Mentalizing in improvisational music therapy. Issue 4 (8th August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Strehlow, Gitta; Hannibal, Niels
• Is Part Of: Nordic journal of music therapy. Volume 28:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 333
• Page End: 346
• Publication Date: 2019-08-08
• Subjects: Implicit mentalizing -- explicit mentalizing -- music therapy -- improvisation -- epistemic trust; Music therapy -- Scandinavia -- Periodicals; Music Therapy -- Periodicals; 615.85154
• DOI: 10.1080/08098131.2019.1574877
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0809-8131

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Introduction : The concept of mentalization has become increasingly widespread in the psychotherapy discourse. This article investigates three important questions in relation to music therapy and mentalization-based treatment: 1. How is mentalizing in a musical context (improvisation) different from mentalizing in a verbal context? 2. How do mentalization processes unfold in a musical context during improvisation? 3. Are there ways of responding in musical improvisation that can facilitate the ability to mentalize? Method s : We employed reflexive investigation using clinical examples to illustrate our understanding of how mentalizing unfolds in the process of music therapy practice. Results : We illustrate different ways that non-mentalizing can appear in musical improvisation and exemplify how musical improvisation can enhance the ability to mentalize. Discussion : We argue that it is possible to distinguish between mentalizing in a verbal or musical context even though there are similarities. We argue that the mind-set of the therapist is the single most important factor in facilitating mentalizing in music therapy.