Derrington 2012 thesis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

Then, in his sixth session he stopped playing altogether and only wanted to
talk. He talked about his tiredness, need for a lot of sleep and even wanted to
discuss the jobs he would not be able to do because he was always feeling so
sleepy. As sessions progressed, David began to talk more about his cousin’s
accident, the funeral, his thoughts about learning to drive, his family and his
anxiety about the future. Music therapy had given him a space to express
feelings that he had not shared with his family for fear of upsetting them.
He spoke very openly and said that his perspective had changed while he was
having music therapy: he had decided to work harder at school and avoid
getting so many detentions. At the end of his last session, David played the
drum kit and said it was good: “because it feels strong enough for
everything”. Perhaps the drums were symbolic of the music therapy process
which had survived the fact that he had shared his feelings and worries about
death.
Some students draw to show me how they are feeling: being able to doodle on the
board can help them to focus while they chat and reflect on how they are feeling. For
others, it can be used for printing their name or a gang’s symbol at the start as a way
of stamping out the space which is theirs for a time, or for leaving a message behind.
The whiteboard also recreates an aspect of the classroom and has inspired some
students to role-play. They adopt the part of a member of staff who can teach me,
give me a detention or exclude me for bad behaviour. Such games further illustrate
students’ frequent need for playful control.
When a student seems very reticent about using any instruments in the room, I often
introduce the whiteboard as a starting point to encourage musical exploration and
interaction. On occasion, Winnicott’s ‘Squiggle Game’ (1971) has been valuable and
it can be easily adapted to incorporate musical improvisation. When the student
draws, I accompany their movement and what they draw with music. This provides
an opportunity for me to direct the student through music. Exchanging roles enables
the student to overcome their inhibition with the instruments, as they usually prefer to
be directing the activity rather than drawing.
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