Therapists’’ Processes of Selecting Music for Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music Sessions
Abbott, Elaine A - Volume: 17
The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music is a musiccentered therapy, and the therapist’s selection of music is central to the therapeutic process. With the purpose of supporting, negating, or
expanding on ideas in the literature about therapists’ music selection processes, six therapists’ experiences of selecting music were analyzed using existential phenomenological methods. The therapists considered several factors throughout a multi-step process when selecting music. They considered factors related to the client, the therapist, the session context and the client-therapist relationship. The steps they took included bringing music to mind, checking the fit of music, rejecting programs or pieces, dealing with personal reactions, making a final decision, and listening for fit. Rich description of both factors and steps is provided in the results. Many factors and steps identified through data analysis were in alignment with those described in the literature.