Proceedings, Oxford, UK (2002) - World Federation of Music Therapy

that of becoming an active agent. The role of the physician is to provide
the best medical care within any given situation. In narrative work, the
physician helps the individual to navigate the medical system, explore
options and to give personal care within a system where high technology
dominates care. The physician heals, relieves and comforts but never
removes hope, for without hope, the soul dies quicker than the physical
body. The therapists play a special role in relationship to each other. Both
therapists must understand where the other therapist is coming from
therapeutically. They must hold a similar basic belief system and a love
of music. If the value systems of the therapists are synchronous, then the
work will have greater depth and meaning. It is the value system of the
therapists that allows the work to be carried out in a way that does not
infringe on the belief system of the client. The clinical direction of the
work depends on a mutual understanding, respect and a good working
relationship.
Individuals are chosen for this type of work based on their acceptance
that this work is of personal value to them. My co-therapist Dr. Bill
Nelems (Bill) would often meet potential individuals through his work as
a thoracic surgeon. As a surgeon, Bill meets patients with lung cancer, or
other end stage disease. As a medical practitioner, Bill is able to offer
narrative work due to his training in Counseling and his compassionate
abilities as a physician. When active medical treatments are no longer an
option, palliative measures are introduced. It is at this point, in the
medical care that the narrative work can be offered as a viable option. Do
you like music is now a standard question at this point in the medical
appointment. This process begins to address what happens when the
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