Untangling Strings: Further Explorations of Mistakes in Music Therapy

Abstract

M aking mistakes is human. The way we dealHakvoort & Gilboa 4 as a tool for monitoring and dealing with mistakes, but we should also find ways to share our mistakes in broader contexts so that others can hear, empathize, and learn that such mistakes exist behind the doors of music therapy rooms. In conferences for instance, where we are used to hearing cases that end in triumph and success, we should also be exposed to cases in which mistakes occurred, and cases that went astray. Realistic examples of what is feasible or not within music therapy might only stress where the strengths of our profession are centered. In his review in the British Journal of Music Therapy on "breaking strings," Nye (2023) added another topic that would be valuable to consider in the future. He points at "…training courses [and how they] might need to adapt, with particular reference to our own cultural biases within music itself" (p. 3). We should therefore consider how we train and what might need to change, so students can continue to learn from mistakes others made, due to cultural or musical biases.We are thankful that the community of music therapists, music educators, and musicians interested in the topic of mistakes is expanding. We would like to thank the reviewers who took time to read, consider and provide feedback to the authors from their own unique perspectives on mistakes and how that can support professions in their growth and development.