deteriorate.
In music therapy, we have the added advantage of being able to use music or music making as a way to build rapport with our clients. Making music together, allowing someone to express themselves musically in a safe environment, creates a cohesion or a connection with someone pretty quickly.
My individual sessions have been focused on teaching this patient guitar so far. Honestly, if you just took that at face value, it wouldn't necessarily be music therapy - anyone with a certain level of guitar skills could do it. But I know that the conversations we have during sessions, the verbal processing that takes place, takes us a step beyond just learning guitar and into the realm of music therapy. As I build rapport with this patient, I hope to further incorporate music and expression into our sessions and combine that with emotional and verbal processing of what's really going on. But more on that later :)
As of Friday 10/18, I am at 640 hours! 400 to go!
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines rapport as "a friendly relationship; relation; especially: relation marked by harmony, conformity, accord, or affinity". In school and while starting practicums and clinical work, we are reminded over and over how important it is to build solid rapport with our clients. This setting has really caused that message to hit home for me. If you don't have good rapport with your clients, your therapeutic relationship deteriorates really quickly. Conversely, if you are too friendly with your clients, this also causes your therapeutic relationship to deteriorate.
In music therapy, we have the added advantage of being able to use music or music making as a way to build rapport with our clients. Making music together, allowing someone to express themselves musically in a safe environment, creates a cohesion or a connection with someone pretty quickly.
My individual sessions have been focused on teaching this patient guitar so far. Honestly, if you just took that at face value, it wouldn't necessarily be music therapy - anyone with a certain level of guitar skills could do it. But I know that the conversations we have during sessions, the verbal processing that takes place, takes us a step beyond just learning guitar and into the realm of music therapy. As I build rapport with this patient, I hope to further incorporate music and expression into our sessions and combine that with emotional and verbal processing of what's really going on. But more on that later :)
As of Friday 10/18, I am at 640 hours! 400 to go!
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