Derrington 2012 thesis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

particularly, but there’s fuck all that will help me” (appendix 7.1.26, p.397). Yet, after
this immediate response, he felt that there were benefits to music therapy: sessions
got him out of lessons and, he added, “you go in, we chat about home, school all that
sort of stuff and like we’d also listen to music, play the drums, violin and stuff like
that. Been like quite good” (appendix 7.1.26, p.400). Jamie’s self-esteem was rock
bottom before music therapy: “Normally I don’t tend to keep friends for very long
cos I’m not very much of a likeable person” (appendix 7.1.25, p.395) but he felt that
music therapy was about learning how to express himself (p.400) and good for
“listening to music really loud... Like I’m not just sat in a room sitting down at a
table, I’m doing things that are like more physical and fun” (appendix, 7.1.26, p.400).
7.7.6 On telling other people about music therapy
“It’ll change your feelings very quickly…you won’t feel any sadness anymore”
(Daniel, appendix 7.1.2, p.201).
If you were going to explain to somebody what to expect of music therapy what would
you say
When students were asked this question, it was interesting to hear how many said that
there was no need to worry. This seemed to reveal some of their own anxieties before
they began music therapy as well as their feeling that attending music therapy was not
stressful. Others captured the element of confidentiality and said that they felt
students should try it and find out for themselves. Several students emphasised the
amount of fun. Daniel felt sure others would want to do it but it would be good to
reassure them: “it doesn’t matter if you can’t play an instrument, you don’t even have
to be able to, to do that” (appendix 7.1.2, p.203).
Some students took this as an opportunity to say that music therapy was useful:
“Music therapy is good and more people should be doing it” (Andrew, appendix
7.1.32, p.462). Harry was the only student who mentioned telling his family about
music therapy. His brother could always express himself, he said:
“L’s quite an open, nice person, which is sort of how I want to be and he’s
learnt that from expressing himself. Just like music therapy…So music
! "*'!