Verbal Processing within the Music Therapy Relationship

ABSTRACT: This article is intended to establish an introductory foundation for the continued development of theory and methods in the use of verbal processing in music therapy. Verbal processing may contribute toward client awareness of internal sensations, feelings and thoughts related to external events and relationships, as well as contribute toward therapist understanding of the affective, cognitive and relational material which surfaces during the musical experiences in music therapy. In addition to these functions, verbal processing provides a means for the music therapist to gather information, to test an observation, provide assessment information, stimulate activity within a therapy group, or provide feedback that can enable a return to the music. Issues that may present as resistances to the music therapist's use of verbal processing will also be explored. Case examples are provided to present demonstrations and application of the purposes of verbal processing. Finally, the article concludes with suggestions that may help the music therapist's focus on the direction of intervention in the use of verbal processing. It is suggested that music therapists continue to develop methods of verbal processing since it seems to be an integral part of a great deal of music therapy practice. Verbal processing, for the purposes of this paper, relates to the talking that facilitates the therapeutic process during, and in response to, music making or music listening. Two purposes are suggested for the use of verbal processing in music therapy. First, verbal processing provides the opportunity to increase awareness or understanding about internal (thoughts, observations, and feelings) and external events (within the music and interpersonal areas of experience). Thus, verbal processing allows for the client to integrate non-verbal with verbal realms of experience, such as when a client develops awareness, or a connection, between personal and interpersonal events experienced through the music therapy process and patterns that occur in his or her everyday world (Nolan, 1989, p. 177). A second suggested purpose of verbal processing is that it can provide the therapist with a way to gather additional information. This verbal information may verify and/or broaden the therapist's understanding of the client. Or, information gleaned from the verbal processing may contradict, or contrast, with information derived from musical experiences. In this later purpose, verbal processing may also help the music therapist become aware of countertransference material. As a result of verbal processing, the client and the therapist are able to re-enter into the musical experience (expressive or receptive) with new insights, and a more developed therapeutic alliance. This article explores verbal processing from both of these suggested perspectives. The ideas and suggestions in this article are based primarily upon the author's twenty five years of music therapy clinical experience with adults and children in inpatient and outpatient psychiatric and medical settings and through clinical and academic supervisory experience as a music therapy clinical training director and university educator. References from the literature serve to reinforce the author's perspective and to demonstrate diversity in the practice of verbal processing in music therapy. Verbal processing may occur in a wide range of expressive and receptive, also known as active and passive, music therapy approaches. At times, verbal processing may include only the therapist's words or may occur in the form of the client or therapist's spontaneous singing (Austin, 2001 ). It is not restricted to spoken discourse. It is not used as a literal translation of the musical events into words. Therapist and client discussion ought not to shadow the aesthetic, spiritual, and other ineffable manifestations of the music playing or listening experience. In some music therapy orientations, or approaches, it is believed that verbal processing is contraindicated or unnecessary due to the tenant that the musical experience intrinsically contains all that is needed for client change or growth. …