Integration of trauma in music therapy: A qualitative study.

Abstract

Objective: The importance of integration in psychotherapy is a growing area of research, theory, and practice, especially regarding traumatic events. Although research relates to integration in the context of music therapy with trauma survivors, it has rarely been the main focus of research. The current study investigates which principles and techniques guide music therapists to facilitate integration of trauma survivors. Method: Using the phenomenological approach, analysis of semistructured interviews with 41 experienced music therapists working with traumatized populations was conducted to identify themes regarding their perception on integration. Results: The findings yielded three different ways of integration. Body integration entails the ability of active music playing to serve as a sensorial stimulus that bypasses linguistic and logical mediation and enables clients to live in peace with their body and feel whole. Event integration relates to a process by which a repressed traumatic event reemerges into consciousness through music and leads to emotional and cognitive integration of that event. Lastly, life story integration relates to the ability to perceive a life story as a whole. The process includes embedding a trauma into the natural flow of a life story through music and achieving emotional and cognitive integration. Conclusions: These three ways of integration are conceptualized as a progression of three consecutive levels of integration which may assist music therapists in their work with trauma survivors. Clinical Impact StatementThe findings indicate three consecutive levels of integration which may be achieved in music therapy with trauma clients. Body integration entails the ability of music to be a sensorial stimulus that bypasses linguistic and logical mediation and enables clients to live in peace with their body and feel whole. Event integration is the process by which repressed traumatic events reemerge into consciousness through music and lead to emotional and cognitive integration of the event. Lastly, life story integration is the process of embedding traumas into the natural flow of a life story through music and achieving emotional and cognitive integration.

“When I sing—I exist”: A qualitative inquiry on posttraumatic growth in voicework groups with women coping with incest.

“…Participants reported an increased sense of personal strength after achieving body integration, feeling a stronger connection to their bodies, voices, and physical sensations. The ability of music to facilitate body integration in trauma survivors is supported by a recent study that shows how active music playing may act as a sensorial stimulus that bypasses linguistic and logical mediation and enables clients to live in peace with their body and feel whole (Bensimon, 2022). This is supported by studies showing that heartbeats can be synchronized to the tempo of sedative music (Fukumoto et al, 2010), and music can influence the breathing rate and induce a relaxation response (Leslie et al, 2019).…”

Loneliness in Breast Cancer Patients with Early Life Adversity: An Investigation of the Effects of Childhood Trauma and Self-Regulation

“…Where childhood trauma is implicated, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) have been found to be effective in adult women experiencing complex traumatic stress associated with childhood abuse [44]. Emotionally focused therapies [45], which can include music and art-based approaches to improve emotional expression [46], may benefit individuals struggling with emotional ambivalence. Individuals with negative self-discrepant views may also benefit from a reflective emotional space to process experiences and to promote cognitive reframing and acceptance of change.…”

The Psychoanalysis of Music Improvisation: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study

“…Music therapy has been useful for many adverse outcomes, including mitigating pain and alleviating perturbing emotional experiences (Liang et al, 2021). More specifically, for people who are able to play music rather than simply listen to it, it has been shown to diminish the impacts of the trauma (Bensimon, 2021;Volkman, 1993), as well as decrease anxiety by impacting the level of subjective worry (de Witte et al, 2020), improve states of depression (Guo & Yu, 2020), and enhances the quality of interpersonal relationships in patients with Alzheimer disease, which leads to immediate benefits (Leggier et al, 2019).…”