community music therapy & performance in adolescent mental ... · • youth wantto perform; •...

CommunityMusicTherapy&PerformanceinAdolescentMentalHealth

ElizabethMitchell,RPMTAPhDCandidate,WesternUniversityRegisteredPsychotherapistMusicTherapistAccredited

Abitaboutme…

• RegisteredPsychotherapist&MusicTherapistAccredited• Musictherapistatamentalhealthtreatmentfacilityfor

adolescents(2007-2012)• MusictherapistatMerrymountFamilySupportandCrisis

CentreinLondon,ON,supportedbyCMTTFgrant(current)• PhDCandidate,WesternUniversity• Part-timeinstructorandclinicalsupervisor,WilfridLaurier

University(2007– present)

Outline

• Definingmusictherapy&communitymusictherapy• Researchsetting• Musictherapist’srole,evolutionofthe“CoffeeHouse”• Researchquestions,methodology,&participants• Results

• Participatoryethos&presentationalformat• “Levelling”:newperspectives,newrelationships• Musicianidentity&resourcebuilding

• Q&A

DefiningMusicTherapy

“Musictherapyistheskillfuluseofmusicandmusicalelementsbyanaccreditedmusictherapisttopromote,maintain,andrestoremental,physical,emotional,andspiritualhealth.Musichasnonverbal,creative,structural,andemotionalqualities.Theseareusedinthetherapeuticrelationshiptofacilitatecontact,interaction,self-awareness,learning,self-expression,communication,andpersonaldevelopment”(CAMT,1994).

MyPhilosophyofMusicTherapy

• Humanistic,client-centered(Rogers,1951)• Resource-oriented(Rolvsjord,2010)• Feminist(music)therapy(Hadley,2006)• Music-centered(Aigen,2014)

• Creativemusictherapy(Nordoff&Robbins,2007)

• Communitymusictherapy(Ansdell,2002)

DefiningCommunityMusicTherapy

“CommunityMusicTherapyisanapproachtoworkingmusicallywithpeopleincontext:acknowledgingthesocialandculturalfactorsoftheirhealth,illness,relationshipsandmusics.Itreflectstheessentiallycommunalrealityofmusicingandisaresponsebothtooverlyindividualizedtreatmentmodelsandtotheisolationpeopleoftenexperiencewithinsociety”(Ansdell,2002,“DefiningCoMT”,para.3).

CommunityMusicTherapy

• Acknowledgedformallyasanapproachtomusictherapyin2002;

• Recognizesthatneitherill-healthnormusiccanbeseparatedfromcontext;

• Involvesworkwithwholecommunities;• A“music-centered”approach(Aigen,2014);• Oftenincludesperformance.

CommunityMusicTherapy:“MakingMusicPossible”

“Theroleofthemusictherapistmayoftenbethatofmakingmusicpossible;whenpeoplehavebeenexcludedfrommusic,whentheydonotallowthemselvestomusic,orwhentheyinotherwaysstruggleforaccesstotheresourcesrequiredformusicalparticipation”(Stige,Ansdell,Elefant&Pavlicevic,2010,p.16).

ResearchContext

• Children’smentalhealthfacilityinOntario• Clients:Adolescents,ages12-17• Dayandresidentialtreatmentprograms• Multi-disciplinaryteamenvironment• Employs1musictherapist

“CoffeeHouse”Rationale

• Youthwant toperform;• Caseloadcannotaccommodateallyouthwhowishto

makemusic;• Performanceisanormativewayofparticipatingin

music;• Challengehierarchicalpower-structuresatfacility;• Recognizingworkplacechallengesfacingstaff,provide

apositiveandrewardingexperienceforthem.

ResearchQuestions

1. WhatelementsoftheCoffeeHousehaveaffordeditssuccesswithinthiscontext?

2. Inwhatways,ifany,doestheCoffeeHouseaffecttherelationshipsamongindividualsatthefacility?

3. Howdoindividualsnarratetheirexperiencesofdevelopmentofmusician-identity?

4. Isthepersonal-identity-narrativeimpactedwhenoneinternalizesanidentityasa“musician”,andifso,how?

Design&Method

• QualitativeResearchParadigm• Narrativeinquiry• Casestudyresearch

• DataCollection• Semi-structuredinterviews• Researcherobservation

• DataAnalysis• Qualitativecoding• Thematicnarrativeanalysis(Riessman,2008)

Participants

• 7youth• 4fromdayprograms• 3fromresidentialprograms• Ages12-17;3male,4female

• 11staff• 1nurse• 2psychologists• 4teachers• 3child&youthcounsellors(CYCs)• 1musictherapist

ParticipatoryandPresentationalPerformanceFields

• EthnomusicologistTurino(2008)suggeststhat“musicisnotasingleartform”(p.20).

• Participatoryperformance:“Therearenoartist-audiencedistinctions”;“theprimarygoalistoinvolvethemaximumnumberofpeopleinsomeperformancerole”(p.26).

• Presentationalperformance:“Situationswhereonegroupofpeople,theartists,prepareandprovidemusicforanothergroup,whodonotparticipate”(p.26).

ParticipatoryEthos

• Successdefinedas”participation”“Ihavefriendsthatworkincommunityschools…andthey’realljealousofwhatwe’redoing…‘Causetheclosestthingtheywouldhaveisliketheirbigfull-scaletalentshowsbut…(laughs)Idon’tknowhowthiswillsound,forthosetalentshowsyouhavetohavetalent.Whereasoursyoudon’t…Ithinkthat’swhatmakesitmorespecial,right?Thatit’sjustthewholecommunitycomingtogether.There’snotthatovertjudgement,andit’snotaboutbeingawesomeandamazing,it’saboutgoingupandtrying”(Teacher4).

ParticipatoryEthos

PerformerCentered• It“existsforitselfandforthepositivethingsthatcome

fromit…the…senseofcommunitythatitbuilds”(Psychologist2).

Inclusive• “I’vebeenreallystruckbythenumberofyouthwhohave

hadlittleornoexposuretomusic…Tomethat’ssad…But,learningthatthisissomethingthatanybodycando,right?…ThatreallyspeakstomyheartwhenIhearthoseexamples…wherethere’llbeayouththatnevereversangforanybody…andthenfindoutthattheycan”(nurse).

PresentationalFormat

Creativity&Individuality• “Somepeoplejudgelike,‘Ohthiskid’slikealoser’,but

theydon’tknowwhattheycanactuallydo”(Youth3).• The“songsthatkidschoosetosingareremarkably

personaltothem”(Psychologist1).• “IfI’mfeelingacertainemotionItrysingingasonglike

that”(Youth7).• “Asong’sneverjustasong”(Youth5).

PresentationalFormat

Support,Witness,Validation• Opportunityto“beanindividual,andbethatinfrontof

otherpeople”(Psychologist2).• “Alotofthesekidshaveproblemswithlikeself-

image…likeIknowIdo.Andithelpsyouwhenyoulikegoupthereandyouhavelikethecouragetogoupthereandeveryoneencouragesyou”(Youth2).

• “It’snot…puttingvalueontheaccomplishment…weputthevalueonthem.”(CYC2).

RelationalAffordances:NewPerspectivesonYouth

Vignette:“Adam”

RelationalAffordances:NewPerspectivesonYouth

Strengths-Based• “Ithinkthestaffenjoyit– theygettoseewhatwecan

do…Peoplearedifferentfromeverydayversuswhenthey’refacingtheirfears”(Youth4).

• Eventisareminderthat“justbecausewedon’tseeitdoesn’tmeanit’snotthere…bothforthesetalentsandforotherstrategiesthattheymayhave”(CYC1).

• Providesstaffmembers“thattrulyauthenticopportunitytosay…‘Holyshit!Thattooksomeguts’”(Psychologist2).

RelationalAffordances:NewPerspectivesonYouth

“It’snicetobeabletoexplainyourselfwhenyoujustwanttogoinyourroomandscreamasloudasyoucanbecausenooneunderstands…Butthenyoucangoupthereandyoucanperformasonganditcansaysomanythings.Maybenotwithyourownwordsbutyouperformitandpeoplearelisteningandpeopleespeciallyinheretheycatchontoit.Theyknowwhatyou’regoingthrough.Andalotofthetimeafterthatstaffwillcomeupandthey’lltalktoyou‘causethey’llgetit”(Youth5).

RelationalAffordances:NewPerspectivesonStaff

Vignette:CYC3

RelationalAffordances:NewPerspectivesonStaff

Staffarenervoustoo.• “Thekidscometousandtheythinkyourlifeisperfect…It’s

nice…forthemtoseethatsomeofusdostruggle.And,puttingourselvesoutthereisdifficult,sowecanrelate”(CYC2).

Staffarehumantoo.• Participationis“aboutlettingourkidsknowthatweare

wholepeople…We’renottitles.We’repeople”(Teacher3).• Attimes,theeventallowsyouthtowitnessstafftaking

themselves“alittlemorelightly”(Teacher1).

RelationalAffordances:Music’s“Levelling”Function

“Providinganopportunityforeveryonetoperform— whetherpatient,doctor,therapist,orjanitor—servestoreinforcethecommonhumanitysharedbyallmembersofthecommunity,acommonalitythatisalltoooftenlostintheinteractionsthatcharacterizeinstitutionalhierarchies(Aigen,2012,“PerforminginanInstitutionalSetting”,para.3).

NewMusicalIdentities:Youth

• “ItkindofmakesyouhappytoseepeoplelikebeinghappythatI’msingingandlikegoodatsinging.CausejustlikeI’veneverkindoffeltthat…Ifeelsoaccomplished”(Youth1).

• “IusedtothinkthatI’mnotverygoodatdrumming.NowthatI’veheardmyselfplaywiththeotherbandmatesIthoughtIdidreallywell”(Youth3).

• “Idon’tfeellikeIcouldbelikeaprofessionalbassistoranything…butIcanplay it”(Youth2).

NewMusicalIdentities:Staff

• ”[Theyouth]wentupandperformedatCoffeeHouseand…Irememberthinking,thatwouldhavebeencoolifIcouldhaveperformedwithhimandbeenasupportforhim,causehewasreallyanxiousaboutit...SothenIjuststartedplayingguitar”(Teacher4).

• “Iwaslike,okay,we’vedonesomuchwiththesekids,andthey’vesharedsomuchwithme,thatIkindofwanttosharesomethingwiththem”(Teacher1).

Musicking(Small,1998)

“Ialsolovewhentheyouthandthestaffareperformingtogether.Justlikethiswholeotherwayofconnectingwithyoungpeople…verynon-hierarchical,verynon-directive…Connectingwitheachother,andwiththeaudience,and,yah,Ithinkthere’ssomethingjustinherentlynourishingaboutthatfeeling...Youcouldbereallyintellectualandstructural...butIalsothinkthere’sjustsomethingnotverytangible,andyoufeelitasanaudiencemembertoo..thiskindofenergybeingexchangedbetweenpeopleandconnectedness”(Psychologist2).

Questions?

Beintouch!ElizabethMitchell,RP,MTAliz.l.mitchell@gmail.com

References

Aigen,K.S.(2012).CommunityMusicTherapy.InG.E.McPherson&G.F.Welch(Eds.),TheOxfordHandbookofMusicEducation (Vol.2).NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress.doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199928019.013.0010

Aigen,K.S.(2014).Thestudyofmusictherapy:Currentissuesandconcepts.NewYork,NY:Routledge.

Ansdell,G.(2002).CommunityMusicTherapy&TheWindsofChange.Voices:AWorldForumforMusicTherapy,2(2),1–46.doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.15845/voices.v2i2.83

CanadianAssociationforMusicTherapists(1994).Whatismusictherapy?RetrievedOct.9,2016fromwww.musictherapy.ca.

Hadley,S.(2006).Embracingfeminism:Anoverview.InS.Hadley(Ed.)Feministperspectivesinmusictherapy(pp.1-35).Gilsum,NH:Barcelona.

Nordoff,P.&Robbins,C.(2007).Creativemusictherapy(2nd ed.).Gilsum,NH:Barcelona.

References

Pavlicevic,M.&Ansdell,G.(2004).Introduction:TheRippleEffect.InM.Pavlicevic&G.Ansdell(Eds.),Communitymusictherapy(pp.15-31).London:JessicaKingsley.

Riessman,C.K.(2008).Narrativemethodsforthehumansciences.ThousandOaks,CA:Sage.Rogers,C.R.(1951). Client-centeredtherapy:Itscurrentpractice,implications,andtheory.

Boston:HoughtonMifflinCompany.Rolvsjord,R.(2010).Resource-orientedmusictherapyinmentalhealthcare.Gilsum,NH:

Barcelona.Small,C.(1998).Musicking.Middletown,CT:WesleyanUniversityPress.Stige,B.,Ansdell,G.,Elefant,C.,&Pavlicevic,M.(2010).Wheremusichelps:Communitymusic

therapyinactionandreflection. Surrey,UK:Ashgate.Turino,T.(2008).Musicassociallife:Thepoliticsofparticipation.Chicago,IL:Universityof

ChicagoPress.