Resource-Oriented Perspectives in Music Therapy

Abstract

Resource-oriented music therapy emphasizes the development and stimulation of client’s strengths and resources rather than the reduction of symptoms or cure of pathology. Thus, the focus in therapy is positive experiences, mastery, and coping rather than on difficult emotions, psychological conflicts, and problems. Collaboration and user-involvement is highly emphasized. Resources-oriented perspectives in music therapy are linked to movements and theoretical perspectives in an interdisciplinary field, such as the philosophy of empowerment, positive psychology, salutogenesis, recovery, and various perspectives on music and health. The emphasis on aspects of resource-orientation can be traced back in the history of music therapy, and be described as a general feature of music therapeutic practices. Yet more recently resource-oriented music therapy has been developed as a more specific approach in mental health care. In this chapter a broad “family” of perspectives within the music therapy work that highlights resource-orientation will be presented.