Music Therapy: Building Bridges Between a Participatory Approach and Trauma-informed Care in a Child Welfare Setting
Journal
Voices
Year
2018
Abstract
Despite a growing interest in music therapy within child welfare practice, music therapy practices within these contexts are still under-researched in Norway. The present study takes a collaborative community music therapy practice as its point of departure. We interviewed nine social workers aged 30-55 from four different child welfare institutions about their ideas on the advantages and disadvantages of music therapy as an approach to promote mental health and development. Informants’ ideas about the benefits of music therapy circled around four main themes: a) safety and well-being, b) relationships and mastery, c) dealing with complex emotions, and d) continuity and stability, across situations. Findings show that the social workers’ reflections around music therapy correspond with child welfare issues such as trauma-informed care and participation.
Music and Health Institute Terms
Children; Adolescents; Coping; Emotional Functioning; Engagement Level; Interviews; Mental Health; Music Performance; Music Therapy; Psychological Outcomes; Recreative Music Methods; Singing a Song; Trauma; Wellness and Well-Being
Indexed Terms
Child welfare; Social workers; Mental health; Emotions
Study Type
Case Study; Qualitative Methods
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Kruger, V., Nordanger, D. Ø., & Stige, B. (2018). Music Therapy: Building Bridges Between a Participatory Approach and Trauma-informed Care in a Child Welfare Setting. Voices, 18 (4), 1. Retrieved from https://remix.berklee.edu/mhi-citations/1269