Music Therapy with a patient who experienced child abuse: a case study

Abstract

This study aims to illustrate the journey of music therapy with an adult patient who experienced physical child abuse. Literature on domestic violence and music therapy has focused almost always on women, with significant results of music therapy as a means of self-expression, selfawareness and empowerment. Most studies are based among the work of groups with survivors of domestic violence, using improvisational methods, with the use of precomposed songs, lyric analysis, and composition. Domestic violence is very broad topic that encompasses the forms of physical abuse, sexual, verbal/emotional and neglect. Even though there are several case studies under the term domestic violence and child abuse in music therapy, the form physical child abuse and music therapy is still an under researched area. With the use of a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, this study aims to reveal the story of a female adult patient who experienced child abuse and to analyse the lived experience of our journey and our therapeutic relationship in music therapy. Using thematic analyses, I will give an insight of the whole experience by interpreting meanings and themes arise throughout our sessions. Furthermore, this case study reveals the challenges for the therapist when working with a survivor of abuse, the process of the therapeutic relationship and how music therapy helped the patient. Using mostly improvisational methods with the use of instruments and voice, pre – composed songs and composition, our sessions offered a safe space for this patient to: recall unpleasant memories from the past and allowed space for self-expression, self-acceptance and a sense of a ‘pleasant escape’, where the patient felt free by gaining back her inner strength. Also, music therapy offered a preparation for this patient to continue further personal psychodynamic counselling. Keywords: case studies; domestic violence; child abuse; physical abuse; music therapy