23.7. 1993 Vitoria-Gasteiz / Spain - World Federation of Music Therapy

the name etc. - with pointing the title and the name of
the composer and a brief information about the piece of
music; - with a commentary, directing the thought
feelings and imaginations of the patients while listening.
In the initial sessions when working mainly with free
associations we use the first method of giving the music.
In this way the indivial perception of patient is not overburdened
preliminary by a direction which gives thhe
possibilities to obtain clear information his problems.
In a more advanced phase of treatment the musicaltherapeutic
sessions sometimes go with certaine theme
proposed to provide material for associations of the
participants. The theme is first discussed with the
therapeutic team. And it is of crucial importance for it to
coincide with the main problems of the group itself .
Such topics can be "My family", "The partner next to me"
or "The partner in my dreams and wishes'' (the theme
was offered to a group concentrated to the attitudes to
its eventual future partner and provoked a vivid group
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discussion). More often we use themes-metaphores in
which the goal-oriented thought is minimal and the
reality without a subject giving a shape , becomes
undefine (for example "Rebirth", "Battle" and
"Travelling"). Giving individual themes on selected
musical background especially for asthenic patients has
been practiced. Starting from the main conflicts of the
patient the music therapist proposes an exemplary
subject more often taken from fairy tailes. This
approache proves to be effective with patients who due
to different disturbances accept the role of silent "wallflower"
and do not participate in the group process.
In most cases when the themes are proposed for the
group to freeassociate we preffer to propose a music
programme using the third variant, already mentioned.
Proposing definite themes in the music-therapeutic
sessions is an indirect way of giving the patient a task by
stimulating their perception and imagination in a given
direction. The fear of giving concrete intimate