Sounds of healing: music in group work with survivors of sexual abuse

Abstract

Throughout history music has been used as a tool to soothe the soul and boil the blood. Music is present at all of our rites of passage from baptism to wedding, through war and peace. The Bible tells the story of how David the shepherd calmed King Saul with the music of his harp. The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that music had a magical charm and power to aid the body and soul in healing (Watkins, 1992). Although music has been used therapeutically for thousands of years its use in therapeutic interventions, especially psychotherapy, is relatively new. Music therapists are specially trained to assist clients in their therapeutic goals through music yet their interventions have historically focused on populations such as the developmentally disabled or the elderly. The profession is beginning to expand its techniques to be applicable to wider populations including those experiencing psychological distress. However, those of us who work with our clients on issues of sexual trauma are aware that their financial resources are often limited and that trust issues are a significant deterrent to including more people in the treatment process. What follows here is an examination of the sequelae of sexual trauma, a discussion of the relevant findings in the psychological literature regarding the efficacy of musical interventions in psychotherapy with trauma survivors, an exploration of the research into the physiological effects of music, presentation of pertinent models of musical interventions in psychotherapy techniques which I have tailored for sexual abuse survivors, and examples from Music