Abstract
Empathy has been researched extensively in the counseling literature, and some music therapists have discussed its importance in education, supervision, and clinical work. However, it has not been described extensively within music therapy. The purpose of this heuristics study was to look at music therapists’ experiences with empathy and the role that music plays in connecting with clients and displaying empathy. We interviewed six board certified music therapists who had been practicing music therapy for two years or more. Through the analysis of the interviews utilizing an individual and then composite depiction of the experiences of empathy, immersion into the participants’ musical selections, and rich discussions between the researchers, we found nineteen qualities that described the experience of empathy. We grouped these nineteen qualities into six broader themes: experiences of empathy, clinical training and supervision, knowledge of self, interpersonal, societal influence, and music and empathy. In addition, Researcher 2 developed a creative synthesis of the data via songwriting which is included in the results. Empathy remains a complex phenomenon, however, this study offers some possibilities for describing it. Limitations and suggestions for future research are also discussed.
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