Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The British Association for Music Therapy wishes to thank all those who have contributed to these materials. We hold to a policy
of strict confidentiality for service users and any personal details have been altered to respect the needs of confidentiality.
BAMT is a registered charity, no 1137807 And a company limited by guarantee, no 7301585 1
http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/content/assets/PDF/publications/supporter-kit-2015.pdf
Music therapists work across the Initially Kyle would sit hunched with his After two years of therapy, Kyle became The aim of the music therapy group was
spectrum of mental health: from anxiety mobile phone and found it hard to interact more optimistic and developed more to develop a sense of community and
and depression (including post-natal), with his therapist. As a starting point, the understanding about the impact his actions foster relationships. Both staff and patients
eating disorders, addiction and drug abuse, therapist used Kyles mobile to listen to can have on others. One year later, he was improvised together using traditional
post traumatic stress disorder, phobias, tunes and discuss what they meant for him. attending college and had been elected a musical instruments. Those patients able to
psychosis and schizophrenia. This led Kyle to talk about his hopes for the student representative. leave their rooms joined the group in the
future, school and his family. wards corridor whilst those patients who
Improvising together with a music Music therapy can also help patients remained segregated played instruments
therapist or in a group allows someone As his trust in the therapist developed, in high-secure hospitals, who are often through the door hatch with the help of
experiencing or recovering from mental he began performing his own raps and isolated and in great emotional distress, nursing staff.
illness an opportunity to relate safely with writing about the loss and chaos in his life, form positive connections with other
other people, and to explore and express including his fathers suicide. Discussing patients and staff. The women were consistently enthusiastic
feelings that may be too frightening to his lyrics with the therapist he made about participating in the group. What
verbalise. Music therapy can also help a connections between these experiences Music therapist, Helen Short worked at a struck me about this group, said Helen,
person with mental illness access positive and his current difficulties. high-security womens hospital where she was the music. It was always very beautiful
and creative aspects of themselves, often ran a music therapy group for six women. and sensitive. Two women, Sonya and
hidden by feelings of low self-worth. As the sessions developed, Kyle talked and Each patient was permanently segregated Jenny, had never spoken to each other
rapped about breaking free from violence in a room with a small hatch through which face-to-face. Confined to their rooms, they
For some adolescents, the transition to and began sharing feelings of guilt for his they communicated. With an average age played drums through the hatches while
adulthood can be exacerbated by trauma, actions. Improvising on musical instruments of 28, diagnosed with personality disorder, Helen facilitated a musical conversation
insecure attachments, disability and with his therapist, Kyle discovered new ways all had experienced severe trauma as between them.
social deprivation leading to aggression, of communicating within the music. He children, and some were victims of sexual
depression or self-harming. Music therapy explored his sexuality, linking sex to feelings abuse. Many had assaulted nursing staff and Each woman listened then repeated the
offers a safe space for young people to of love instead of power. relationships between patients were fragile. others rhythmic patterns precisely. They
explore these issues. laughed together and mimicked each
others vocalisations. Helen recalls one of