Dissertation - World Federation of Music Therapy

changing. Participants described how the BMGIM therapy through music and
imagery had ‘opened doors’ and empowered them to believe in a more meaningful
present and even a future-directed perspective to their life. Not as an avoidance of
problems or conflicts, but as realistic attitude to living with a life-threatening disease.
Improved understanding of Self (all six participants)
All participants described how the BMGIM therapy made them aware of dominant
(coping) strategies in their life (before cancer). The awareness and the therapeutic
dialogue enabled the participants to dismiss these inexpedient strategies and develop
strategies and attitudes more realistic and appropriate to their present life situation.
The experience of personal core imagery and the subsequent interpretational dialogue
was described as an ongoing development of insight.
(New) Love of music (Five participants: WIFU, INLA, PIJØ, ESMA, SAAA)
None of the six participants had a background in music. Their knowledge of classical
music was more or less limited; one (ESMA) would even describe herself as a
‘musical illiterate’. Apart from one participant (ANHO) who never felt very
comfortable in the music imagery phase of the sessions, all other participants
described the music as a very important element in the sessions. Often the music was
experienced as background to the imagery in the session, and yet the music’s role was
judged indispensable. Music allowed the participants to let go of feelings; it supported
them in exploring the imagery in depth; it was moving (both literally and
metaphorically); it established a productive mood framework for the experience; and
it brought beauty and meaning to the process. Four of the participants developed their
own ways of using special selections from the GIM music programs between the
sessions and after termination of the project.
Coming to terms with life & death (five participants: WIFU, INLA, ANHO, ESMA,
SAAA)
A cancer patient is a person living with a life threatening disease. It is not possible to
avoid or escape strong emotions and dark thoughts related to death and dying. Four
participants described how BMGIM therapy enabled them to face death and explore
their own fear of dying in a controlled medium, namely through the music-assisted
imagery, with simultaneous and subsequent therapeutic support through verbal
dialogue. This has led the participants to a new attitude towards both life and death,
minimizing the fear and maximizing the wish to focus on living – alive.
Opening towards Spirituality (three participants: WIFU, INLA, SAAA)
175