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

inging it to conscious awareness leading to significant
personal insight into therapeutic and life issues. Further,
the music taps into deep transpersonal levels of
consciousness, bringing experiences which move
beyond insight to deep existential healing and
transformation. An individual's response is unique and
personal to each musical program, and each hearing of
any given musical program brings a fresh experience.
GIM is used with a broad variety of clinical populations,
inpatient and outpatient, as well as with general
populations interested in personal growth. It has also
been found to be effective, not only with those who
share the Western classical music tradition, but also
with other cultural groups (Hanks, 1992). The primary
GIM approach is individual therapy; however it has been
adapted for group therapy as well.
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The GIM session begins with an induction which is
designed to relax the body and focus the mind on inner
experience. This, in combination with the music, leads
to an altered state of consciousness. An altered state is
defined by Tart (1969) as one in which the person feels
a qualitative shift in his or her pattern of mental
functioning, not just a quantitative shift. The music is
started and then the client and therapist engage in a
dialogue. The client verbally reports his or her
experience as it happens and the therapist offers
supportive and encouraging comments and questions
designed to help the client maintain an inner focus and
to move deeply into his or her experience of the music.
After the music phase the therapist helps the client to
integrate the experience using both verbal and nonverbal
techniques such as art or writing. Among the
phenomena experienced by the client are mental
images, defined as sensory experiences in the absence
of external stimuli. These images occur in all sensory