Read more
Involving Minimally Speaking Communicators as Collaborators in Group Music Therapy retrospectively explores a doctoral study of participatory action research centred around one year of music therapy with six minimally speaking men living within a residential home. Written in an accessible style with key learnings highlighted throughout, readers will learn about the benefits and challenges of involving minimally speaking communicators in both research and practice.
The residents participating in the study had a minimum of 40 years' experience of long-stay institutional care and were significantly affected by this in terms of their relationships, identity and communication. Chapters explore the progress of the study across twelve months, then dive into the specific experiences of each of the six men, making recommendations for best practice when working within creative therapies with individuals with unusual or limited verbal communication. Readers will engage with critically reflexive action research and practice, supporting agency and engagement for people who may otherwise struggle to communicate. The book concludes with recommendations for practice in both music therapy practice and research and explores resonances for other settings and circumstances.
This is an essential read for any music therapy practitioner who wants to improve inclusivity and participant engagement within their practice. It will also be interesting to arts and expressive therapies practitioners more widely, health and social care professionals, learning disability nursing and professionals working on the co-production of action research.
List of contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
Acronyms
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Community Care and Participatory Action Research
Chapter Three: Developing the Inquiry
Chapter Four: The Story of the Inquiry
Chapter Five: Pete's Contributions to the Music Therapy Inquiry
Chapter Six: Jack's Contributions to the Music Therapy Inquiry
Chapter Seven: Steve's Contributions to the Music Therapy Inquiry
Chapter Eight: Bill's Contributions to the Music Therapy Inquiry
Chapter Nine: Ralph's Contributions to the Music Therapy Inquiry
Chapter Ten: Aiden's Contributions to the Music Therapy Inquiry
Chapter Eleven: Conclusions and Recommendations for Music Therapy Practice
Chapter Twelve: Conclusions and recommendations for research with minimally speaking people
About the author
Catherine Warner was Programme Leader and Senior Lecturer for MA Music Therapy and MA Therapeutic Music Studies at the University of West England. Catherine is passionate about access to skilled music therapy to support the mental health and empowerment of people with complex needs. She has published books on both music therapy training and supervision.
