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

Journeys in Hot Air Balloons; Psychodynamic Group Music
Therapy with adults in Psychiatry
Whyte, Carol
Music Therapy Department
Dykebar Hospital
GrahamstonRoad
Paisley
PA2 7DE
Introduction
In this presentation, I would like to outline what I discovered were the
benefits of short term group music therapy with adults in a forensic unit
in a psychiatric hospital.
I’ll give some details of how the sessions were set up, then focus on two
improvisations which highlighted some of the issues which were relevant
for the group. I will then discuss how the group was evaluated and
consider implications for short term music therapy groupwork.
Setting up the sessions
The sessions were initiated by an occupational therapist who contacted
me at the psychiatric hospital where I work.
She worked in a forensic unit in another psychiatric hospital and wanted
to set up a music therapy pilot project there.
Her reason for initiating this was that she felt there was a gap in the
service that occupational therapy had to offer there. They offered
groupwork, for example art groups, photography and gardening groups
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