Professional Competences of Music Therapists Working in Post-stroke Rehabilitation

Abstract

The aim of this qualitative study is to gain more insight into the skills and knowledge that music therapists feel they need, in order to work successfully with people who have had an acute stroke. For this purpose, six music therapists were interviewed about their own particular specialist education. Another interview topic for them was to recount their subjective experiences of poststroke rehabilitation work in hospitals and health care units during the course of two projects that they participated in. The first was a project that specifically used music listening during acute stroke rehabilitation; and the second was a project, which used more active music therapy techniques, like drumming during acute stroke rehabilitation.In the first project, patients who were bedridden in hospitals or health care units could listen to familiar songs that stimulated them in both a physical and cognitive way, and helped them to relax and regulate their moods better. In the second project different therapeutic approaches were observed and reflected upon during the piloting phase of the project and then an ideal combination of the activities was defined for the main phase. The resulting clinical music therapy model was thus created to specifically meet the special needs of stroke patients.Three crucial factors gleaned from the interviews that were seen to affect clinical thinking were: a) knowledge concerning the neurological basis of strokes; b) good patient interaction; and c) accurate observation of the physiological and psychological aspects of music therapy. In this way, these results provide a better understanding of the tacit knowledge possessed by music therapists who work within stroke rehabilitation.

Microskills Training: A Model for Teaching Verbal Processing Skills in Music Therapy

“…There is also some indication that clients find verbal processing in music therapy useful. Results of an investigation of music therapists working in post-stroke rehabilitation showed that both the therapists and clients viewed the interaction (i.e., discussion) with clients as the most important factor in keeping sessions therapeutic (Forsblom & Ala-Ruona, 2012). Paulander's study (as cited in Lindblad, 2016) showed that verbal processing in music therapy enables clients to process, understand, and give meaning to their musical experiences.…”

A critical interpretive synthesis of music therapy case studies: Examining therapeutic boundary themes in the context of contemporary practice

“…As CoMT approaches become more common, these types of crossovers may also be more common and may even be considered a strength. Similarly, Forsblom and Ala-Ruona (2012) found in their study on music therapy with adults with an acquired brain injury that being more personal with their clients helped the therapeutic process. This was a major influence on the clients' experience and how much they were engaged in their therapy process.…”

Humour in music therapy: A narrative literature review

“…The assumption that humour, or a sense of humour as a personal characteristic, was not only a sign of wellbeing but also enabled healthy social interactions was widespread (Bright, 2010;Christenbury, 2017;Cobbett, 2016;Dennis & Rickson, 2014;Dwyer, 2007;Finch et al, 2016;Forsblom & Ala-Ruona, 2012;Frank, 2005;Hitchen et al, 2010;Melhuish, 2013;Mitchell, 2017;Pavlicevic, 2001;Potvin et al, 2018;Ridder & McDermott, 2014;Roberts, 2006;Rowland & Read, 2011). Lichtensztejn et al (2014) went as far as to document a client's responses to humour in music therapy to aid formal assessments of cognitive capacity and Geretsegger et al (2015) also identified humour as being important in ascertaining the level of participation when working with a child in music therapy.…”