E-Book of Articles - World Federation of Music Therapy

Turry, Alan: Performance and Product ....
be able to integrate the vulnerable and omnipotent parts of himself and not
maintain either a grandiose or inferior position. The client may reflect on
the process and make new discoveries, gain new insights. They may
establish a more intimate, satisfying relationship with the therapist, able to
trust their feelings and build a meaningful connection. They may begin to
see themselves as worthy of care for who they are, rather than for what
they do. Instead of feeling insecure and inferior, they may be able to
experience themselves as an equal member of the therapy team. They may
begin to feel less driven to perform due to a need to maintain their esteem,
and make the choice to perform when they have something they want to
share with others. They begin to see the performance as a way of learning
about themselves rather than a way to feel superior. They look forward to
performing as a way to feel invested in the future, rather than a way to
stem feelings of emptiness. They may accept their mistakes more easily
rather than expect perfection each time they perform. Each performance
can help to indicate what is going on in the client's inner life. The focus is
on the client's inner development and process through time.
Contemporary Work
Presently, music therapists working with a variety of populations are
choosing to perform publicly with their clients, and focus on products to be
heard outside of sessions. Peter Jampel and Sten Roer, among others, have
formed rock bands with their psychiatric patients. The process of traveling
and working together has helped their clients to feel more confident, and
more integrated into the community. Jampel has made a point to call this
kind of work rehabilitation rather than therapy, yet has created a
therapeutic environment based on the idea of approaching performance as a
vehicle of potential development for his clients. 51 Emma O'Brien has
51 Jampel sites Newman as an influence in building a safe space for performance. Newman is the
founder of social therapy, a “cultural-performatory method for curing emotional pain and
psychopathology.” Newman believes that performance is the natural way to change and grow, and, in
fact, children do this in their play. Performing, in his view, promotes development, and being social has
a performance aspect to it. Performing gives the person an opportunity to try on new behaviors and
attitudes.
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